Phys.org news
Phys.org / Engineers solve puzzle of Arctic sea ice movement
Arctic sea ice moves and spreads in ways that wind alone cannot explain. A new UC Riverside-led study finds that collisions between individual pieces of ice provide a surprisingly simple explanation for these movements, potentially ...
Phys.org / The local costs of remote sensing: Examining the ethics of laser scanning in tropical forests
Laser scanning, often referred to as lidar, has rapidly transformed how tropical forest regions are studied, monitored and understood across academic disciplines. The technology enables researchers to peer through dense forest ...
Phys.org / Bacterial invasion proteins could improve detection of live crop pathogens
Scientists, clinicians, seed companies and others may soon have a new tool in their toolkit for detecting bacterial pathogens, thanks to a new study by researchers in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences. The research—published ...
Phys.org / Tiny oyster larvae rely on gravity to feed
Eastern oyster larvae are only 100–300 micrometers long, but their dense calcium carbonate shells make them substantially heavier than the surrounding seawater. A new study led by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution ...
Phys.org / Deep ocean, familiar trash: Plastic waste found alongside possible new species
It's no secret that plastic and other human trash are a problem for marine life, but our understanding has long focused on the ocean's surface. As described in a study published in PLOS One, a more complete picture is coming ...
Phys.org / 'Born-again' star offers rare chance to watch stellar evolution in real time
Astronomers have confirmed that one of the fastest-changing stars ever observed has entered a new stage of its evolution, offering a rare opportunity to watch a star's life unfold on human timescales.
Phys.org / Hedgehog coronaviruses may threaten cats more than humans, new study finds
Washington State University researchers have discovered how a group of coronaviruses circulating in hedgehogs invades host cells, a key to understanding their potential to jump between species and their risk of causing a ...
Phys.org / Fungi neutralize spruce defense mechanisms with sugar
A research team at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology discovered a previously unknown strategy by which certain fungi neutralize spruce defense compounds. These fungi are introduced into trees by bark beetles, ...
Phys.org / Ice Age carvers used mammoth tusk patterns to create unique art, study finds
Intricate designs engraved across the surface of 18,000-year-old female figurines carved from mammoth ivory were inspired by the distinctive growth patterns visible in the tusks, a new study published in the journal npj Heritage ...
Phys.org / Roll waves emerge as uniform water flow destabilizes on steep slopes, equations show
When it rains, traveling waves appear on steep asphalt pavement, slowly making their way down the slope. Because these so-called "roll waves" propagate without deforming and are typically characterized by abrupt discontinuities, ...
Phys.org / Muon rings enable precise calibration of telescopes at the Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory
Research initiated as part of a bachelor's thesis in physics at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) has culminated in a new analytical description of the muon-based calibration of dual-mirror Cherenkov telescopes. ...
Phys.org / The Mediterranean is getting warmer and saltier at an ever-faster pace—even thousands of meters below the surface
Across its basins and thousands of meters down, the Mediterranean Sea is getting warmer and saltier. Now, a new study finds it is also doing so at an increasingly rapid pace. The speedup is largest in the central and eastern ...