Phys.org news
Phys.org / How winds above Tibet quietly replenish water for nearly 2 billion people
The "Asian Water Towers" (AWTs), a high-altitude region with a mean elevation exceeding 4,000 meters, serve as the primary freshwater source for nearly 2 billion people. While the Indian summer monsoon is well known for shaping ...
Phys.org / Scientists dispute hypothesis that climate change will unleash massive agricultural pest populations
The widespread hypothesis that climate warming will result in unprecedented agricultural pest populations and cause food insecurity worldwide is oversimplified, according to a new study by a team led by Mia Lippey, an entomologist ...
Phys.org / The shoal remembers: How signs of a collective memory shape a predator-prey arms race
Beneath the tropical trees of southern Mexico, enormous shoals of sulfur mollies blanket the water surface of toxic sulfur springs, where survival depends on collective defense against relentless attacks from predatory birds. ...
Phys.org / Swapping molecular building blocks one by one reveals how receptors tell adrenaline from dopamine
Different receptors respond to different neurotransmitters or hormones, such as adrenaline involved in the fight-or-flight response, or dopamine linked to reward and motivation. Both the receptors themselves and the substances ...
Phys.org / New quantum protocol breaks distance and speed barriers in fiber networks
Scientists at the University of Science and Technology of China have successfully deployed a multi-mode quantum relay network, achieving matter–matter entanglement over 14.5 kilometers, according to media reports.
Phys.org / Molecular glue could hijack cells' natural machinery to help treat diseases
Proteins do most of the work in our body's cells. But when a protein is too active or does not function properly, it can lead to disease or other health problems. Researchers from the University of Toronto have discovered ...
Phys.org / Scientists use AI to interpret the sun's acoustic heartbeat
A new AI-based approach that can "hear" inside the sun could give vital signs of the solar disturbances that have significant effects in near-Earth space and on human activities. The solar cycle is an approximate 11-year ...
Phys.org / 'Nature's algorithm' found in Chinese money plants
Look up at the clouds. What do you see? A sailboat? A seahorse? Your great-aunt Rosemary? As humans, we're prone to seeing patterns where they don't actually exist. This behavior is so common there's a name for it: apophenia. ...
Phys.org / How invading cancer cells grip and rip their way into new tissues
Researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) have discovered that cancer cells do not simply push through surrounding tissues to spread, but instead actively grip onto protective tissue barriers and pull them ...
Phys.org / How we feel political emotions in our bodies—and why this matters for democracy
Researchers have found our emotions toward politics not only play on our minds, but shape how our bodies respond to political experiences, even driving political participation higher. The new study, published in the Proceedings ...
Phys.org / How Qing featherwork got its colors: New scans reveal multiple birds and hidden pigment layers
The kingfisher's brilliant blue feathers were once used like paint to create works of art. The technique, known as tian-tsui, was popular during China's Qing Dynasty. And because tian-tsui uses delicate feathers, previous ...
Phys.org / Giving X-ray vision a sense of direction
Whether in tooth enamel or in nanomaterials made of silicon, the orientation of tiny internal structures often determines the properties of a material. A new X-ray method can even make this nano-order visible when the structures ...