Phys.org news
Phys.org / Bumblebees may self-medicate when exposed to fungal infections
There is an old saying that nature is the best medicine, and it turns out bumblebees might agree. A new study published in the journal Royal Society Open Science suggests that buff-tailed bumblebees (Bombus terrestris) may ...
Phys.org / Why some earthquakes caused by fracking come with warning signs
Fracking, the injection of high-pressure fluid to fracture rock and release oil or gas, can trigger earthquakes. While some sites generate small tremors beforehand that may provide an early warning, others produce few or ...
Phys.org / Diamond clock combines two signals to cut temperature-driven drift
Despite all the advertisements for engagement rings and necklace gifts, natural diamonds are imperfect. Their carbon atoms are arranged in a cubic lattice, but they nonetheless contain several types of crystallographic defects ...
Phys.org / Scientists capture first molecular-level images of water reorganization during a reaction crucial for life
Some of nature's most important chemical reactions rely on the coupled movement of negatively and positively charged particles. These processes play central roles in photosynthesis, catalysis and biological energy conversion ...
Phys.org / Low temperature graphene growth opens a route to sustainable resource recycling
Graphene is an exceptionally useful material for creating batteries, catalysts and electronic devices. Yet producing graphene typically requires temperatures as high as 900°C (1,652°F), limiting energy efficiency and making ...
Phys.org / Eagles known as hunting specialists reveal an unexpected taste for goat
Eagles are symbols of hunting prowess. Known as top predators wherever they live, they are often assumed to kill as their primary mode of obtaining food. However, a new study published in the Journal of Raptor Research reports ...
Phys.org / Inspired by nature, scientists engineer tiny 'nitrogen factories' that could help future cereal crops
As fertilizer prices remain elevated, researchers at South Dakota State University are developing an innovative solution to corn's nitrogen supply problems by taking inspiration from an ancient Mexican variety and root nodules ...
Phys.org / Self-blinking 'fairy lights' allow DNA to be imaged at almost double-helix-width resolution
Researchers have developed fluorescent molecules that permit imaging of how DNA is packaged inside living cells at unprecedented resolution and, in preserved cells, at a resolution close to the width of the double helix itself.
Phys.org / Joro spiders eat wider range of insects than Georgia's native orb weavers
When Joro spiders first arrived stateside more than a decade ago, scientists worried the massive black-and-yellow spiders would gorge themselves on the same bugs as native spiders (or even the native spiders themselves). ...
Phys.org / Nano-antennas make living cells light up brighter and faster
Researchers at Delft University of Technology have demonstrated for the first time that nano-antennas can enhance the fluorescence of proteins in living human and other mammalian cells. Scientists already use smart fluorescent ...
Phys.org / Tracks and tooth marks reveal bone-crushing dogs at Nebraska supervolcano ashfall site
Thirty-five years on—well, 12 million, technically—Ashfall Fossil Beds State Historical Park continues to offer important glimpses of prehistoric life in Nebraska.
Phys.org / A Google-like search engine for single-cell RNA data could answer previously impossible questions
Imagine doctors could understand exactly which cells caused a patient's cancer or whether pathogens contributed to the disease. They could then use the information to tailor a treatment plan to the patient's specific cancer. ...