Phys.org news
Phys.org / Engineering analysis of Thrinaxodon fossils uncovers unexpectedly advanced hearing in early mammal kin
One of the most important steps in the evolution of modern mammals was the development of highly sensitive hearing. The middle ear of mammals, with an eardrum and several small bones, allows us to hear a broad range of frequencies ...
Phys.org / Olfaction written in bones: New insights into the evolution of the sense of smell in mammals
The sense of smell is vital for animals, as it helps them find food, protect themselves from predators and interact socially. An international research team led by Dr. Quentin Martinez and Dr. Eli Amson from the State Museum ...
Phys.org / NYC congestion pricing cuts air pollution by 22% in Manhattan, study finds
Since New York City introduced congestion pricing in January 2025, the state has heralded significant reductions in traffic and rush hour delays, fewer crashes and noise complaints, and toll revenue projected to hit $500 ...
Phys.org / Expanding the search for quantum-ready 2D materials
Quantum technologies from ultrasensitive sensors to next-generation information processors depend on the ability of quantum bits, or qubits, to maintain their delicate quantum states for a sufficiently long time to be useful.
Phys.org / Sum-frequency microscope can image an invisible 2D material
Researchers from the Physical Chemistry and Theory departments at the Fritz Haber Institute have found a new way to image layers of boron nitride that are only a single atom thick. This material is usually nearly invisible ...
Phys.org / Cosmic gas flows, not collisions, explain Milky Way's double chemical signature
Clues about how galaxies like our Milky Way form and evolve and why their stars show surprising chemical patterns have been revealed by a new study.
Phys.org / Electrons stay put in layers of mismatched 'quantum Legos'
Electrons can be elusive, but Cornell researchers using a new computational method can now account for where they go—or don't go—in certain layered materials.
Phys.org / Adrift like Shackleton: Robot float survives Antarctic ice
A robotic float has measured the temperature and salinity from parts of the ocean never sampled before—underneath massive floating ice shelves in East Antarctica.
Phys.org / New model describes how reaction-diffusion networks develop 'foams'
For numerous fundamental processes of life, the formation of certain protein patterns is essential. Protein pattern formation controlled by molecular switches is—like many processes in nature—far removed from a state ...
Phys.org / Reconfigurable platform slows lights for on-chip photonic engineering
Integrated circuits are the brains behind modern electronic devices like computers or smart phones. Traditionally, these circuits—also known as chips—rely on electricity to process data. In recent years, scientists have ...
Phys.org / Parasitic fungus may have emerged 18 million years before the ants with which it lives today
A genus of fungi previously considered a parasite of fungi associated with ants may actually have much more complex ecological functions. According to a study published in the journal Communications Biology, one piece of ...
Phys.org / A geometric recipe for stabilizing atomically thin metals
Metallenes are atomically thin metals whose unique properties make them extremely promising for nanoscale applications. However, their extreme thinness makes them also flimsy.
