Phys.org news
Phys.org / Unfamiliar with rattlesnakes, blackbirds still avoid striking them while defending nests
In a rare study of snakes as nest predators, scientists found nesting birds were loath to strike rattlesnakes even though they likely had no previous experience with vipers.
Phys.org / New evidence helps solve how earliest birds took flight
The first bird to inhabit Earth used its robust hind legs to make two or three powerful leaps while flapping its way to flight, according to a study by the University of Southampton published in Developmental Biology.
Phys.org / A dying star offers a rare glimpse of how the universe recycles its raw materials
Astronomers have captured an unprecedented image of a cosmic recycling project in progress—fragments of a dying star being busted up, stripped and absorbed into interstellar space.
Phys.org / Models of glacial collapse in Antarctica improve predictions of sea-level rise
With approximately one-third of the world's population living within a day's walk of a coastline, sea-level rise poses a serious global threat. Every centimeter of sea-level rise could displace 1.5 million people, and current ...
Phys.org / Severe weather now a key predictor of where bird species occur in North America
Scorching heat waves, severe cold snaps and other extreme weather events are limiting where species can exist—and affecting biodiversity estimates—for more than 500 North American bird species, according to a new, Yale–led ...
Phys.org / Quantum advantage reassessed: More realistic benchmarks for quantum algorithms
Quantum advantage refers to the point at which a quantum computer solves a clearly defined task faster or more efficiently than any classical computer—or makes it solvable in the first place. For many practical applications, ...
Phys.org / Mirage or miracle? JWST finds earliest known 'black hole star' at cosmic dawn
Little red dots have puzzled astronomers since their discovery in James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) data from the universe's deep past. Their "powering engines" might resemble a newly discovered phenomenon dubbed a "black ...
Phys.org / Stellar stream beyond Milky Way offers new tool to map dark matter
In the image above, a faint trail of stars can be seen stretching across the galaxy. These structures, known as globular cluster stellar streams, are coherent stellar structures that retain a record of their dynamical history ...
Phys.org / Europe's worst medieval flood highlights risk of successive extreme events
New research involving the University of Liverpool has provided comprehensive insights into the largest flood event in Europe over the past millennium—the flood traditionally known as "St. Mary Magdalene's Flood" of 1342.
Phys.org / Microbes turn CO₂ into protein and vitamin B9 at commercially viable prices
Researchers are developing biotechnological processes that enable microbes to produce proteins and vitamins for human consumption using basic chemical ingredients, such as carbon dioxide, hydrogen and oxygen—entirely bypassing ...
Phys.org / Unsupervised free time increases the likelihood that adolescents will engage in violent behavior, 21-country study finds
A study involving more than 58,000 adolescents from 21 countries found that "unstructured free time"—defined as periods without adult supervision or activities guided by educational, cultural or athletic goals—is strongly ...
Phys.org / Graphene nanowrinkles could reshape electricity in future ultrathin devices
Rice University researchers have shown that tiny wrinkles in graphene can change the material's electrical properties, providing evidence for flexoelectricity, a phenomenon in which a material generates an electric charge ...
