Phys.org news
Phys.org / Mini-vortices in nanopores accelerate ion transport for faster supercapacitor charging
Tiny cavities in energy storage devices form small vortices that help with charging, according to a research team led by TU Darmstadt. This previously unknown phenomenon could advance the development of faster storage devices.
Phys.org / Geomorphological approach evaluates Galápagos watersheds
Galápagos is a living laboratory where every environmental decision matters. On Santa Cruz, the most populated island of the archipelago, freshwater is a limited and increasingly vulnerable resource due to urban growth, ...
Phys.org / Cooperative intermolecular interactions regulate supramolecular polymer assembly
Supramolecular chemistry involves the study of self-assembly of discrete molecules that are used to build large functional structures. Often, these molecules are allowed to self-assemble into one-dimensional polymeric structures ...
Phys.org / Surprising nanoscopic heat traps found in diamonds
Diamond is famous in material science for being the best natural heat conductor on Earth—but new research reveals that, at the atomic scale, it can briefly trap heat in unexpected ways. The findings could influence how ...
Phys.org / Male bonobos track females' reproductive cycle to maximize mating success
Male bonobos can decipher females' unreliable fertility signals, allowing them to focus their efforts on matings with the highest chance of conception, according to a study by Heungjin Ryu at Kyoto University, Japan, and ...
Phys.org / Durable catalyst shields itself for affordable green hydrogen production
An international research team led by Professor Philip C.Y. Chow at The University of Hong Kong (HKU) has unveiled a new catalyst that overcomes a major challenge in producing green hydrogen at scale. This innovation makes ...
Phys.org / Connections between coral reefs boost their health
Coral reefs may seem like paradise, but they are being degraded by a range of global and local factors, including climate change, poor water quality, and overfishing. New research reveals that connections between reefs help ...
Phys.org / Female Galápagos seabirds have flings—and males seem OK with it
Perched on a plastic chair overlooking a colony of Nazca boobies in the Galápagos Islands, researcher David Anderson carefully studied the seabirds.
Phys.org / Simplified lab process produces potent nerve-blocking molecules found in shellfish
Chemists have long been fascinated and frustrated by saxitoxin: a molecule that causes temporary paralysis by blocking the electrical signals that nerve cells (neurons) use to activate muscle, and which accumulates in shellfish ...
Phys.org / Melatonin wakes up plants, stimulating growth and boosting stress tolerance
In an interesting turn of botanical events, University of Houston engineers report that while melatonin keeps us asleep, it wakes up plants, helping them grow.
Phys.org / Energy-efficient hydrogen: Plant waste and chromium-coated copper catalyst improve electrolysis process
Hydrogen fuel could be an important part of the clean energy revolution. But it faces some challenges. Most hydrogen today is made from natural gas using a process called steam methane reforming, which produces lots of carbon ...
Phys.org / Viruses help drive carbon cycling in deep-sea ecosystems, study reveals
A research team led by Prof. Sun Chaomin from the Institute of Oceanology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IOCAS) has unveiled the crucial role of viruses in deep-sea carbon cycling and microbial community structure. Their ...