Phys.org news
Phys.org / Ring-shaped polymers solidify into glass, offering sustainable material potential
When a spider is spinning its web, its silk starts out as liquid and quickly turns into a solid that is, pound for pound, sturdier than steel. They manage to create these impressive materials at room temperature with biodegradable ...
Phys.org / 'Forever chemicals' in wastewater far more widespread than previously known, study reveals
The "forever chemicals" flowing from U.S. wastewater treatment plants are not only more abundant than previously thought, but also largely consist of pharmaceuticals that have received little scientific or regulatory attention, ...
Phys.org / Field-level inference: Unlocking the full potential of galaxy maps to explore new physics
Galaxies are not islands in the cosmos. While globally the universe expands—driven by the mysterious "dark energy"—locally, galaxies cluster through gravitational interactions, forming the cosmic web held together by ...
Phys.org / A passive resistance phenomenon: Marine bacteria use low tRNA levels to fend off viruses
As humans, we often focus on viruses and bacteria because of their role in causing various, sometimes severe, diseases. However, an equally fascinating but lesser-known phenomenon is the ongoing battle between bacteria and ...
Phys.org / Artists discover a new glowing mushroom in Switzerland
Glowing mushrooms are often associated with tropical environments, but they can also be found in Switzerland. In fact, Zurich-based artists Heidy Baggenstos and Andreas Rudolf have been working with bioluminescent organisms ...
Phys.org / AI technique generates clear images of thick biological samples without additional hardware
Depth degradation is a problem biologists know all too well: The deeper you look into a sample, the fuzzier the image becomes. A worm embryo or a piece of tissue may only be tens of microns thick, but the bending of light ...
Phys.org / Reexamining the Prisoner's Dilemma: Study finds diversity and context play a larger role than thought
In a new study published in PLOS Computational Biology, an international research team from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Cardiff University, and Google has reexamined Robert Axelrod's groundbreaking ...
Phys.org / Strontium isotope map of Sub-Saharan Africa: A powerful tool for archaeology, forensics and wildlife conservation
A team of researchers led by UC Santa Cruz recently released a sophisticated new map that reveals, for the first time, the unique "geologic fingerprints" for most of the African continent.
Phys.org / Your stress levels also affect your dog, heart rate study shows
Dogs have lived alongside humans for thousands of years. They have been used to hunt, guard, herd and perform many other tasks, but today they mainly act as companions. While their lives today may seem easy compared with ...
Phys.org / Why the scarlet velvet ant's sting is so painful to so many different species
A team of biologists, neurologists and chemists at Indiana University has discovered why the velvet ant's sting is so painful to so many different types of creatures. In their paper published in Current Biology, the group ...
Phys.org / Quantum simulators: When nature reveals its natural laws
Quantum physics is a very diverse field: it describes particle collisions shortly after the Big Bang as well as electrons in solid materials or atoms far out in space. But not all quantum objects are equally easy to study. ...
Phys.org / Polymer-based network gives artificial cells a life-like cytoskeleton
Just like your body has a skeleton, every cell in your body has a skeleton—a cytoskeleton to be precise. This provides cells with mechanical resilience, as well as assisting with cell division. To understand how real cells ...