Phys.org news
Phys.org / Study of 65,000 college students links 16 hours a week on social media to higher loneliness
More than half of college students are lonely—and those who use social media the most are particularly likely to feel isolated, a study of tens of thousands of 18 to 24-year-olds in the US shows. Just 16 hours a week—two ...
Phys.org / If alien signals have already reached Earth, why haven't we seen them?
For decades, scientists have searched the skies for signs of extraterrestrial technology. A study from EPFL asks a sharp question: if alien signals have already reached Earth without us noticing, what should we realistically ...
Phys.org / Molecular 'knitting machine' for bacterial capsules mapped in 3D
Most bacteria, including many bacterial pathogens, are surrounded by an outer protective layer of sugar molecules, known as a capsule. This primarily protects the bacteria from environmental influences, but also serves as ...
Phys.org / Q&A: Algorithm achieves near end-to-end genome assembly without ultra-long DNA sequencing
Haoyu Cheng, Ph.D., assistant professor of biomedical informatics and data science at Yale School of Medicine, has developed a new algorithm capable of building complete human genomes using standard laboratory technology. ...
Phys.org / New nanohole-based microscopy monitors electrochemical reactions millisecond by millisecond
Many technological applications, such as sensors and batteries, greatly rely on electrochemical reactions. Improving these technologies depends on understanding how electrochemical reactions work. However, most current methods ...
Phys.org / Researchers uncover MraZ 'donut' deformation that triggers bacterial cell division
A research team led by UAB researcher David Reverter has discovered the molecular mechanism that describes in detail the process regulating cell division in bacteria, based on the binding of the MraZ protein to the dcw gene ...
Phys.org / New tool could reduce collision risk for Earth-observation satellites
Researchers at The University of Manchester have developed a new way to design Earth-observation satellite missions that could help protect the space environment while continuing to deliver vital data for tackling global ...
Dialog / Evidence that some birds are stubborn appears in the form of color preferences
We like to think that animals follow the crowd. If most of the group does something, surely the individual will copy. But what if the story is more complicated? What if the deciding factor isn't just what the majority is ...
Phys.org / Deer inhibit trees but raise plant diversity, 18-year study reveals
At high densities, white-tailed deer inhibit growth of trees but increase the overall diversity of smaller plant and weed species, according to a long-term study published recently. The work is published in the journal PLOS ...
Phys.org / Isotopes reveal how social status shaped diet in medieval England
Isotope analysis reveals that social status and wealth had a profound impact on diet in medieval England, showing that people from different social groups in medieval Cambridge ate markedly different food. The research, carried ...
Phys.org / What cold-water geysers on Earth reveal about the habitability of ocean worlds
In the eastern Utah desert, carbon-dioxide-saturated water bubbles, sprays and foams from the ground. These cold-water geysers, sometimes called soda pop geysers, are a new and reliable Earth-based analog for scientists studying ...
Phys.org / Optical switch protocol verifies entangled quantum states in real time without destroying them
The fragility and laws of quantum physics generally make the characterization of quantum systems time‑consuming. Furthermore, when a quantum system is measured, it is destroyed in the process. A breakthrough by researchers ...