Phys.org news
Phys.org / New atomic trap boosts quantum performance by using surface forces
Researchers at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin have developed a new method for trapping and controlling atoms near an ultrathin glass fiber. This has significantly improved the atoms' ability to store quantum information—an ...
Phys.org / With an eye toward exploration, researchers map moon's regolith thickness
New research by lunar scientists from Brown University provides critical new insights into the thickness of the moon's regolith, the layer of loose dust and rock that drapes the entire lunar surface.
Phys.org / Low carbon dioxide levels improve microbial production of biodegradable plastic
In an innovative gas fermentation process, reducing the concentration of carbon dioxide was found to significantly improve microbial production of the biodegradable plastic poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate]. Researchers found that ...
Phys.org / Research brings the era of microbial cell factories one step closer
The era of "biomanufacturing," in which microbes, not petroleum, produce chemical products, is one step closer. A KAIST research team has analyzed the key challenges limiting the commercialization of biomanufacturing and ...
Phys.org / Human noise pushes Alaska predators toward night foraging, altering salmon nutrient pathways
The age-old question asks, "If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?" While philosophers and scientists alike have pondered this question for centuries, the more relevant question ...
Phys.org / Space cargo costs could fall more than 90% by 2040, study suggests
The expense of launching cargo into space will plummet over the next few years, with the cost of reaching orbit forecast to more than halve between now and the end of the decade, and fall by around 93% by 2040, according ...
Phys.org / Climate change is forcing amphibians to change their diet—but they can only adapt so far
New research involving Queen Mary University of London reveals that amphibians can change what they eat to cope with rising temperatures, but that this natural survival strategy has limits.
Phys.org / Heavy-element exotic dust may solve a neutron star merger mystery
When neutron stars merge, they create a powerful explosion called a kilonova that flings out neutron-rich material, some of which decays into heavy elements through a process called the r-process. Recent observations of kilonovae ...
Phys.org / New cell imaging method shines a light on blind spots
Cells are crowded, dynamic places where thousands of molecules interact in tight quarters. Until now, scientists lacked a reliable way to see many of these molecular interactions as they happen. Researchers at the University ...
Phys.org / Bio-metal: Exploring the metallic mystery of an ancient maw
When playing the classic game "20 Questions," one may begin with the common opener: "Animal, vegetable, or mineral?"
Phys.org / How tides and river water combine to amplify floods
Ocean tides push upstream along coastal rivers, in some cases reaching hundreds of kilometers (hundreds of miles) inland. These inland stretches are known as tidal rivers, and they're the scene of complex interactions between ...
Phys.org / Researchers develop harder, longer-lasting silver plating
A research team led by Seil Kim of the Korea Institute of Materials Science (KIMS) Energy & Environmental Materials Research Division has developed an Ag–PTFE composite plating technology that produces silver coatings with ...