Phys.org news
Phys.org / Self-cleaning fabric could eliminate the need for detergent
Detergents may begin their journey by cleaning our clothes, but they end up contaminating the environment, flowing into rivers, ponds, and oceans, where they severely disrupt aquatic animal life. Even after wastewater treatment, ...
Phys.org / Discovery of genetic switch could help turn rice into a perennial crop
Rice is a vital crop that feeds more than half of the world's population. In the wild, many rice species are perennials that live for several years, but the varieties we eat today are typically annuals that must be replanted ...
Phys.org / Moby Dick 'ship sinking' sperm whales caught headbutting on camera
New research from the University of St Andrews reports sperm whales headbutting one another. The behavior was captured on film and described scientifically for the first time, confirming accounts by 19th century mariners ...
Phys.org / How soil microbes may control the future of our planet
The soil beneath our feet is a huge carbon bank storing up to approximately three times more carbon than the entire atmosphere. That makes it a significant player in the future of our climate. If even a small fraction of ...
Phys.org / Urban blue tits use discarded cigarette butts to protect their nests, study suggests
Discarded litter not only makes our streets and neighborhoods look untidy, but it can also pose a significant risk to wildlife. However, in a surprising development, a study published in the journal Animal Behaviour reports ...
Phys.org / Hydrogen shell detected around Nova Persei 1901 may be a planetary nebula
Using NASA's SPHEREx space telescope, astronomers have observed remnants of the eruption of Nova Persei 1901. As a result, they detected a bipolar molecular hydrogen shell around this nova, which may be a large planetary ...
Phys.org / Male bats sing in the rotor-swept zone of wind turbines, potentially raising collision risk
A research team led by the Museum für Naturkunde presents the first evidence that several bat species produce courtship songs in the immediate rotor-swept zone of wind turbines while circling around the nacelle. Data from ...
Phys.org / Python scales host microstructures that block bacterial biofilms—revealing potential for antimicrobial materials
Materials inspired by nature, or biomimetic materials, are nothing new. Scientists have designed water-resistant materials inspired by lotus leaves and rose petals, unsinkable metals based on the air-trapping, buoyant abilities ...
Phys.org / Did you hear the one about scientists telling jokes? Not many did, according to a study of humor at conferences
To engage audiences and help keep their attention, many public speakers sprinkle their speeches with a little humor. It's a useful tool, but something that scientists rarely use, according to a report into humor at science ...
Phys.org / Ancient 'syphilis-like' disease in Vietnam challenges long-held assumptions on congenital infection
The findings of a new study by a Charles Sturt University researcher and colleagues challenge a long-standing assumption used by scientists studying ancient disease. The study is published in the International Journal of ...
Phys.org / Why cultivating drought-resistant plants disappoints: Soil physics may be the real bottleneck
Plants need water, light, and air to thrive. But when they transport water from the soil up to their leaves, they defy gravity. Scientists describe this astonishing phenomenon as "negative water potential," a form of negative ...
Phys.org / The evolutionary secret of the California poppy's alkaloids
Characteristic features of plants, such as their active ingredients or flower color, may have developed through very different evolutionary histories. This is shown by an international study on the orange-flowering California ...
