Phys.org news

Phys.org / Global methane levels continue rising as trade and developing regions fuel growth

The world's methane emissions continue to rise steadily with no signs of slowing, as global trade contributes some 30% to the total amount of the greenhouse gas swirling around the planet, a new study reveals.

Sep 3, 2025 in Earth
Phys.org / Crystalline material conducts heat even worse than glass and water—and that's promising

A research team from Aarhus University, Denmark, has measured and explained the exceptionally low thermal conductivity of the crystalline material AgGaGe3Se8. Despite its ordered structure, the material behaves like a glass ...

Sep 3, 2025 in Physics
Phys.org / Webb reveals warm space dust in far-off Makani galaxy's circumgalactic medium

In a distant galaxy called Makani, particles of dust were warmed by the light of newborn stars before being flung out into space by a massive starburst-driven wind. Over the course of 100 million years, the dust traveled ...

Sep 3, 2025 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Juno finds final missing auroral signature from Jupiter's largest moons

Jupiter hosts the brightest and most spectacular auroras in the solar system. Near its poles, these shimmering lights offer a glimpse into how the planet interacts with the solar wind and moons swept by Jupiter's magnetic ...

Sep 3, 2025 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Hybrid nanotube electrodes developed for safer brain-machine interfaces

Brain–computer interfaces are technologies that enable direct communication between brain activity and external devices, enabling researchers to monitor and interpret brain signals in real time. These connections often ...

Sep 3, 2025 in Nanotechnology
Dialog / A light-programmable, dynamic ultrasound wavefront

The notion of a phased array was initially articulated by Nobel Prize recipient K. F. Braun. Phased arrays have subsequently evolved into a formidable mechanism for wave manipulation. This assertion holds particularly true ...

Sep 3, 2025 in Physics
Phys.org / Nutrient-enriched seagrass can store more carbon, but too much nutrition—especially nitrogen—can be its undoing

Seagrass has the potential to be one of the world's most effective sponges at soaking up and storing carbon, but we don't yet know how nutrient pollution affects its ability to sequester carbon.

Sep 3, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Sperm bots roll out: Cells coated with magnetic nanoparticles could transform future of fertility

A team of researchers at the TechMed Center of the University of Twente has transformed real sperm cells into tiny, magnetically controlled microrobots. These sperm bots can now be tracked in real time using X-ray imaging, ...

Sep 3, 2025 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / Soot's climate-altering properties change within hours of entering atmosphere

Billions upon billions of soot particles enter Earth's atmosphere each second, totaling about 5.8 million metric tons a year—posing a climate-warming impact previously estimated at almost one-third that of carbon dioxide.

Sep 3, 2025 in Earth
Phys.org / Countries' carbon budget math is broken—study finds bias in calculations

Climate action is falling behind on the goals as stated in the Paris Agreement. To meet those goals, countries must act according to their "fair share" targets. However, researchers from Utrecht University found a bias in ...

Sep 3, 2025 in Earth
Phys.org / A 'wasteful' plant process makes a key prenatal vitamin—climate change may reduce it

New research from Michigan State University reveals that photorespiration—long considered a wasteful process—is essential for producing a crucial nutrient for preventing birth defects.

Sep 3, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Climate change is making rollercoaster harvests the new normal

A new global study led by the University of British Columbia shows that hotter and drier conditions are making food production more volatile, with crop yields swinging more sharply from year to year. For some, it may mean ...

Sep 3, 2025 in Biology