Phys.org news
Phys.org / Milkweed evolves 'mind-blowing' tactic to fight monarchs
Milkweed has found a new strategy in its epic evolutionary battle with monarch butterflies: upgrading its toxins to outmaneuver the monarch's resistance. In a new study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy ...
Phys.org / A multi-lane highway for light: Topology helps build more robust photonic networks
Penn-led researchers have shown for the first time that multiple, information-carrying light signals can be safely guided through chip-based, reconfigurable networks using topology, the esoteric branch of mathematics that ...
Phys.org / Fluorescent dye that works in superacidic conditions expands possibilities for imaging in extreme environments
Since the 1960s, boron–dipyrromethene dyes, commonly called BODIPY dyes, have been widely used for their strong fluorescence, especially in bioimaging, molecular and ion sensing, and as photosensitizers. Researchers especially ...
Phys.org / World Happiness Report highlights social media's negative impact, ranks Finland as happiest country
Heavy social media use contributes to a stark decline in well-being among young people, with the effects particularly worrying in teenage girls in English-speaking countries and Western Europe, according to the World Happiness ...
Phys.org / Old-growth forests store a lot more carbon than managed forests, study finds
Swedish old-growth forests store 83% more carbon than managed forests, according to a new study from Lund University. The difference is substantially larger than previous estimates and is mainly due to large carbon stocks ...
Phys.org / Ultra-thin MoSe₂ grating traps infrared light in a 40-nanometer layer
Controlling light at the micro- and nanoscale opens up opportunities for a better understanding of the world and the development of technology. As modern electronics approaches the limits of its capabilities, photonics comes ...
Phys.org / Durum wheat lines combine freezing tolerance with high pasta quality
Researchers from Skoltech, the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center in Mexico, the Research Center for Cereal and Industrial Crops in Italy, and other international organizations have developed new durum wheat ...
Phys.org / Light-activated medicines may cut side effects: How a switchable beta blocker works
Rendering a drug effective or ineffective in a flash at the appropriate location—this is the focus of research in photopharmacology. The goal is to develop drugs that can be switched on and off with light of a specific ...
Phys.org / Study uncovers mineral 'sink' that reduced phosphorus in early oceans, potentially delaying Earth's oxygen rise
Scientists have long sought to explain a key mismatch in Earth's early history: oxygen-producing photosynthesis evolved hundreds of millions of years before atmospheric oxygen began to rise during the Great Oxidation Event. ...
Phys.org / High-resolution atlas shows how thirsty plants hold out during drought
The United States and Mexico have been in a historic megadrought since the turn of the century. For more than 25 years, the American Southwest has faced the severe social and economic consequences of this megadrought—including ...
Phys.org / Invasive grasses may be turning British Columbia's burn scars into the next wildfire
After a wildfire, the flames may fade, but the danger does not. A new study by UBC researchers reveals that burned landscapes remain vulnerable for years, with large areas still bare and at risk of invasion by fast-growing, ...
Phys.org / Nanodiamonds and beyond: Designing carbon materials with AI at exascale
Carbon forms the graphite in pencils, the diamonds in jewelry and the molecules that make up every living thing. But under extreme conditions—like the heat and pressure of intense explosions—carbon can transform into ...
