Phys.org news
Phys.org / Cockatoos learn when touchscreen rewards 'die,' then apply rule to new contexts
For humans, death is surrounded by culture, emotion, ritual and language. But the question can be framed in a much more basic way: What would an animal have to understand in order to recognize that someone has died?
Phys.org / Intermolecular collisions may explain why organic radical fluids become unusually magnetic
Certain substances can become magnetic when exposed to an external magnetic field. Magnetic susceptibility measures how easily a material can be magnetized. Materials known as organic radicals have been noted to possess anomalously ...
Phys.org / Data suggest 'red flag' laws are linked to sustained reductions in arrests
Individuals subject to extreme risk protection orders (ERPOs), or "red flag" laws, were significantly less likely to be arrested—including for violent and firearm-related offenses—while the orders were in effect than in the ...
Phys.org / AI system evaluates chemical spectra in minutes
A research team has developed an artificial intelligence (AI) system that proposes suitable molecular structures from the raw data of spectroscopic measurements and assesses their plausibility. The system is openly accessible ...
Phys.org / Artificial cells gain porous membranes, enabling lab reactions and drug release
Artificial cells created in the laboratory offer a wide range of potential applications. Until now, however, their membranes—unlike those of real cells—have been virtually impermeable. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute ...
Phys.org / New method enables accurate sequencing of short peptides hidden in food and human body
Our food and our bodies are full of tiny protein fragments called peptides. These small chains of amino acids act as biological messengers, influencing processes ranging from sensory perception to physiological functions.
Phys.org / RNA barcoding approach reveals previously unknown virus–host relationships
An interdisciplinary team of Rice University researchers has uncovered previously unknown relationships between bacteriophages—viruses that infect bacteria—and their bacterial hosts, offering a powerful new tool for next-generation ...
Phys.org / Global map reveals one-third of coral reefs may resist climate shocks
In the crystalline waters off Kenya's coast, coral reefs are thriving—evidence of a rare good-news story in the battle to protect oceans from the ravages of climate change.
Phys.org / Intensive nickel mining has transformed microbial biodiversity of Thio Lagoon in New Caledonia
A study carried out by scientists from Ifremer, IRD, the universities of Western Brittany (UBO) and Bordeaux, CNRS, and the University of Tartu (Estonia) reveals the impact of nickel mining on the coastal ecosystems of New ...
Phys.org / Random deformation lets glassy materials store precise mechanical memories, simulations reveal
Amorphous materials such as glass are solids whose internal structure lacks a repeating pattern. Their molecules are arranged in a random and irregular way. Surprisingly, these disordered materials can "remember" past mechanical ...
Phys.org / A heat sensor for living cells could offer new views of cell metabolism, rapid antibiotic testing
When living cells grow, divide or respond to drugs, they give off tiny amounts of heat that offer information about what the cells are doing. But because these heat signals are so vanishingly small, they have traditionally ...
Phys.org / Digital twin predicts Alaska permafrost changes using real-time sensors and AI
Communities around the world have adapted to live on the year-round frozen soil of frigid environments, such as in the Arctic. However, rising temperatures have introduced a new challenge: What happens when the ground under ...
