Phys.org news
Phys.org / Ancient atmospheric oxygen found in iron ore deposits
How do some of geology's most mysterious iron ore deposits form? This question has preoccupied the geosciences for more than a century. An international research team led by Dr. Stefan Peters from the Leibniz Institute for ...
Phys.org / Peru Amazon highway tied to 400% dengue surge within 5 kilometers of road
New roads bring changes to the regions they traverse. They can enable job opportunities, access to medicine and health care, and electricity. But they also disrupt local ecosystems and can have surprising consequences for ...
Phys.org / Why some glasses break suddenly while others deform smoothly
If a liquid is cooled slowly to its freezing point, it becomes a crystal in which the constituent particles are arranged in an ordered pattern. In contrast, when the liquid is cooled very quickly, the particles are unable ...
Phys.org / New deep-sea measurements show how the ocean floor forms
The first-known direct observations of a seafloor spreading event at a mid-ocean ridge in the Indian Ocean are presented in Nature. The observations offer insight into how new oceanic crust is created.
Phys.org / Primordial mini-moons may explain meteorite composition
A new Southwest Research Institute-led study proposes a solution to a longstanding puzzle in planetary science: What caused the concentration, assembly, and preservation of millimeter-sized, spherical mineral grains within ...
Phys.org / New probe could help trace Alzheimer's-linked lipids one cell at a time
Cells sitting side by side in the same tissues are not identical. Each cell carries its own subtly different chemical signature—a hidden individuality that can reveal how diseases take root and spread. Now, researchers from ...
Phys.org / Unraveling a long-standing solar mystery: The extreme thinness of the sun's tachocline layer
Researchers are closer to unraveling a longstanding solar mystery surrounding the extreme thinness of the sun's tachocline layer of strong shearing motion—a region believed to be critical for creating the violent eruptions ...
Phys.org / Manganese risk in groundwater affects 200 million people, study shows
Manganese is an essential trace element. However, in excessive concentrations, the metal can cause health problems. Two Eawag researchers have now produced a global risk map for manganese in groundwater. Half of the world's ...
Phys.org / The language of play: Hyenas use facial expressions and vocalizations to de-escalate
Scientists observed spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) playing in the wild and found that their precise, sophisticated communication is on par with that of many primate species. Hyenas play and romp with one another at all ...
Phys.org / Breathable hydrogel keeps ECG signals steady through workouts and 10 days of wear
Hydrogels are squishy, biofriendly materials made mostly of water and a bit of polymer. The Jell-O-like substance is available in the form of medical patches, sprays and glues, and can be stuck to the skin or implanted in ...
Phys.org / Indigenous peoples in the Amazon face massive cultural and ecological loss due to climate change
The Amazon region, Earth's most important ecosystem, is home to more than 400 Indigenous groups that use thousands of rainforest plant species. They pass on their knowledge of the flora primarily through oral tradition, usually ...
Phys.org / Block-by-block AI maps uncover real urban air temperatures across 380 U.S. cities
Cities are often described as "heat islands," with media reports warning that some neighborhoods can be 20° F (7° C) hotter than others. But those temperatures are often based on satellite data rather than the conditions ...