Phys.org news
Phys.org / Flood risks in delta cities are increasing, Shanghai study finds
New research shows how the combination of extreme climate events, sea-level rise and land subsidence could create larger and deeper floods in coastal cities in future.
Phys.org / Southern Annular Mode in most positive state in 1,000 years, review finds
A new review has revealed that the Southern Annular Mode (SAM), the Southern Hemisphere's most influential climate driver, is now in its most positive state in more than 1,000 years. If greenhouse gas emissions continue to ...
Phys.org / Urban sprawl could deny 220 million people access to clean water by 2050
A new study analyzing more than 100 cities across Asia, Africa, and Latin America has quantified the stark consequences of urban sprawl on water and sanitation access, finding that how cities grow might determine whether ...
Phys.org / First fertilizer: A chemical process that may have sparked life on Earth
University of Alberta geochemists have discovered a missing piece to one of the great mysteries of science—the origin of life on Earth.
Phys.org / Light-triggered nanoscale heating can control communication between nerve cells
Researchers at the Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University, report the successful creation of artificial synaptic vesicles that can be remotely controlled by near-infrared (NIR) light. By embedding ...
Phys.org / Tracking forever chemicals across food web shows not all isomers are distributed equally
When University at Buffalo chemists analyzed samples of water, fish, and bird eggs, they weren't surprised to find plenty of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). After all, these "forever chemicals" turn up nearly ...
Phys.org / Emissions from global wildfires far higher than previously thought
The total emissions of greenhouse gases and airborne particles caused by wildfires are almost 70% higher than previously assumed. Researchers at Wageningen University & Research discovered this in a long-term study conducted ...
Phys.org / Ocean microplastics can drift for years or sink rapidly: Analysis reveals two distinct pathways
Publishing in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, researchers at Kyushu University report that they have developed a new method to more accurately analyze the distribution of small microplastics in the ocean at ...
Phys.org / Seeing physics as a mountain landscape for classification of nonlinear systems
Imagine standing on top of a mountain. From this vantage point, we can see picturesque valleys and majestic ridges below, and streams wind their way downhill. If a drop of rain falls somewhere on this terrain, gravity guides ...
Phys.org / Crickets munch on microplastics—especially if they have a big mouth
To a human, microplastics are very small at less than 5 millimeters (mm) wide. But to an insect, microplastics might be the same size as the food they usually eat. Researchers reporting in the journal Environmental Science ...
Phys.org / When Americans migrate from violent states, the risk of future violence follows them
Americans who grow up in historically violent states may move to a safer state, but they remain far more likely to die violently, according to new research co-authored at the University of California, Berkeley.
Phys.org / Rapid weather shifts govern how plants influence climate and air quality, study finds
A new study shows that during drought, it's not how hot or how dry it is that determines gas emissions from plants—but how quickly conditions change. This discovery reshapes our understanding of the relationship between ...
