Phys.org news
Phys.org / How activity in Earth's mantle led the ancient ancestors of elephants, giraffes, and humans into Asia and Africa
What roils beneath Earth's surface may feel a world away, but the activity can help forge land masses that dictate ocean circulation, climate patterns, and even animal activity and evolution. In fact, scientists believe that ...
Phys.org / How changes in lemur brains made some mean girls nice
If there were a contest for the biggest female bullies in the animal world, lemurs would be near the top of the list. In these distant primate cousins, it's the ladies who call the shots, relying on physical aggression to ...
Phys.org / Non-native trees gain ground in eastern US, reducing native species diversity
In the largest study of its kind, researchers at the Florida Museum of Natural History have used data from a 120-year-old program managed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to quantify the effects of introduced species.
Phys.org / Should farm fields be used for crops or solar? Research suggests both
As farmers debate whether fields should be used for agriculture or solar panels, new research from Michigan State University says the answer could be both.
Phys.org / Microplastics: What's trapping the emerging threat in our streams?
Microplastics, tiny plastic particles found in everyday products from face wash to toothpaste, are an emerging threat to health and ecology, prompting a research team to identify what keeps them trapped in stream ecosystems.
Phys.org / Ancient Greenland rocks in Iceland reveal effects of Late Antique Little Ice Age
A trio of researchers has found evidence of the impact of the Late Antique Little Ice Age on Iceland almost 1,500 years ago. In their paper published in the journal Geology, Christopher Spencer, Thomas Gernon and Ross Mitchell ...
Phys.org / Hybrid surface combines hydrophobic nanowires and hydrophilic channels to prevent condensation flooding
Condensation is critical for applications like power generation, water harvesting, and cooling systems. However, traditional surfaces suffer from a drop in performance under high subcooling, when the surface temperature is ...
Phys.org / Twinkling star reveals the shocking secrets of turbulent plasma in our cosmic neighborhood
With the most powerful radio telescope in the southern hemisphere, we have observed a twinkling star and discovered an abundance of mysterious plasma structures in our cosmic neighborhood.
Phys.org / Engineering a hydrogen-bonding microenvironment to boost CO₂ electroreduction
Catalytic conversion of waste CO2 into value-added fuels and chemicals offers unprecedented opportunities for both environmental protection and economic development. Electrocatalytic CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) has garnered ...
Phys.org / Microplastics still slip through wastewater treatment plants, carrying pollutants and threatening long-term health
Despite advances in wastewater treatment, tiny plastic particles called microplastics are still slipping through, posing potential health and environmental hazards, according to new research from The University of Texas at ...
Phys.org / Tree rings and models paint a picture of past, present and future drought
As the climate warms, drought conditions are intensifying in many parts of the world. The effects of hydrological drought on water levels in rivers and other waterways are especially crucial to monitor because they can affect ...
Phys.org / Canadian wildfire smoke cooled New York by 3°C and trapped air toxicants, researchers find
When smoke from Canadian wildfires turned New York City skies apocalyptically orange in June 2023, it delivered catastrophic air quality and an unexpected side effect: cooling the New York City region by about 3 degrees Celsius.