Phys.org news
Phys.org / Watching a critical green-energy catalyst dissolve, atom by atom
Iridium oxide is one of the most important—and most problematic—materials in the global push toward clean energy. It is currently the most reliable catalyst used in the conversion of energy to chemicals by electrolysis, ...
Phys.org / Concert formats measurably change audience experience, classical music study finds
Orchestras and festival organizers continually develop and experiment with new concert formats for classical music. But do these formats actually have an impact on audiences? A research team led by the Max Planck Institute ...
Phys.org / Did trees in the Dolomites anticipate a solar eclipse? Not quite, say researchers
Around 14 hours before a partial solar eclipse passed over the Dolomites in Northern Italy, a group of spruce trees showed a sudden, synchronized increase in electrical activity. Previous research by Alessandro Chiolerio ...
Phys.org / Self-assembling 'bundlemers' could reshape next-generation protein-based materials
Proteins are the building blocks of life. These biomolecules comprise chains of amino acids that fold into precise shapes to perform specific jobs in nature. But these elegant structures form only under narrow pH and temperature ...
Phys.org / Amino acid 'stickers' help decode spider silk's strength and flexibility
Scientists have identified the molecular interactions that give spider silk its exceptional strength and flexibility, opening the door to new bio-inspired materials for aircraft, protective clothing and medical applications, ...
Phys.org / Engineering heat-tolerant, high-yield rice for a warming planet
Rising day and night temperatures are threatening rice, wheat, and maize production by disrupting plant growth, grain filling, and grain quality, putting global food security at risk. Precision breeding and genome editing ...
Phys.org / Three-component catalyst boosts ammonia from nitrate electrolysis by more than 50%
A research team led by Dr. Dandan Gao from the Department of Chemistry at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) has developed a new method for the sustainable production of ammonia and formic acid. Ammonia is indispensable ...
Phys.org / Turning nitrate pollution into green fuel: A 3D COF enables highly efficient ammonia electrosynthesis
Ammonia (NH3) is essential for fertilizers and emerging carbon-free energy technologies, yet its conventional production via the Haber-Bosch process is energy-intensive and CO2-emitting. Researchers from Tohoku University ...
Phys.org / Smartwatch study shows stadium atmosphere spikes heart rate and stress levels
Fans of DSC Arminia Bielefeld experience matchday excitement far more intensely in the stadium than in front of the television when watching football (soccer). A study from Bielefeld University demonstrates clear differences ...
Phys.org / A 'crazy' dice proof leads to a new understanding of a fundamental law of physics
Right now, molecules in the air are moving around you in chaotic and unpredictable ways. To make sense of such systems, physicists use a law known as the Boltzmann distribution, which, rather than describe exactly where each ...
Phys.org / Dark matter, not a black hole, could power Milky Way's heart
Our Milky Way galaxy may not have a supermassive black hole at its center but rather an enormous clump of mysterious dark matter exerting the same gravitational influence, astronomers say. They believe this invisible substance—which ...
Phys.org / Petra aqueduct survey uncovers rare 116-meter lead conduit beside terracotta pipe
In a recent study, Niklas Jungmann from the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin conducted a survey and investigation of the 'Ain Braq aqueduct of the ancient city of Petra. It was discovered that, unlike previously believed, ...