Phys.org news
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, ...
Phys.org / 'Jetty McJetface': Star-shredding black hole may keep ramping up its radio jet until 2027 peak
A supermassive black hole with a case of cosmic indigestion has been burping out the remains of a shredded star for four years—and it's still going strong, new research led by a University of Oregon astrophysicist shows.
Phys.org / Hannibal's famous war elephants: Single bone in Spain offers first direct evidence
Historical accounts of the Punic Wars—and many other ancient wars—often paint a picture of soldiers riding in on imposing "war elephants." Yet, no skeletal remains of these war elephants had ever been found from the Punic ...
Phys.org / Could apes 'play pretend' like toddlers? A study tracks imaginary juice and grapes
In a series of tea party-like experiments, Johns Hopkins University researchers demonstrate for the first time that apes can use their imagination and play pretend, an ability thought to be uniquely human.
Phys.org / Scents of the afterlife: Identifying embalming recipes by 'sniffing' the air around Egyptian mummies
If you have ever stood close to an ancient Egyptian mummy, you may remember a distinctive, lingering odor. For a long time, it was assumed that this was simply due to age and decay. However, scientists have discovered that ...
