Phys.org news
Phys.org / Four weeks of 'safe' low-level PFAS exposure in tap water altered embryo development in mice
An Adelaide University study has revealed that per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) found in tap water, at levels currently considered safe, affected the development of embryos, causing irreversible damage that may ...
Phys.org / AI spots hidden behavior patterns in self-organizing bacteria
Life moves in mysterious ways—and perhaps especially so for organisms that undergo dramatic shifts in levels of self-organization, such as Myxococcus xanthus. A custom-built artificial intelligence system developed by Rice ...
Phys.org / A tiny predator from ancient Spain just doubled the weasel family's evolutionary timeline
Weasels are small carnivores with a long body and short legs. They also have a stout skull and sharp teeth. These creatures, along with ferrets and minks, make up the Mustelinae subfamily. Until now, researchers believed ...
Phys.org / Whales go quiet during noisy underwater surveys
A new study has shown that whale calls are reduced by as much as 50% in response to seismic surveys, which are commonly used to find oil and gas reserves. Researchers are worried that such surveys could impact vulnerable ...
Phys.org / Cosmic dust identified as the source of Venus' enigmatic lower haze
Venus, often called Earth's twin, is in fact a planet of extremes. Beneath its thick carbon dioxide atmosphere are crushing surface temperatures and dense clouds of sulfuric acid. While the planet's main cloud layer sits ...
Phys.org / Young stars dim quickly in their X-ray output, potentially benefiting orbiting planets
Scientists have found that young stellar cousins of our sun are calming down and dimming more quickly in their X-ray output than previously thought, according to a new study using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory. A paper ...
Phys.org / Picky methane-consuming microorganisms prefer carbon monoxide, opening the door to more greenhouse gas release
Research by microbiologists Reinier Egas and Cornelia Welte of Radboud University shows that many methane-consuming microorganisms actually prefer carbon monoxide over methane. When carbon monoxide is present, they consume ...
Phys.org / A silicon-compatible path toward scalable quantum systems
Beginning in the 1950s, silicon transformed the electronics industry by enabling smaller and faster devices that could be reliably manufactured at scale. More than six decades later, silicon-based semiconductors remain at ...
Phys.org / A 'blob' in a tank is helping scientists tease out the secrets of turbulence
In a tank on the bottom floor of a University of Chicago research laboratory, scientists summon "The Blob" into existence by firing water jets to create an artfully choreographed series of rings.
Phys.org / Catching distant gamma-ray explosions with precisely aligned X-ray optics
Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) rank among the most powerful explosions in the universe, releasing immense energy in intense flashes of gamma rays. The most distant GRBs originate from the era when the first stars and galaxies formed. ...
Phys.org / Virtual sunspots help AI find rare magnetic matches in vast solar archives
Research led by Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) has integrated three types of machine learning models to generate solar magnetic patches with physical properties and used those as a query to find matching patches in real ...
Phys.org / AI-guided electron microscope provides unique glimpse into the world of MXenes
The use of artificial intelligence has enabled researchers at the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR) to gain a greater understanding of two-dimensional (2D) materials that can be useful for energy storage, water purification, ...
