Phys.org news
Phys.org / Study reveals hidden climate impact of digital industries
Digital technologies are widely viewed as drivers of efficiency, growth, and innovation. However, their contribution to climate change is significantly greater than previously understood. A new study published in the journal ...
Phys.org / EPA criminal sanctions align with a county's wealth, not pollution, study finds
When the federal government brings its toughest environmental enforcement actions against polluters, they tend to be in communities of greater wealth, not the most polluted places. That's the takeaway from a new paper co-authored ...
Phys.org / Between flood and drought: The metric that could better explain what happens to water in the age of climate change
A key question in any discussion about climate is "How much rain fell?" But perhaps there is an even more important one. Like any household budget, the global water economy is based on "income," that is, water entering the ...
Phys.org / Scientists isolate climatic fingerprints of wildfires and volcanic eruptions
Volcanoes and wildfires can inject millions of tons of gases and aerosol particles into the air, affecting temperatures on a global scale. But picking out the specific impact of individual events against a background of many ...
Phys.org / From algae to biofuel: Study opens doors to cheaper, cleaner fuel sources
A researcher's keen eye and spirit of curiosity led to the discovery of a new method for cell engineering—a finding that opens doors to more sustainable sources for everything from fuel to vitamin supplements.
Phys.org / Why laws named after tragedies win public support
When lawmakers name bills after victims of tragedy—such as Megan's Law or the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act of 1993—public support surges, but this emotional boost may come at the expense of sound policymaking, ...
Phys.org / Stretchy plastics conduct electricity via tiny, whisker-like fibers
A stretchy, conductive type of plastic could help power the next generation of implantable biomedical devices, like longer-lasting pacemakers or glucose monitors, according to Enrique Gomez, professor of chemical engineering ...
Phys.org / Big broods, better manners: What a fish study suggests about siblings and social skills
For many animals, siblings are a key component of their social environment during early life. Previous research has shown that the early social environment is important, but it has not yet been clear whether the number of ...
Phys.org / Phosphoric acid dimers reveal nature's proton highway
Whether in our bodies or in fuel cells, phosphoric acid plays an important role in many chemical processes because it is exceptionally good at transporting charges. Researchers from the Department of Molecular Physics at ...
Phys.org / Electrochemical signals can reshape bacterial protein patterns, boosting electron transfer
Sometimes, transporting electrons from one cell to another is a team effort. In electroactive bacteria, that team is a group of proteins that shepherds electrons forward, passing them along like a relay baton, so they can ...
Phys.org / Ultrafast X-rays reveal physical principles behind lipoprotein motion within egg yolk plasma
Egg yolk may appear runny and uniform, but on the nanoscale, it is one of the most crowded biological fluids in nature. Packed with proteins and fats, it serves as a dense storage reservoir for a developing embryo. Yet the ...
Phys.org / Courtship is complicated, even in fruit flies
Love is in the air for the vinegar fly. Drosophila melanogaster has long been a model for understanding how brains translate sensory information into courtship behavior. Male flies perform a multitude of romantic actions—orienting, ...
