Phys.org news
Phys.org / Bio-based film matches traditional plastic packaging in blocking moisture and oxygen
Plastic packaging is ubiquitous in our world, with its waste winding up in landfills and polluting oceans, where it can take centuries to degrade.
Phys.org / Human impact on Amazon forests is transforming its ecological functions and evolutionary history
A new study reveals that the impact humans are having on the Amazon rainforest is so profound it is even changing the evolutionary history and functionality of the forests.
Phys.org / Sand mining threatens the future of critical Southeast Asian ecosystem
Intense sand mining is putting the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia at risk of collapse with catastrophic consequences, a new study published in Nature Sustainability has found.
Phys.org / Specialized potteries reveal complex organization of El Argar society 4,000 years ago
Most of the pottery recovered from political and administrative centers in El Argar (2200-1550 BCE), such as Tira del Lienzo and Ifre, located in the province of Murcia, was not produced locally, but rather at sites located ...
Phys.org / Climate's impact on earthquakes: Lake Turkana study highlights connections between tectonics and human evolution
Lake Turkana in northern Kenya is often called the cradle of humankind. Home to some of the earliest hominids, its fossil-rich basin has helped scientists piece together the story of human evolution. Now, researchers from ...
Phys.org / How plastics grip metals at the atomic scale: Molecular insights pave way for better transportation materials
What makes some plastics stick to metal without any glue? Osaka Metropolitan University scientists have peered into the invisible adhesive zone that forms between certain plastics and metals—one atom at a time—to uncover ...
Phys.org / Urban greenness for mental health benefits: Researchers uncover optimal 'dose'
As cities around the world grapple with escalating mental health challenges, researchers from The University of Hong Kong (HKU) have pinpointed the ideal levels of urban greenness that maximize psychological well-being. Published ...
Phys.org / Sex-determination gene in bees and ants identified
Most species on Earth exist as two biological sexes, and the exchange of genes between males and females is vital for their survival. Yet, what actually determines whether an individual develops into a male or female varies ...
Phys.org / How a major Bay Area earthquake could endanger health care access
No one knows when the next major earthquake will strike. In the meantime, researchers are working to understand how these events could disrupt access to health care in densely populated regions—and how best to prepare for ...
Phys.org / Explainable AI reveals how chemical sensors detect odors
NIMS has been developing chemical sensors as a key component of artificial olfaction technology (olfactory sensors), with the aim of putting this technology into practical use. In a new study, explainable AI (XAI) was used ...
Phys.org / Americans support universities' broader social roles but oppose political activism
From free speech to sustainability, Americans broadly agree that universities should engage in a range of societal issues beyond their core education and research missions—while avoiding political activism, a Cornell economist ...
Phys.org / Zebrafish larvae's camouflage control traced to specific eye and brain cells
The ability of some animals to dynamically change color to match the brightness of their surroundings is one of nature's great survival tools, allowing flatfish to blend into sandy seabeds, frogs to adjust to the bottom of ...
