Phys.org news
Phys.org / Artificial cartilage mimics natural flexibility with adjustable structure
A Washington State University research team is working to create an artificial cartilage that is similar to natural cartilage with a recipe that can be corrected along the way.
Phys.org / Plant breeding discovery could pave way for new crop species
One of the great mysteries in plant biology is how, given the clouds of pollen released by dozens of plant species all at the same time, an individual plant can recognize which particular species' pollen grains will induce ...
Phys.org / Single-photon switch could enable photonic computing
There are few technologies more fundamental to modern life than the ability to control light with precision. From fiber-optic communications to quantum sensors, the manipulation of photons underpins much of our digital infrastructure. ...
Phys.org / Laser-induced break-up of C₆₀ fullerenes caught in real-time on X-ray camera
The understanding of complex many-body dynamics in laser-driven polyatomic molecules is crucial for any attempt to steer chemical reactions by means of intense light fields. Ultrashort and intense X-ray pulses from accelerator-based ...
Phys.org / Mercury pollution in marine mammals is increasing, new study finds
In 2017, a new global treaty was meant to bring mercury pollution under control. But three decades of data from UK harbor porpoises show mercury is still increasing, and is linked to a higher risk of dying from infectious ...
Phys.org / An electric discovery: Pigeons detect magnetic fields through their inner ear
In 1882, the French Naturalist Camille Viguier was among the first to propose the existence of a magnetic sense. His speculation proved correct. Many animals—from bats, to migratory birds and sea turtles use the Earth's ...
Phys.org / Symmetry simplifies quantum noise analysis, paving way for better error correction
Researchers from the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Maryland, and Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore have achieved a breakthrough in quantum noise characterization in quantum systems—a key ...
Phys.org / Understanding intrinsically disordered protein regions and their roles in cancer
Every function in a cell is associated with a particular protein or group of proteins, typically in a well-defined three-dimensional structure. However, intrinsically disordered regions of proteins defy this structure-function ...
Phys.org / Male green hermit hummingbirds: Bills evolved for battle
Let's get one thing out of the way: All hummingbirds fight. Most species fight for food, using their tiny bodies and sharp bills to force competitors away from flowers. But the green hermit hummingbird, which lives primarily ...
Phys.org / Why some volcanoes don't explode
The explosiveness of a volcanic eruption depends on how many gas bubbles form in the magma—and when. Until now, it was thought that gas bubbles were formed primarily when the ambient pressure dropped while the magma was ...
Phys.org / Synthesizing stable, open-chain amines with nitrogen-based chirality
A research team from Prof. Benjamin List's department at the Max Planck Institut für Kohlenforschung has solved a long-elusive riddle of chemistry: the synthesis of stable, open-chain amines that carry their chirality on ...
Phys.org / Earth's crust under stress: Researchers decipher energy release during earthquakes
Why do some earthquakes release more energy than others? A research team led by Prof. Dr. Armin Dielforder from the University of Greifswald has managed to demonstrate a clear physical connection between the energy released ...