Phys.org news
Phys.org / The best places to look for alien life: Scientists identify 45 Earth-like worlds to explore for a 'Project Hail Mary'
If we're to find extraterrestrial life in the universe, astronomers have pinpointed the best places to look for it. They have identified just under 50 rocky worlds most likely to be habitable out of the more than 6,000 exoplanets ...
Phys.org / Molecular enhancements help plants light up when they're under attack
Imagine that plants could tell us exactly when they're stressed, infected, or being eaten by insects, by lighting up. A new study led by Dr. Karen Sarkisyan, Head of the Synthetic Biology group at the MRC Laboratory of Medical ...
Phys.org / 'Mini earthquakes' turn tiny chips into radio signal powerhouses
From GPS satellites to mobile networks, modern technology relies on ultra-precise radio signals. Engineers have long tried to generate them on chips using interactions between light and sound, but the effect was too weak. ...
Phys.org / Changing leafcutter ants' food reshapes their microbial gardens, scientists find
A colony of leafcutter ants is home to more than just one species. Each year, studies reveal new layers of complexity in these ecosystems, where various fungi and bacteria thrive alongside the ants, resulting in countless ...
Phys.org / Milkweed evolves 'mind-blowing' tactic to fight monarchs
Milkweed has found a new strategy in its epic evolutionary battle with monarch butterflies: upgrading its toxins to outmaneuver the monarch's resistance. In a new study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy ...
Phys.org / Fluorescent dye that works in superacidic conditions expands possibilities for imaging in extreme environments
Since the 1960s, boron–dipyrromethene dyes, commonly called BODIPY dyes, have been widely used for their strong fluorescence, especially in bioimaging, molecular and ion sensing, and as photosensitizers. Researchers especially ...
Phys.org / A multi-lane highway for light: Topology helps build more robust photonic networks
Penn-led researchers have shown for the first time that multiple, information-carrying light signals can be safely guided through chip-based, reconfigurable networks using topology, the esoteric branch of mathematics that ...
Phys.org / Ultra-thin MoSe₂ grating traps infrared light in a 40-nanometer layer
Controlling light at the micro- and nanoscale opens up opportunities for a better understanding of the world and the development of technology. As modern electronics approaches the limits of its capabilities, photonics comes ...
Phys.org / Durum wheat lines combine freezing tolerance with high pasta quality
Researchers from Skoltech, the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center in Mexico, the Research Center for Cereal and Industrial Crops in Italy, and other international organizations have developed new durum wheat ...
Phys.org / Old-growth forests store a lot more carbon than managed forests, study finds
Swedish old-growth forests store 83% more carbon than managed forests, according to a new study from Lund University. The difference is substantially larger than previous estimates and is mainly due to large carbon stocks ...
Phys.org / Light-activated medicines may cut side effects: How a switchable beta blocker works
Rendering a drug effective or ineffective in a flash at the appropriate location—this is the focus of research in photopharmacology. The goal is to develop drugs that can be switched on and off with light of a specific ...
Phys.org / Invasive grasses may be turning British Columbia's burn scars into the next wildfire
After a wildfire, the flames may fade, but the danger does not. A new study by UBC researchers reveals that burned landscapes remain vulnerable for years, with large areas still bare and at risk of invasion by fast-growing, ...
