Phys.org news
Phys.org / 3I/ATLAS contains 30 times more semi-heavy water than comets in our solar system
New observations of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS include the first measurement of the abundance of deuterated water relative to ordinary water in an interstellar object. Astronomers using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter ...
Phys.org / Mysterious gas clouds near Milky Way's black hole now have a likely source
New observations and simulations by a team of researchers led by MPE reveal that a massive binary star near our galaxy's center is responsible for creating a series of enigmatic gas clouds—compact gas clumps that help feed ...
Phys.org / These eight coastal cities sit on America's flood front line, and AI shows why
New York, New Orleans and Miami are among the eight cities along the US Gulf and Atlantic coasts facing the highest flood risk, according to a new study published in Science Advances. Scientists developed a new AI-driven ...
Phys.org / Amazon River plume: Where microalgae go carnivorous to win
In the vast plume of the Amazon River, microscopic algae adopt a surprisingly flexible survival strategy: They combine photosynthesis with the uptake of organic matter. An international research team led by the Leibniz Institute ...
Phys.org / Neanderthals may have shared key DNA for complex language, reshaping when human speech began
In a first-of-its-kind finding, researchers at University of Iowa Health Care discovered that specific genetic sequences have an outsized impact on humans' language abilities and that these sequences evolved before humans ...
Phys.org / This flower's toxic traits hold clues for safer drugs
The molecules of a highly toxic plant, known for its bell-shaped purple and pink flowers and found in some home gardens, have long been used to regulate human heart muscles.
Phys.org / Physicists revive 1990s laser concept to propose a next-generation atomic clock
Researchers in the US and Germany have unveiled a theoretical blueprint for an atomic clock driven by a highly synchronized laser, where atoms work in concert rather than independently. Publishing their results in Physical ...
Phys.org / Black grouse eye test reveals best flags to protect birds from fatal cables
There is a silent killer lurking in the French Alps: ski lift cables. Over the last 60 years, the wires have accounted for almost 600 recorded landfowl deaths in the region. Black grouse (Lyrurus tetrix) account for ~70% ...
Phys.org / Nuclear war at Ukraine-Russia border could trigger years of global climate disruption and radioactive fallout
Geopolitical tensions in Eastern Europe underscore the urgency of addressing the climate and radiological consequences of a regional nuclear conflict. Even a small-scale nuclear conflict at the Ukraine–Russia border could ...
Phys.org / From air to tea: New sensor reveals invisible pollution in minutes
Fine particulate matter in the air or nanoparticles in water—a remarkable new technology developed at TU Wien makes it possible to detect tiny amounts of a wide range of substances in a very short time.
Phys.org / In Eastern Africa, the cradle of humankind is tearing apart
Eastern Africa's Turkana Rift is both a hotbed for fossil discoveries of our earliest ancestors and a literal hotbed of volcanic activity caused by shifting tectonic plates. Now researchers have found that Earth's underlying ...
Phys.org / Gene-sharing view challenged as bacteria shown to police DNA exchange
A new study finds that bacteria can actively block the transfer of beneficial genes to neighboring cells, using specialized proteins to specifically destroy shared DNA before it spreads. This challenges the long-held view ...