Phys.org news

Phys.org / Mechanical shortcut' rapidly carries organic particles into the deep ocean

The processes that capture carbon from the atmosphere and store it on the seabed are crucial for climate balance. However, assessing these mechanisms is often complicated because it requires measurements ranging from the ...

16 hours ago
Phys.org / Geological evidence questions the role of Agulhas Leakage in Atlantic Ocean circulation

For decades, scientists have asserted that the leakage of warm, salty Indian Ocean water south of South Africa into the Atlantic is a major contributor to the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), a component ...

23 hours ago
Phys.org / Four labs find experimental differences can undermine AI catalyst predictions

To turn abundant carbon dioxide into valuable fuel, we need a fast and efficient way to determine which catalysts work best over the longest time. AI models have the potential to help guide catalyst selection, but as with ...

16 hours ago
Phys.org / Homo antecessor skull layers resemble modern humans and Neanderthals, fragments suggest

A new study provides quantitative data on cranial vault thickness in Homo antecessor, based on the analysis of three parietal fragments recovered from the Gran Dolina site in the Sierra de Atapuerca, Burgos, Spain.

19 hours ago
Phys.org / New museum find shows nature can't stop inventing seahorses

At first glance, it looks exactly like a seahorse. It has the same horse-shaped head tilted down from the body, the same curled, grasping tail and, in the males, a fully enclosed pouch for brooding the young.

23 hours ago
Phys.org / Male sperm whales produce loudest communication sounds ever measured in any mammal

Deep in the world's oceans, large male sperm whales emit slow, low-frequency clicks with the highest source levels of any animal communication sounds. These slow clicks are not the echolocation clicks the whales use to locate ...

18 hours ago
Phys.org / Stomach stone hypothesis sheds light on the evolution of dinosaur digestive systems

An international research team led by Assistant Professor Ryuji Takasaki of the Faculty of Biosphere-Geosphere Science at Okayama University of Science has published a paper proposing a new hypothesis on the evolutionary ...

20 hours ago
Phys.org / Forest floors reveal overlooked seed dispersers: Slugs, beetles and crabs spread viable seeds

A review led by the School of Biological Sciences at The University of Hong Kong (HKU) has revealed that tiny ground-dwelling invertebrates are overlooked but important seed dispersers, challenging the traditional focus on ...

16 hours ago
Phys.org / AI models atom movement to predict solid-state reaction pathways, including impurities, in minutes

A research team at the Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) has successfully demonstrated an AI modeling approach that accurately and rapidly predicts how reactions between solid materials ...

17 hours ago
Phys.org / Underground fungal networks come into 3D view without disturbing plant roots

Symbioses between plants and fungi are essential for most plants. Fungal structures known as mycorrhizae extend the area from which plants can draw water and nutrients from the soil. In return, plants supply the fungi with ...

18 hours ago
Phys.org / Why we overestimate the positive impact of our actions on the climate

Why is recycling waste or switching off the lights sometimes perceived as more effective for the climate than giving up air travel? A team from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) surveyed nearly 3,000 people and identified ...

18 hours ago
Phys.org / Discarded rice husks capture toxic dyes, offering a reusable water filter

Rice is the most-eaten food on the planet, and its discarded outer husk results in some 300 billion pounds of waste per year. FIU chemistry researcher Islam Ibrahim Hussein says the inedible castoffs could be the key to cleaner ...

17 hours ago