Phys.org news
Phys.org / How did we learn which plants are safe to eat? Food scientists explain
Have you ever eaten a green potato, or a bunch of rhubarb leaves? Hopefully not, because these two plant parts can be toxic to humans. While they may seem edible, they contain chemicals that can make you seriously ill.
Phys.org / Microcrystals in bioluminescent fish scatter light like a prism
Approximately 75% of marine organisms are bioluminescent, with specialized light-emitting organs called photophores. They use the light they produce for various purposes, like attracting mates, luring prey, or confusing predators.
Phys.org / Tiny sesame sea slug species discovered in the waters of northern Taiwan
Translucent, speckled, and barely the size of a grain of rice, a new species of sea slug has been identified in the coastal waters of Keelung, Taiwan. Because of its minute size and distinctive black and yellow markings, ...
Phys.org / Timing in early brain growth may explain why closely related mammals build strikingly different cortexes
The outer regions of the brain, the cortex, have specific layers of different cells—neurons—that are similarly ordered among all mammals, from tiny mouse brains to huge elephant brains. However, the proportions of different ...
Phys.org / Divers may think they protect reefs, but one unseen habit is taking a steady toll
Research at the University of Sydney has found that scuba-diving tourism—widely promoted as a sustainable way to experience coral reefs—is causing frequent and often hidden damage to fragile marine ecosystems.
Phys.org / Just 1.2 billion years after the Big Bang, galaxies were already shaped by where they lived
A large protocluster of galaxies that existed 12.6 billion years ago, first discovered with the Subaru Telescope, has been examined in detail using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). The study found that galaxies in crowded ...
Phys.org / Imaginary-time technique speeds X-ray scattering simulations by 50-fold for extreme matter
Researchers at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) have developed a new procedure, enabling them to speed up elaborate computer simulations that analyze matter under extreme conditions. In particular, this work ...
Phys.org / Ice may release more iron than climate models predict
Most people think of ice as frozen and lifeless, but research at Umeå University shows the opposite. A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences demonstrates that ice actively speeds up the ...
Phys.org / Tiny on-chip circuit could power next-generation quantum and AI technologies
Researchers from Monash University have developed a breakthrough nanoscale circuit that can generate, direct, and read light-based information, all on a single chip.
Phys.org / DNA reveals hidden UV defense network that dissipates energy in femtoseconds
New details of how DNA protects itself from harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation show a hidden network of ultrafast molecular reactions that help prevent damage before it can trigger mutations that might lead to cancer, according ...
Phys.org / Collective vibrations unlock fast ion flow in superionic crystals
In the race to develop safer, faster-charging solid-state batteries and more efficient thermoelectric conversion technologies, engineers and scientists have long faced a fundamental challenge: how to ensure ions move through ...
Phys.org / ATLAS observes new Bc meson excited state
Protons and neutrons—the building blocks of matter—belong to a huge class of particles called hadrons. Hadrons are composite particles made of quarks that are bound together by the strong force. They are classified into two ...
