Phys.org news

Phys.org / Bacterial 'brains' operate on the brink of order and disorder

The sensory proteins that control the motion of bacteria constantly fluctuate. AMOLF researchers, together with international collaborators from ETH Zurich and University of Utah, found out that these proteins can jointly ...

3 hours ago in Biology
Phys.org / 2D discrete time crystals realized on a quantum computer for the first time

Physical systems become inherently more complicated and difficult to produce in a lab as the number of dimensions they exist in increases—even more so in quantum systems. While discrete time crystals (DTCs) had been previously ...

6 hours ago in Physics
Phys.org / Kangaroo and wallaby evolution tied to Australia's past climate shifts

A QUT-led study has found how increasing aridity and habitat variation and the subsequent emergence of grasslands shaped the evolution of modern kangaroos and wallabies. The study, published in Molecular Phylogenetics and ...

4 hours ago in Biology
Phys.org / Refractive-index microscope measures a sample's optical properties with pinpoint accuracy

By combining two fundamentally different microscopy techniques, researchers can now measure the optical properties of a sample with pinpoint accuracy. The original goal was to investigate biological samples on a molecular ...

4 hours ago in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / Scientists develop high-performance Hg-based crystal for mid-far infrared birefringence

Mid- and far-infrared birefringent crystals are key functional materials for polarization control, laser technologies, and infrared photonics. However, existing materials generally suffer from limited infrared transparency, ...

4 hours ago in Physics
Phys.org / How plants respond to changing environments for better reproductive success

Once a seed germinates, it is committed to one location. Plants are sessile—stuck where they started out—forced to cope with whatever conditions arrive next. The only way out of trouble is to rebuild themselves in place.

4 hours ago in Biology
Phys.org / The first headbutting paravian: Bird-like dinosaur likely used thick skull to win over mates

Whether it's digging up weathered bones from a paleontological site or reexamining forgotten trays in museum and university collections, the study of dinosaurs still throws up something new.

7 hours ago in Biology
Phys.org / AI enables a who's who of brown bears in Alaska

A team of scientists from EPFL and Alaska Pacific University has developed an AI program that can recognize individual bears in the wild, despite the substantial changes that occur in their appearance over the summer season. ...

7 hours ago in Biology
Phys.org / Collective intelligence: How to incentivize problem solving in groups

When a crowd gets something right, like guessing how many beans are in a jar, forecasting an election, or solving a difficult scientific problem, it's tempting to credit the sharpest individual in the room. But new research ...

4 hours ago in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Photocatalysis enables direct coupling of native sugars and N-heteroarenes

Researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) have developed a "capping-and-coupling" strategy to transform naturally occurring (native) sugars directly into compounds known as C-heteroaryl glycosides. This ...

4 hours ago in Chemistry
Phys.org / Why termite kings and queens are monogamous: Scientists uncover surprising answer

Termites are among the most successful animals on Earth, forming vast societies that can number in the millions. But how did such complex social systems evolve from solitary ancestors that looked much like today's cockroaches?

4 hours ago in Biology
Phys.org / Flying gurnard grunts and flares fins to communicate, camera study confirms

Researchers have just published a study demonstrating that the flying gurnard (Dactylopterus volitans) emits sounds while simultaneously performing movements to communicate—a discovery that enriches our knowledge about ...

4 hours ago in Biology