Phys.org news

Phys.org / Not a cheetah: Ancient DNA reveals the surprising Arctic life of extinct North American cat

A new study led by researchers at the University of California, Santa Cruz, has overturned decades of assumptions about Miracinonyx trumani, the extinct predator popularly known as the American cheetah. By analyzing nuclear ...

6 hours ago
Phys.org / Archaea as 'flexitarians': Ammonia-oxidizing microbes also feed on amino acids

Symbiotic ammonia-oxidizing archaea in marine sponges are not strict specialists but true "flexitarians." A team led by microbiologists Bettina Glasl and Katharina Kitzinger from the University of Vienna, in collaboration ...

3 hours ago
Phys.org / Turbulent times for star formation in Stephan's Quintet

Star formation in galaxies is closely linked to molecular gas. In the distant past, when galaxy interactions were more common, these encounters compressed molecular gas, causing dense clouds to collapse under their own gravity ...

3 hours ago
Phys.org / 'Hidden order in disorder' makes nanodevices easier to design

Augmented reality (AR) glasses, lenses thinner than a human hair, and holograms floating above your fingertips may sound like technologies from science fiction. At the heart of these emerging technologies, however, lies a ...

4 hours ago
Phys.org / Ultrafast electrons and lasers reveal unexpectedly strong radiation signals in common semiconductors

Detecting radiation is key to technologies ranging from particle accelerators and scientific instruments to medical imaging and security screening. But current detectors must often make trade-offs, providing signals that ...

4 hours ago
Phys.org / 'Soft crosslinking' strategy makes brittle, glassy plastics tougher

Glassy polymers are those whose chains become immobilized below their glass transition temperature. The immobilized chains make them hard and stiff but also brittle, causing them to fracture when stretched. One promising ...

4 hours ago
Phys.org / Iron Age Botswana site sourced copper across southern Africa—but tin from just one place

Around 700 years ago, people living on hilltop settlements on the edge of the Kalahari wore beads, bangles and clips made from metal traded across the southern half of the African continent.

9 hours ago
Phys.org / Physics-informed AI improves predictions of how critical minerals move through rock

The key to finding more critical minerals may lie in understanding how fluids and chemicals move through rock. As these fluids travel underground, they can dissolve, transport and concentrate valuable minerals in specific ...

5 hours ago
Phys.org / Ultrafast sample spinning improves protein structural data by dizzying proportions

Researchers have been elucidating the structures of complex molecules for more than 100 years using a variety of techniques. Some molecular structures, however, are more difficult to solve than others.

5 hours ago
Phys.org / Since the 1980s, climate change has increasingly altered European bumblebee habitats

Global biodiversity loss is occurring at a rapid pace, driven by multiple human-caused factors, including overexploitation, pollution, invasive species and climate change. Despite increasing research on the impact of climate ...

6 hours ago
Phys.org / Patent-reading AI could strengthen early warning systems for hazardous chemicals

Patents are far more than legal documents protecting intellectual property. They are a vast source of scientific information about chemicals under development, often years before they appear in products or in the environment. ...

6 hours ago
Phys.org / Brainless sea sponges use sunset to prepare for metamorphosis—and attach in 30 minutes

Well before I start collecting coats, keys or shoes, my dog always knows when we're about to leave. By picking up on subtle cues, he anticipates our next movements, reminding me he's smarter than he often shows. But anticipation ...

7 hours ago