Phys.org news
Phys.org / Roman telescope will spot distant black holes that shred stars
How do black holes at the centers of galaxies form and grow over time? To answer this question, scientists need to detect and study supermassive black holes at great distances that existed much earlier in the universe's history. ...
Phys.org / New atomic trap boosts quantum performance by using surface forces
Researchers at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin have developed a new method for trapping and controlling atoms near an ultrathin glass fiber. This has significantly improved the atoms' ability to store quantum information—an ...
Phys.org / With an eye toward exploration, researchers map moon's regolith thickness
New research by lunar scientists from Brown University provides critical new insights into the thickness of the moon's regolith, the layer of loose dust and rock that drapes the entire lunar surface.
Phys.org / New cell imaging method shines a light on blind spots
Cells are crowded, dynamic places where thousands of molecules interact in tight quarters. Until now, scientists lacked a reliable way to see many of these molecular interactions as they happen. Researchers at the University ...
Phys.org / Climate change is forcing amphibians to change their diet—but they can only adapt so far
New research involving Queen Mary University of London reveals that amphibians can change what they eat to cope with rising temperatures, but that this natural survival strategy has limits.
Phys.org / Human noise pushes Alaska predators toward night foraging, altering salmon nutrient pathways
The age-old question asks, "If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?" While philosophers and scientists alike have pondered this question for centuries, the more relevant question ...
Phys.org / 'Amazing moths': Study pinpoints insect habitat that draws grizzlies to glacier peaks
When grizzly bears clamber onto the talus slopes high in Glacier National Park, they're searching for an abundant, fatty meal: army cutworm moths. The inch-long (2.5-centimeter-long) moths hatch on the Great Plains and fly ...
Phys.org / 'Uncanny valley' effect observed in macaques through 3D animated monkey avatars
A new tool that allows researchers to create realistic full-body animations of monkeys has provided the first evidence that nonhuman primates experience the "uncanny valley" phenomenon for body avatars, according to a study ...
Phys.org / World-first neutron lens brings sharp focus to structures inside materials and objects
Researchers at Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) have developed the world's first achromatic lens for neutron imaging. The lens overcomes a longstanding obstacle in the field: focusing neutrons of different wavelengths well enough ...
Dialog / Ocean acidification emerging as a planetary signal linking today's carbon emissions to Earth's deep-time memory
When most people hear the phrase "ocean acidification," they think of coral reefs, shellfish or declining fisheries. Those concerns are real. But while working on our recent research, I found myself asking a different question: ...
Phys.org / Ancient Roman farm women made wine, oil and profits. Historians dismissed them as 'housekeepers'
Female farm managers are hidden in plain sight in ancient Roman texts, mentioned in laws, literature and grave inscriptions across five centuries. Modern historians have generally assumed they were housekeepers, in charge ...
Phys.org / Magnetic fingerprint of a cosmic explosion detected for the first time
Astronomers have made a series of landmark observations of one of the universe's most violent events. Using the U.S. National Science Foundation Very Large Array (NSF VLA) radio telescope, which is operated by the U.S. National ...