Phys.org news
Phys.org / First global map of mycorrhizal fungi reveals true scale of underground networks across the planet
Mycorrhizal fungi form underground networks that sustain plant life and help regulate Earth's climate by drawing carbon into soils. In a study published in Science, an international team of researchers produced the first ...
Phys.org / Forest gaps and deadwood boost bird and bat diversity in woodlands
Disorder brings more life to the forest: Birds and bats react to this in different ways. This is shown by a new study from the University of Würzburg's Biocenter.
Phys.org / Physicists introduce phase contrast to electron microscopy, delivering sharper images of our body's tiniest proteins
Nearly 100 years ago, a seemingly simple discovery revolutionized the microscope. The introduction of phase contrast, which garnered a Nobel Prize in 1953, brought into clear view structures inside cells that had previously ...
Phys.org / Prescribed fires can cut smoke pollution for years, miles beyond burn areas
A new study finds that burning 500,000 acres (202,000 hectares) of California conifer forests each year with prescribed fire could cut deadly pollution from wildfire smoke by roughly 10% over a decade.
Phys.org / Overlooked pollutants are responsible for about 15% of current global warming, study shows
In a new paper published in Science, leading scientists and climate policy experts show that 15% of current global warming (0.3°C) from human emissions stems from pollutants that fall outside most existing climate policy ...
Phys.org / Organic molecule with ultranarrow emission spectrum could lead to better LEDs
Over the past several decades, light sources have gradually transitioned to light-emitting diodes, or LEDs, and inorganic LEDs are now used across a wide range of applications. In parallel, organic LEDs, or OLEDs, have become ...
Phys.org / Rare deep-sea goblin sharks filmed in natural habitat for first time
The first published live observations of the rare goblin shark (Mitsukurina owstoni) in its natural deep-ocean habitat were reported in a new paper by a University of Hawai'i at Mānoa-led team of oceanographers. In the past, ...
Phys.org / Wasp spider reveals rapid genetic adaptation during decades-long march into northern Europe
It has taken only a few decades: The wasp spider (Argiope bruennichi) has expanded its range from the Mediterranean region to northern Europe—even as far as southern Finland. In doing so, it has adapted genetically much faster ...
Phys.org / Ancient clay figurine from Guatemala may bear the oldest written numbers in Mesoamerica
A clay figurine, small enough to cradle in your hand, with 11 dots arranged in columns where its head should be, may depict the oldest known example of written numbers in Mesoamerica.
Phys.org / Why animal calls sound alike in time: Most species share a common communication tempo
From insects to great apes, by way of birds and fish, animals communicate through an extraordinary variety of sounds. While the pitch or timbre of their vocalizations matters, rhythm may play a more fundamental role. Scientists ...
Phys.org / Ocean glow meets 3D printing with living gels that sense mechanical force
The integration of biological organisms into synthetic structures offers a radical new pathway for developing intelligent, self-powered materials. Researchers have pioneered an innovative approach to biomanufacturing by using ...
Phys.org / Electron matter waves gain ultrafast torque that flips handedness in femtoseconds
Many natural processes, ranging from magnetism to chemical reactions, entail the movement and rotation of particles at very small scales. In quantum mechanics, particles exhibit both particle-like and wave-like behaviors, ...
