Phys.org news
Phys.org / Screens dominate the dinner table, with 77.6% of parents using devices
Food has always had a unique way of bringing people together. It becomes especially evident during family mealtimes, when children and adults gather around the table to share more than just a meal. They share stories, catch ...
Phys.org / Orangutans eat medicinal plants in patterns that suggest self-medication
Orangutans seek out plants with antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and wound-healing properties, new research shows. Based on 20 years of observations of orangutans in Indonesian Borneo, scientists assessed how often the animals ...
Phys.org / Beyond bread and beer, alluring yeast species could yield new mosquito traps to combat malaria
An orange-colored yeast species isolated from a Baltimore sidewalk several years ago could be the basis of eco-friendly mosquito traps that reduce malaria transmission, according to a new study from researchers at the Johns ...
Phys.org / Famous 'Pink Planet' harbors a salty surprise
Northwestern University-led astronomers have discovered salty skies surrounding the universe's famous "Pink Planet." For more than a decade, the ancient, rosy-hazed world kept astronomers guessing. One of the coldest known ...
Phys.org / AI-driven optical tweezers sort hundreds of particles per hour without humans
By teaching an AI to use optical tweezers, researchers from the University of Gothenburg and Chalmers University of Technology have sped up the analysis of life's smallest components. The AI platform captures particles, takes ...
Phys.org / How sea-ice microbes survive the Southern Ocean's harsh winter has implications for climate change
A study led by South African scientists reveals that during winter, the sea ice around Antarctica harbors a reservoir of microbes, most of which have one thing in common—the ability to produce and break down a compound known ...
Phys.org / Cockroach genomes are packed with DNA transferred by their endosymbiont bacterial partners
Genes aren't just transferred from parents to their offspring. Nature has found other ways to pass on genetic information, even between different species. And a new study, published in the journal Proceedings of the National ...
Phys.org / AI could be trapped in a 'Carbon Valley' unless action is taken soon
AI is growing fast, and keeping up means building more data centers, manufacturing advanced chips and powering the tech behind it. All of that comes with a carbon cost. AI advocates claim that in the long run, AI will save ...
Phys.org / The best math lesson for children might be happening at your kitchen table, shows study
In the minds of many people, math lives in the classroom—on blackboards, in textbooks, and in tests. New research from Amber Simpson, associate professor in the Department of Teaching, Learning, and Educational Leadership ...
Phys.org / Hidden mitochondrial genes emerge as mealybugs encode two genes on one DNA stretch
What if a single sentence could carry two completely different meanings, one when read forward and another when read backward? In a new study, researchers at Arizona State University have discovered a biological version of ...
Phys.org / Helios quantum computer tops 99.9% fidelity rates for one- and two-qubit operations
A public-private partnership in the Mountain West announced new results today that mark steady progress toward the Department of Energy's goal of fault-tolerant quantum computing, systems large and reliable enough to solve ...
Phys.org / Ancient curse tablet bears rare Greek inscription with binding spell intended to harm enemies
Heidelberg University researchers have deciphered the inscription on an ancient curse tablet, which was once used to invoke deities and demons in order to harm an enemy. The "magical" artifact from the Roman province of Lower ...