Phys.org news
Phys.org / Laser‑written glass chip pushes quantum communication toward practical deployment
As quantum computers continue to advance, many of today's encryption systems face the risk of becoming obsolete. A powerful alternative—quantum cryptography—offers security based on the laws of physics instead of computational ...
Phys.org / From fins to fingers: How nature 'redeployed' ancient genes to shape limbs
How did the complexity of many organisms living today evolve from the simpler body plans of their ancestors? This is a central question in biology. Take our hands, for example: Every time we type a message on our mobile phone, ...
Phys.org / A piece of Africa in Europe? New insights into plate tectonics of the Balkans
Around the Balkan Peninsula, the African plate is sinking beneath the European plate. A piece of deeply submerged African crust resurfaced 40 million years ago far away from the sinking zone. How this phenomenon of so-called ...
Phys.org / Engineered moths could replace mice in studies on antimicrobial resistance
A scientific breakthrough not only promises faster testing for antimicrobial resistance, but also an ethical solution to the controversial issue of using rodents in research. University of Exeter scientists have created the ...
Phys.org / Nature's 'engine is grinding to a halt' as climate change gains pace, says study
Many ecologists hypothesize that, as global warming accelerates, change in nature must speed up. They assume that as temperatures rise and climatic zones shift, species will face local extinction and colonize new habitats ...
Phys.org / Bee bandits: How a yeast influences nectar-robbing behavior in bumble bees
From fundamental biological units as tiny as genes to complex societies, ecological systems rely on cooperation. All manner of organisms can benefit from working together to survive in a dog-eat-dog world. "Mutualism is a ...
Phys.org / 3D 'polar chiral bobbers' identified in ferroelectric thin films
A novel type of three-dimensional (3D) polar topological structure, termed the "polar chiral bobber," has been discovered in ferroelectric oxide thin films, demonstrating promising potential for high-density multistate non-volatile ...
Phys.org / Microfluidic method boosts control and separation of tiny particles—a promising tool for medical research
In nanoscale particle research, precise control and separation have long been a bottleneck in biotechnology. Researchers at the University of Oulu have now developed a new method that improves particle separation and purification. ...
Phys.org / Microbiomes interconnect on a planetary scale, new study finds
In a new study published in Cell, scientists in the Bork Group at EMBL Heidelberg reveal that microbes living in similar habitats are more alike than those simply inhabiting the same geographical region. By analyzing tens ...
Phys.org / Satellite observations put stratospheric methane loss higher than models predicted
Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas with strong heat-trapping capabilities. Although there is less methane in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide, the foremost greenhouse gas, researchers attribute 30% of modern global warming ...
Phys.org / Ultra-clean MXenes deliver 160-fold higher conductivity
An international team of researchers has developed a breakthrough method for producing MXenes—an important family of two-dimensional materials—with unprecedented purity and control. The new "gas–liquid–solid" process ...
Phys.org / Wireless sensor assesses subsoil health in effort to cut costs and refine farming
A new smart platform invented by Purdue University researchers to wirelessly monitor subsoil health could change the landscape of agricultural sensing systems. The invention addresses a critical need in agriculture nationwide: ...
