Phys.org news
Phys.org / Nature's puncture tools reveal shape trade-offs between piercing power and strength
Nature has invented countless types of pointy appendages, and scientists have long sought to explain what makes these structures so effective at puncturing other things. A new study models the key physical characteristics ...
Phys.org / Nanoplastics found in Antarctic soils for first time, suggesting long-range atmospheric transport
Microplastic contamination has been a much-discussed topic over the last several years, but contamination from even smaller plastic particles represents another pressing issue. Nanoplastics—defined as being under a micrometer ...
Phys.org / Simple treatment strengthens pineapple leaf fibers for sustainable composites
Pineapple leaf fiber has long been valued in parts of Southeast Asia for traditional uses, including basketry in Malaysia and Thailand and textile applications in the Philippines. Its high cellulose content and ready availability ...
Phys.org / JWST's 'overmassive' early black holes may not be so massive after all
Astronomers studying a population of unusually X-ray-silent and overmassive black holes discovered by the James Webb Space Telescope have found that they may not be as massive as they appear. The new paper, outlining a plausible ...
Phys.org / Is the state of nature fair? Researchers measure how biomass is distributed in microbial communities
The distribution of income and growing inequality are central themes in public debate. Far less attention has been paid to how resources are distributed in ecological communities, in the so-called state of nature, without ...
Phys.org / The oldest deliberately collected fossil ichthyosaur was discovered in Roman Britain around 1,800 years ago
Around 1,800 years ago, a fossilized spinal bone lay on the windswept beaches of Roman Britain until a curious passerby picked it up and carried it far away, only to drop it in a pit.
Phys.org / What powers the Everglades? Study tracks how algae and plant matter fuel the food web
Scientists thought dead plant material was primarily powering the Everglades. Algae says not so fast.
Phys.org / From the lab to the moon: Lunar cement alternative survives 6 months on ISS and returned stronger in some tests
Building material samples from the University of Delaware spent six months mounted outside the International Space Station, where the harsh conditions of low Earth orbit tested their limits.
Phys.org / Traveling protein waves reveal how dividing cells set chromosome-splitting spindle size
When a human cell prepares to split into two daughter cells, it must first construct a tiny internal machine called the mitotic spindle—a structure of protein fibers that physically pulls chromosomes apart and deposits one ...
Phys.org / This rare British butterfly looks familiar, but its genome tells a very different story
The British swallowtail butterfly (Papilio machaon britannicus) is the U.K.'s only native swallowtail and its largest native butterfly. It's instantly recognizable by its striking light yellow-and-black wings, with twin tail-like ...
Phys.org / Making the 'invisible' visible: How high-speed movies could change the way scientists study disease
High-speed movies of microscopic worms may sound like a dull night at the cinema, but this advanced imaging capability could help scientists better understand how diseases begin and progress, track subtle changes in cells ...
Phys.org / How cells keep genomic hitchhikers under control
Much of the genome is made up of repetitive DNA sequences that trace back to ancient mobile elements, many of which have lost their ability to copy themselves into new locations but can still cause problems if they become ...
