Phys.org news
Phys.org / Microplastics reach even 2,000 meters below the ocean surface, study finds
Plastic pollution has become a global environmental crisis, with an estimated 11 million tons of plastic entering the oceans each year. As larger plastic debris breaks down into microplastics, these tiny particles are transported ...
Phys.org / Bacteria form 'herds' to survive predators, offering fresh insight into Earth's carbon cycle
Researchers at Queen Mary University of London have discovered that tiny photosynthetic bacteria band together into protective "herds" when attacked by predators—a survival strategy that could also influence how carbon is ...
Phys.org / Tiny water droplets convert stubborn plastic waste into valuable acids, study finds
A new way of converting stubborn plastic waste into high-value chemicals using only water and oxygen has been developed by an international team of scientists.
Phys.org / GRS 0917+75 is a giant radio galaxy, observations find
European astronomers have conducted optical and radio observations of an enigmatic radio source designated GRS 0917+75. As a result, they found that GRS 0917+75 is a giant radio galaxy and determined its properties. The new ...
Phys.org / Adolescent social media restrictions may reduce some harms while shifting others, warn experts
Amrit Kaur Purba and colleagues argue that social media restrictions operate within a wider system of adolescents, families, schools, governments and commercial actors—and therefore should be treated as complex systems interventions ...
Phys.org / Epigenetic mechanism explains how some plants cope with salt stress
Due to artificial irrigation and rising temperatures, the concentration of salts (including sodium chloride, or "table salt") is increasing in soils worldwide. This is not only an environmental problem but also a challenge ...
Phys.org / Scientists explain how nucleolus sub-compartments drive ribosome assembly
The nucleolus is a liquid-like cellular organelle where protein factories called ribosomes are assembled. Researchers knew of three distinct compartments within the nucleolus, but how these compartments function to drive ...
Phys.org / Asteroid breakup may explain inner solar system bombardment 800 million years ago
A Southwest Research Institute-led study has proposed a connection between a specific collision in the main asteroid belt and an inner-solar-system-wide bombardment episode that may have had measurable biological and geological ...
Phys.org / Striking new species of African monkey discovered deep in the Congo rainforest
In the rainforests of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), scientists have identified a previously unknown species of African monkey—one of the rarest discoveries in modern primatology.
Phys.org / Prey accessibility, not abundance, may shape predator behavior in penguins
Large seabird colonies have a surrounding boundary known as Ashmole's halo, where food sources are depleted, forcing the birds to travel farther to gather the food they need. The reason seems obvious—the more birds, the more ...
Phys.org / New method scales up twist-engineered oxide materials for future electronics
Researchers have shown it is possible to expand the field of twistronics—literally. They have demonstrated a technique that allows them to fabricate oxide twistronic materials at much larger scales while also controlling ...
Phys.org / New process turns mixed plastic waste directly into hydrogen fuel without sorting
Plastic has become a ubiquitous part of modern life—in water bottles, shopping bags and car dashboards. But once discarded, it is among the hardest materials on Earth to recycle. Most recycling processes require plastics ...