Phys.org news

Phys.org / Monkey see, monkey do: Study sheds light on cooperative decision-making

The old "monkey see, monkey do" adage may rest on some neuroscientific evidence, finds a new Yale study. To examine how the primate brain facilitates cooperative behavior among individuals during social interaction, a team ...

9 hours ago
Phys.org / DNA 'nicks' make for safer, more precise genetic analysis

Researchers at Cornell University have developed a safer and more precise way to study how genes function in living tissues by refining a recently developed CRISPR-based genetic technique in fruit flies, enabling researchers ...

9 hours ago
Phys.org / Perfect randomness realized for the first time

Creating perfect randomness is surprisingly difficult. Even modern random number generators never generate completely ideal random numbers: small systematic errors can result in some numbers appearing slightly more frequently ...

13 hours ago
Phys.org / Researchers push back fundamental limit on energy transfer between particles without 'spilling' radiation

Researchers at TU/e have demonstrated that energy transfer without loss via light or heat can occur over much greater distances than previously thought possible thanks to vibrations in microscopic gold rods. They succeeded ...

10 hours ago
Phys.org / Metamaterials enable control of heat transfer at nanoscale, potentially transforming energy and electronics

Heat behaves in predictable ways: a hot cup of coffee cools, a laptop warms your hands, the sun heats Earth. But at scales thousands of times smaller than a human hair, those rules begin to break down, and scientists are ...

10 hours ago
Phys.org / Fake predator eyes scare off seabirds until they learn they're not real

In Danish fisheries, fish-eating seabirds are a menace. They often swoop down and feed on fish trapped in nets, which can hit profits and also sometimes lead to the accidental death of the birds. So scientists deployed an ...

19 hours ago
Phys.org / Corn Belt groundwater and irrigation boost thunderstorm complexes by 24–35%, simulations show

An international team of scientists has demonstrated how powerful thunderstorm complexes over the U.S. Corn Belt are fueled by moisture rising from the region's fertile fields or just beneath them. The findings can lead to ...

11 hours ago
Phys.org / Are the chemicals around you safe? Researchers are using AI to find out

People are exposed to thousands of chemicals every day—through the products they use, the food they eat and the environments they live in—but only a fraction of those chemicals have been fully tested for safety.

10 hours ago
Phys.org / Analysis of more than 10,000 cities reveals hidden details governments can use to better support their people

The world's urban population increased by 785 million people between 2000 and 2020, but that tells only part of the story. Now, a research team including an expert from the University of Michigan has dug into the demographics ...

11 hours ago
Phys.org / Sea squirt reveals glowing spines and unexpected nervous system anatomy

Ascidians, also known as sea squirts, are the evolutionary link between vertebrates and invertebrates, making them valuable subjects of biological studies. For the first time, researchers at Ruhr University Bochum have detected ...

11 hours ago
Phys.org / Long-distance bat migration runs on fatty acids, challenging limits of mammal metabolism

Bats are the only mammals that can actively fly, enabling many species to perform seasonal migrations. In migratory birds, remaining airborne for many hours is supported by burning fatty acids, something most mammals are ...

12 hours ago
Phys.org / Moon base missions face an unseen threat, and these simulations show where it could strike first

Researchers have developed a novel virtual model for simulating how astronauts in future moon base operations might interact with each other and with their environment, with preliminary simulations revealing potential opportunities ...

14 hours ago