Phys.org news
Phys.org / Amazon soy pact collapse could add 1.4 million hectares of deforestation by 2036
The collapse of a landmark Amazon soy pact will drive at least 1.4 million hectares (3.5 million acres) of extra deforestation in Brazil over the next decade, releasing carbon emissions equal to Canada's annual output, according ...
Phys.org / Wild snapdragons paint themselves in subtle shades to attract bees
Just as careful blending of eye shadow can make a difference to our looks, a recent study has shown how flowers go to considerable trouble to fine-tune their shades. In the relentless competition to attract bees, a slight ...
Phys.org / Aboriginal people harvested this native grass for millennia: Scientists find an odd trait in its DNA
Seen from the air, Channel Country resembles a vibrant, vast tapestry, with a network of waterways crisscrossing the land. Spread across more than 280,000 square kilometers (108,000 square miles) in outback Australia, it ...
Phys.org / Thinner wires, faster electrons: Quantum material challenges copper at chip scale
Electrical interconnects may very well be the unsung heroes of modern microchips. These tiny wires—typically made of copper due to its high conductivity—string together the billions of transistors that drive our computers ...
Phys.org / Prototype bicycle tire uses silk to outperform nylon in strength and endurance
Researchers in Thailand have developed a prototype high-performance bicycle tire that replaces conventional nylon fabric reinforcement with natural silk. The team combined laboratory-scale material testing with pilot-scale ...
Phys.org / Canadian wildfire smoke linked to fewer bird sightings in New York State
Despite burning hundreds of miles away, Canadian wildfires have become a familiar source of disruption in New York state.
Phys.org / AI-designed proteins help scientists see inside living cells
Cells are like metropolises, home to millions of molecular residents. If one were to stand atop a high-rise, trying to identify most of its inhabitants would seem an impossible task. Even with the sophisticated imaging tools ...
Phys.org / Sun holds 55% more silver than estimated, new model reveals
Researchers at Uppsala University have calculated that the sun contains 55% more silver than previously estimated. The results are based on more realistic modeling of the sun's atmosphere and resolve a long-standing problem ...
Phys.org / Researchers identify 'dimmer switch' for plants' immune system
As sulfur becomes increasingly scarce in soils worldwide, scientists are studying how plants decide whether to invest limited resources in growth or defense.
Phys.org / Australia's most diverse marsupial predators have been hiding their origins for millions of years
When you think of carnivorous marsupials, you probably picture the Tasmanian devil or perhaps a spotted-tailed quoll. But these famous predators are only the largest members of a remarkable family of marsupials called dasyurids.
Phys.org / To learn how tough a material is, engineers find its breaking point
A recent study examined a transparent material used in high-impact applications such as helicopter windshields at the molecular level to measure its toughness. Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and ...
Phys.org / Portable system cuts PFAS testing time to hours
For communities worried about PFAS contamination, waiting for test results can mean days of uncertainty. A University of Tasmania trial has used a mobile laboratory equipped with portable liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry ...
