Phys.org news

Phys.org / Primed and ready to fight, a nematode pheromone arms plants to battle pathogens

When cold and flu season comes around, we take steps like getting our flu shots and taking immune supplements to strengthen our bodies' defenses against pathogens. Plants face pathogenic threats, too. Plant pathogens can ...

11 hours ago
Phys.org / Boosting soybean protein: Zinc and sulfur essential in sustainable crop production

Soybean is a critical element of the global food supply: Between its use for animal feed and human consumption, it accounts for roughly two-thirds of plant-based protein meal output worldwide. Canada is a global leader in ...

11 hours ago
Phys.org / Vehicle-mounted spectroscopy system detects methane in real time

Researchers have developed a vehicle-mounted spectroscopy system that can reliably detect methane in real time while driving. Using a moving vehicle to detect methane could make it easier to locate hidden methane emissions ...

11 hours ago
Phys.org / Study reveals inter-city collaboration on emission reduction boosts sustainability performance

With Hong Kong recently recording record-breaking high temperatures, extreme weather has once again raised public awareness of global warming and emission-reduction measures. A large-scale international study led by The Hong ...

11 hours ago
Phys.org / Texas fossil reveals early insects kept aquatic limbs during move onto land

The formation of complex terrestrial ecosystems was a significant innovation in the evolutionary history of life on Earth. This event signified the expansion of life beyond marine environments and marked the beginning of ...

12 hours ago
Phys.org / Deep underground, SuperCDMS begins hunting light dark matter with 24 cryogenic crystals

In the hunt for one of nature's most elusive substances—dark matter, which makes up 85% of all matter in the universe—scientists are going to extremes. Deep underground and chilled to near absolute zero, the Super Cryogenic ...

18 hours ago
Phys.org / Tsunami of dirt: What caused Nepal's deadly glacial flood?

More than 150 people are dead and hundreds more are missing after an enormous wave of water, ice, mud and rock cascaded more than 170 kilometers (106 miles) down the Bhote Koshi River valley in Nepal. The valley is the main ...

15 hours ago
Phys.org / Shear flow in narrow channels sparks amyloid formation, experiments reveal

Many cars and not enough lanes is a recipe for traffic jams. Now, researchers from Japan show that even proteins can get backed up and start behaving poorly when too many try to squeeze too quickly through a small space.

12 hours ago
Phys.org / MOF-coated catalyst converts CO₂ to CO nearly five times faster under ultrasonic vibration

Researchers at the University of Osaka have developed a catalyst that uses mechanical vibration to convert carbon dioxide (CO2) into carbon monoxide (CO), an important chemical feedstock. The catalyst consists of barium titanate ...

12 hours ago
Phys.org / ASTRID traces 13.5 billion years of black hole and galaxy evolution

In dark skies at night, distant starlight twinkles and speaks to vast cosmic histories almost as old as time itself. New data from instruments such as NASA's James Webb Space Telescope are helping astrophysicists probe deep ...

12 hours ago
Phys.org / The physics of kiiking, Estonia's extreme sport of swinging

When an athlete swings upside down atop a 7-meter (23-foot) pendulum, it may seem like a feat of strength, courage or technique. A new study suggests it is something more fundamental: a striking demonstration of how intelligence ...

17 hours ago
Phys.org / Heat-tolerant corals may be more vulnerable to disease

Corals that partner with heat-tolerant algae may be better equipped to survive warming oceans—but that resilience comes with an unexpected trade-off, according to a new study from Boston University published in Science Advances.

12 hours ago