Phys.org news
Phys.org / Japan's ancient 'tigers' were actually cave lions, DNA evidence shows
There aren't any native lion or tiger populations living in Japan today, but this was not always the case. Fossil evidence indicates that at least one species of large cat roamed the archipelago during the Late Pleistocene—a ...
Phys.org / New catalyst unlocks aluminum's ability to switch between oxidation states
Aluminum's journey has been remarkable, going from being more expensive than gold to one of the most widely used materials, from beverage cans to window frames and car parts. Scientists from the Southern University of Science ...
Phys.org / Widespread 'enhanced rock weathering' could slow global warming
It's one of the latest technologies for sequestering carbon: crush silicate rocks, add to crop soil, and let the rock dust naturally react with carbon dioxide. The reactions bind carbon into stable mineral forms that can ...
Phys.org / Long-term radio observations probe a relativistic binary pulsar system
Astronomers have analyzed the data from long-term radio observations of a binary pulsar known as PSR J1906+0746. Results of the new study, published February 5 on the arXiv pre-print server, deliver important information ...
Phys.org / Isotopes reveal how social status shaped diet in medieval England
Isotope analysis reveals that social status and wealth had a profound impact on diet in medieval England, showing that people from different social groups in medieval Cambridge ate markedly different food. The research, carried ...
Phys.org / Laser-made surface repels nearly any liquid, even after fivefold stretching
Researchers from North Carolina State University have used laser ablation to create ultra-stretchable, superomniphobic materials without the use of harsh chemical solvents. The materials—which are useful in applications ...
Dialog / Evidence that some birds are stubborn appears in the form of color preferences
We like to think that animals follow the crowd. If most of the group does something, surely the individual will copy. But what if the story is more complicated? What if the deciding factor isn't just what the majority is ...
Phys.org / Researchers uncover MraZ 'donut' deformation that triggers bacterial cell division
A research team led by UAB researcher David Reverter has discovered the molecular mechanism that describes in detail the process regulating cell division in bacteria, based on the binding of the MraZ protein to the dcw gene ...
Phys.org / Antarctica sits above Earth's strongest 'gravity hole.' Now we know how it got that way
Gravity feels reliable—stable and consistent enough to count on. But reality is far stranger than our intuition. In truth, the strength of gravity varies over Earth's surface. And it is weakest beneath the frozen continent ...
Phys.org / What cold-water geysers on Earth reveal about the habitability of ocean worlds
In the eastern Utah desert, carbon-dioxide-saturated water bubbles, sprays and foams from the ground. These cold-water geysers, sometimes called soda pop geysers, are a new and reliable Earth-based analog for scientists studying ...
Phys.org / Amazon rainforest flipped to carbon source during 2023 extreme drought, study shows
The Amazon rainforest is of crucial importance to the Earth's ecosystem, given its capacity to store substantial amounts of carbon in its vegetation. In 2023, the region experienced unusually high temperatures, reaching 1.5°C ...
Phys.org / Deer inhibit trees but raise plant diversity, 18-year study reveals
At high densities, white-tailed deer inhibit growth of trees but increase the overall diversity of smaller plant and weed species, according to a long-term study published recently. The work is published in the journal PLOS ...
