Phys.org news
Phys.org / NASA's MAVEN detects first evidence of lightning-like activity on Mars
While sifting through the extensive data collected by NASA's Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) spacecraft over the last decade, scientists discovered a familiar type of electromagnetic signal commonly caused ...
Phys.org / Rare Type Icn supernova SN 2024abvb is among the most luminous known
An international team of astronomers has carried out photometric and spectroscopic observations of SN 2024abvb—a recently discovered supernova of a rare Type Icn. The new observational campaign yields important information ...
Phys.org / Physicists discover long-predicted 'clock magnetism' in an atomically thin crystal
Strange things happen to materials when you peel them down, layer by layer, from thick chunks all the way to sheets just an atom thick. Reporting in the journal Nature Materials, a team led by physicists at The University ...
Phys.org / Ancient Greek priestesses may have turned ergot fungus into a psychedelic brew during the Eleusinian Mysteries
The Eleusinian Mysteries were secret religious rites in ancient Greece honoring the goddess Demeter and her daughter Persephone, and aimed to remove the fear of death. The ceremonies included days of fasting, rituals and ...
Phys.org / Microplastics and nanoplastics in urban air originate mainly from tire abrasion, research reveals
Although plastic particles in the air are increasingly coming into focus, knowledge about their distribution and effects is still limited. Chemical analyses from Leipzig now provide details from Germany for the first time: ...
Phys.org / Are these killer whales cannibals? They probably don't think so themselves
In 2022, a Russian whale researcher made a remarkable discovery on Bering Island off Russia's Pacific coast: a severed killer whale fin marked with the teeth of another killer whale. In 2024, it happened again. The two finds ...
Phys.org / Chemists rapidly assemble fusicoccadiene, a complex fungal molecule tied to cancer research
A Florida State University chemist has developed a method to rapidly assemble significantly complex natural molecules with potential for biomedical applications, opening the door for novel drug therapies based on the molecule's ...
Phys.org / Trees cover rock, eventually: Study maps how bare Georgia bedrock turns into forest
In the forests of the southeastern United States, dense tree cover dominates most landscapes. That's why the Appalachian Trail is sometimes nicknamed "The Green Tunnel." But avid hikers know that often in the Southeast, they'll ...
Phys.org / Large land predators were hunting big plant-eaters more than 280 million years ago, study finds
A study examining fossil evidence shows that large land predators were already hunting big plant-eating animals more than 280 million years ago. University of Toronto Mississauga researchers Jordan M. Young, Tea Maho, and ...
Phys.org / Feral horses and cattle create more resilient nature, rewilding study reveals
Protected natural areas across Europe are changing. Climate change, with rising temperatures and heavy rainfall, is turbocharging the growth of shrubs and trees, choking the flowers and insects that need the light and heat ...
Phys.org / First 3D reconstruction of the face of 'Little Foot' completed
Identified as the most complete Australopithecus fossil discovered to date, "Little Foot" was buried in sediments whose movement and weight caused fractures and deformations, making analysis of its skull—and more particularly ...
Phys.org / Color shortcut reveals bumblebees are efficient decision-makers
During their search for food, most insects head specifically for the flowers that promise the highest reward. But how do they know which ones to choose? Researchers from the University of Konstanz and the University of Würzburg ...
