Phys.org news
Phys.org / Takeaway cups may be releasing microplastics into your coffee
Single-use paper cups used for takeout coffee and other beverages release millions of microplastic particles when exposed to hot liquid, University of Queensland researchers have found.
Phys.org / Nano-sandwich photocathode improves solar conversion of CO₂ into ethanol
Czech researchers at Charles University in Prague, led by Pavla Eliášová, have developed an advanced photocathode that helps convert the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide into pure ethanol using sunlight. The new technology solves ...
Phys.org / Engineered bacteria offer a new way to accelerate rock weathering for carbon removal
Rock weathering, the breakdown and dissolving of rocks and minerals caused by their exposure to water, air and biological life, is a major regulator of Earth's atmospheric CO2 levels and climate. Throughout Earth's history, ...
Phys.org / Mercury's crust points to deeper, hotter volcanic origins than expected
The evolutionary histories of Earth and Mercury differ fundamentally. The smallest planet, closest to the sun, likely began cooling early on, much like a setting pudding: As early as about 1 billion years after its formation, ...
Phys.org / Why some earthquakes caused by fracking come with warning signs
Fracking, the injection of high-pressure fluid to fracture rock and release oil or gas, can trigger earthquakes. While some sites generate small tremors beforehand that may provide an early warning, others produce few or ...
Phys.org / Light reveals internal motion in electron crystals and can trigger their melting
Electrons, particles that carry a negative electric charge, typically move through materials. At low densities and temperatures, however, the electrical repulsion between them can overpower their tendency to move, prompting ...
Phys.org / Bumblebees may self-medicate when exposed to fungal infections
There is an old saying that nature is the best medicine, and it turns out bumblebees might agree. A new study published in the journal Royal Society Open Science suggests that buff-tailed bumblebees (Bombus terrestris) may ...
Phys.org / Diamond clock combines two signals to cut temperature-driven drift
Despite all the advertisements for engagement rings and necklace gifts, natural diamonds are imperfect. Their carbon atoms are arranged in a cubic lattice, but they nonetheless contain several types of crystallographic defects ...
Phys.org / Low temperature graphene growth opens a route to sustainable resource recycling
Graphene is an exceptionally useful material for creating batteries, catalysts and electronic devices. Yet producing graphene typically requires temperatures as high as 900°C (1,652°F), limiting energy efficiency and making ...
Phys.org / Scientists capture first molecular-level images of water reorganization during a reaction crucial for life
Some of nature's most important chemical reactions rely on the coupled movement of negatively and positively charged particles. These processes play central roles in photosynthesis, catalysis and biological energy conversion ...
Phys.org / Eagles known as hunting specialists reveal an unexpected taste for goat
Eagles are symbols of hunting prowess. Known as top predators wherever they live, they are often assumed to kill as their primary mode of obtaining food. However, a new study published in the Journal of Raptor Research reports ...
Phys.org / Joro spiders eat wider range of insects than Georgia's native orb weavers
When Joro spiders first arrived stateside more than a decade ago, scientists worried the massive black-and-yellow spiders would gorge themselves on the same bugs as native spiders (or even the native spiders themselves). ...
