Phys.org news

Phys.org / Reptile fossil found in Brazil helps shed light on the common origins of dinosaurs and crocodiles

Long before dinosaurs ruled the continents and modern crocodiles first appeared, their ancestors were already going through a decisive phase in their evolutionary history. It was in this ancient world, shortly after the greatest ...

9 hours ago
Phys.org / A source of extremely high-energy particles in the Milky Way identified

Cosmic rays are made primarily of protons with a few electrons sprinkled in, and they can reach energies even higher than what human-made accelerators can produce. Considering human-made accelerators, such as the Large Hadron ...

10 hours ago
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 ...

8 hours ago
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.

8 hours ago
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 ...

8 hours ago
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 ...

12 hours ago
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 ...

10 hours ago
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 ...

10 hours ago
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.

9 hours ago
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 ...

10 hours ago
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.

12 hours ago
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 ...

11 hours ago