Phys.org news
Phys.org / Nest-building birds help disperse cotton further than wind, study suggests
Birds play a larger role in the dispersal of wild cotton than previously assumed. This is shown by a study in the journal Oikos, carried out in southern Africa. Researchers discovered that birds actively collect wild cotton ...
Phys.org / Ultrathin BiFeO₃ breaks the 30 nm limit, delivering fourfold stronger piezoelectricity
Piezoelectric materials, which convert mechanical stress into electricity and vice versa, are essential components in sensors, actuators, and energy-harvesting devices. However, the best piezoelectric materials, such as lead ...
Phys.org / Earth's toughest microbes could help save the planet and find life on other worlds
Extremophiles may well be tiny, but they are making a huge contribution to the health of our planet and our lives. A new review of these microorganisms, published in the journal Frontiers in Microbiology, explains how they ...
Phys.org / How humans took over the planet: The role of cultural evolution
Humans really do rule the world. We took over fast and far, more than any other wild vertebrates. We inhabit nearly every corner of the world, and can thrive in deserts, tropical rainforests and even extremely cold climates. ...
Phys.org / Past intensive whaling threatens the future of bowhead whales
A unique collection of prehistoric bowhead whale bones, dating back 11,000 years, reveals a previously untold story of the relative impacts of humans on nature. The time series of ancient fossils show that commercial hunting ...
Phys.org / Proof-of-concept quantum battery shows faster charging as it gets larger
Australian scientists have made a significant leap forward in energy storage technology with the world's first proof-of-concept quantum battery. Similar to conventional batteries, this quantum version charges, stores and ...
Phys.org / Discrete time crystal acts as a usable sensor for weak magnetic oscillations
The bizarre properties of discrete time crystals could be harnessed to detect extremely subtle oscillations of magnetic fields, physicists in the US and Germany have revealed. Publishing their results in Nature Physics, a ...
Phys.org / Bow and arrow arrived about 1,400 years ago across western North America, study finds
A study clarifies the date of an important technological milestone: the adoption of the bow and arrow in western North America. The replacement of older weapons by bows and arrows occurred independently in several prehistoric ...
Phys.org / Genetic analyses show that many sponge species in the Indo-Pacific are regionally unique
The Indo-Pacific is the largest marine biogeographical region on Earth and a global center of marine biodiversity. Nevertheless, there are gaps remaining in our understanding of the diversity, distribution, and endemism of ...
Phys.org / Nano 3D metallic parts turn out to be surprisingly strong despite defects
Scientists at Caltech have figured out how to precisely engineer tiny three-dimensional (3D) metallic pieces with nanoscale dimensions. The process can work with any metal or metal alloy and yields components of surprising ...
Phys.org / From dust to planets: Parabolic flight reveal a turbulent path
How does fine dust aggregate into building blocks that ultimately form entire planets like our Earth? A research team led by the University of Bern, with the participation of ETH Zurich, the University of Zurich and the National ...
Phys.org / Scientists discover new heavy proton-like particle at CERN
Scientists from the University of Manchester have played a leading role in the discovery of a new subatomic particle at CERN's Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The particle, known as the Ξcc⁺ (Xi‑cc‑plus), is a new type ...
