Phys.org news
Phys.org / Could the solution to the carbon problem be carbon itself?
Can we use carbon to help decarbonize the world and transform the energy and chemical industries? Yes, it seems, but there are some key challenges to overcome first.
Phys.org / Smart toilets in Cambodia fall short due to improper use
A smart toilet design introduced in rural Cambodia was supposed to change lives—keeping families safe and protecting the environment. However, while households reported that they liked the new system, a crucial piece was ...
Phys.org / New scalable single-spin qubits could simplify future processors
Quantum computers, which operate leveraging effects rooted in quantum mechanics, have the potential of tackling some computational and optimization tasks that cannot be solved by classical computers. Instead of bits (i.e., ...
Phys.org / The Batman effect: The mere sight of the 'superhero' can make us more altruistic
If "Batman" appears on the scene, we immediately become more altruistic: in fact, research conducted by psychologists from the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan, shows that the sudden appearance of something unexpected—Batman—disrupts ...
Phys.org / Comet sparks scientific fascination, online furor over 'alien' origins
A flying piece of cosmic rock or an alien threat? Comet 3I/ATLAS is hurtling through our solar system and captivating scientists and internet users alike, even prompting Kim Kardashian to ask NASA for answers.
Phys.org / Reprogrammed poplar trees can make key industrial chemical for biodegradable plastics
A team led by scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory has engineered poplar trees to produce valuable chemicals that can be used to make biodegradable plastics and other products. ...
Phys.org / Over a decade in the making: Lanthanide nanocrystals illuminate new possibilities
In a discovery shaped by more than a decade of steady, incremental effort rather than a dramatic breakthrough, scientists from the National University of Singapore (NUS) and their collaborators demonstrated that great ideas ...
Phys.org / Machine learning beats classical method in predicting cosmic ray radiation near Earth
Cosmic rays are high-energy particles that constantly bombard Earth from space and are influenced by the sun's magnetic activity. When the sun is active, fewer of these particles reach Earth; when the sun is quiet, more are ...
Phys.org / Cleveland's famous sea monster gets a scientific update
About 360 million years ago, the shallow sea above present-day Cleveland was home to a fearsome apex predator: Dunkleosteus terrelli. This 14-foot armored fish ruled the Late Devonian seas with razor-sharp bone blades instead ...
Phys.org / Little bettongs' dramatic nut-cracker performance
Native Australian animals range from high-hopping kangaroos to fast-running emus—but clever little bettongs also have a special ability to find and eat the food they love.
Phys.org / Seeing the hidden microbial world beneath our feet—from the sky
A new study by Dr. Angela Harris from The University of Manchester and Professor Richard Bardgett from Lancaster University has revealed that scientists can now detect the hidden world of microbes living in the soil—from ...
Phys.org / Chinese telescope captures 155 high-frequency bursts from fast radio burst 20240114A
Using the Tianma Radio Telescope (TMRT), researchers from the Shanghai Astronomical Observatory (SHAO) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences conducted 66 simultaneous dual‑frequency (2.25 GHz/8.60 GHz) observations of the ...
