Phys.org news
Phys.org / Hawai'i's songbirds are raiding neighbors' nests, and the losses could deepen a growing survival crisis
High in the forests of Hawai'i, songbirds are stealing twigs and moss from one another's nests. UC Riverside researchers found this quiet canopy crime is surprisingly common and could threaten species already struggling to ...
Phys.org / Self-propulsion or slow diffusion: How bacteria, cells, and colloids respond to stimuli
What physical processes govern the movement of microscopic structures capable of interacting with their environment? The answer lies in two mechanisms: self-propulsion, to escape unfavorable locations; and slow diffusion, ...
Phys.org / How a hidden receptor switch could open new paths for cancer and neurological treatments
A research team at Leipzig University has identified a mechanism in adhesion G protein-coupled receptors (adhesion GPCRs), a specific group of membrane receptors. This mechanism is essential for the activity of many of these ...
Dialog / Not so dark with Alena Tensor: Math framework could explain dark matter without invisible particles
Alena Tensor is a relatively new mathematical approach that allows for arbitrary curving and straightening of analyzed spacetimes. As it turns out, generalizing this model to all known fields and fully describing matter, ...
Phys.org / Torsion balances set strongest direct limits yet on ultralight dark matter
Dark matter is believed to make up a large fraction of the matter in the universe, yet its true nature remains unknown. Most past experiments have focused on heavier dark matter candidates, while much lighter dark matter, ...
Phys.org / This nasal spray rewinds the aging brain, restoring memory and reversing inflammation in preclinical models
Picture this: your brain is a high-performance engine. Over decades, it doesn't just wear down, it also starts to run hot. Tiny "fires" of inflammation smolder deep within the brain's memory center, creating a persistent ...
Phys.org / Ethiopia's Afar Rift provides glimpse into life and death 100,000 years ago
The study of ancient cultures around Ethiopia during the Middle Stone Age (MSA) time period is important for understanding how some of the first Homo sapiens lived and eventually left Africa. Unfortunately, there are not ...
Phys.org / Bonobos' peaceful reputation cracks after a rival group attack leaves an infant dead
Bonobos are often described as gentle apes, generally calm primates that are seen as peacemakers in the animal kingdom. But this reputation may be coming under attack as a new study published in Scientific Reports reveals ...
Phys.org / Copper blasted into a million-degree plasma strips away 22 electrons in a flash before atoms recover
When laser flashes hit matter, electrons are knocked off their orbits around the atomic nuclei. This can generate extremely hot plasmas composed of charged particles—ions and electrons. Researchers at HZDR have now observed ...
Phys.org / Chandra explores interstellar medium of a bright low-mass X-ray binary
Using NASA's Chandra X-ray space telescope, astronomers have performed high-resolution X-ray spectroscopic observations of a bright low-mass X-ray binary known as GX 340+0. Results of the observational campaign, published ...
Phys.org / Droplet impacts reveal surprising physics in shear-thickening fluids
From ketchup to quicksand, non-Newtonian fluids have long fascinated and puzzled scientists. Unlike ordinary fluids, their flow properties change depending on how much force is applied, but the precise mechanics governing ...
Phys.org / Super magma reservoirs discovered beneath Tuscany
How can magma buried 5, 10, or even 15 km underground be detected without any surface indicators? The answer lies in ambient noise tomography, a technique that analyzes natural ground vibrations with high precision. A team ...