Phys.org news
Phys.org / Of gray whales that enter San Francisco Bay, nearly 18% die there, scientists find
Gray whales migrate from Arctic waters full of food to the lagoons of Baja Mexico—but as the climate crisis gathers pace, they have been sighted foraging in unexpected places. Recently, some have begun to explore the dangerously ...
Phys.org / A tiny twist and synthetic diamond put superconductivity on a switch, opening a new route to lossless electronics
Researchers have discovered evidence that superconductivity can be controlled by influencing the surrounding environment, a finding that may lead to more efficient electronics down the road, according to a new study published ...
Phys.org / Compact CRISPR system unlocks targeted in-body gene editing, with up to 90% efficiency
A research team has discovered an enhanced CRISPR gene-editing system that could enable targeted delivery inside the human body—a key step toward broader clinical use. Researchers identified a naturally occurring enzyme, ...
Phys.org / Scottish Neolithic tombs were used to trace kinship—including descent, DNA analysis reveals
Archaeologists have investigated genetic relationships between individuals buried in Neolithic chambered tombs in northern Scotland, suggesting monumental tombs may have been physical embodiments of prehistoric kinship, tracing ...
Phys.org / Low-cost robotic chemistry system can be built and deployed in any lab
In a paper just out in Nature Synthesis, researchers led by Prof. Timothy Noël of the University of Amsterdam's Van 't Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences presented a breakthrough in autonomous laboratory systems for synthesis ...
Dialog / Why do some stars in the galactic center survive while others are destroyed?
The center of our galaxy is an extreme place. Surrounding the supermassive black hole Sagittarius A*, stars are packed densely into a region where gravity, radiation, and dark matter all interact in complex ways. It is a ...
Phys.org / Satellites reveal city methane emissions are rising faster than official estimates
Urban emissions of methane—a potent greenhouse gas—are rising faster than bottom-up accounting estimates anticipated, according to a study led by University of Michigan Engineering. The discrepancy was found with satellite ...
Phys.org / Unlocking unusual superconductivity in a lightweight element
Superconductors—materials that can conduct electricity without energy loss—are crucial for next-generation high-efficiency, ultrafast electronics. However, most superconductors share a critical limitation: they lose their ...
Phys.org / Small talk surprises: Nine experiments show 'boring' topics feel more enjoyable
The small talk you try to avoid because you think it will be boring may actually be more enjoyable than you think, and good for you as well, according to research published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.
Phys.org / Math model reveals how life may have switched on from Earth's primordial soup
Isolating the first spark of life on Earth is a matter of biology, geology, and chemistry—but it's also an amazing math problem. At least, that's how Varun Varanasi viewed it when he was a Yale undergraduate. The question, ...
Phys.org / Gold nanorod makes spinning light when struck off-center by an electron beam
Light, as we usually conceive of it, is defined by the astonishing velocity at which it moves from one point to another. For example, in just one second, light can travel most of the distance between Earth and the moon. This ...
Phys.org / Tiny crystal defects solve decades-old mystery in organic light emitters
Materials that emit and manipulate light are at the heart of technologies ranging from solar energy to advanced imaging systems. But even in well-studied materials, some fundamental behaviors remain unexplained. Researchers ...