Phys.org news
Phys.org / Gut microbes pass down behavioral traits in mice offspring independent of genes
Gut microbes are essential partners that help digest food, produce vitamins and train the immune system. They can also pass on behavioral traits to their host's offspring, at least in mice. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute ...
Phys.org / Narwhals hit moorings—passive monitoring may not be as non-invasive as previously assumed
Underwater passive acoustic recording is vital for researchers to monitor and study marine animals in their natural environment with minimal disturbance.
Phys.org / Earth's largest modern crater discovered in Southern China
A newly discovered, remarkably well-preserved impact crater is shedding fresh light on how extraterrestrial bodies collide with Earth.
Phys.org / Predator was a precursor of the crocodile—and although it lived before the early dinosaurs, it looked just like one
A newly discovered, carnivorous lizard ostensibly represents what most casual onlookers would perhaps perceive to be a dinosaur; however, it is in fact a precursor of the modern crocodile.
Phys.org / Turning the gut microbiome into a longevity factory
A team of researchers has found a way to turn the bacteria living in the digestive tracts of animals into factories that can produce compounds that promote longevity in their hosts—showing a potential new drug development ...
Phys.org / Diverse particles form identical geometric patterns when confined, model reveals
Particles as different as soap bubbles and ball bearings can be made to arrange themselves in exactly the same way, according to a new study that could unlock the creation of brand new materials—including those with promising ...
Phys.org / Gene editing produces plants that are indigestible to pests
Insects that feed on starch can find veritable feasts in corn, pea, and bean crops or warehouses. It is no coincidence that the ancestors of these commercial plants developed α-amylase inhibitor proteins, which make the ...
Phys.org / Unique shape of star's explosion revealed just a day after detection
Swift observations with the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope (ESO's VLT) have revealed the explosive death of a star just as the blast was breaking through the star's surface. For the first time, astronomers ...
Phys.org / Ultrafast electron diffraction captures atomic layers twisting in response to light
A pulse of light sets the tempo in the material. Atoms in a crystalline sheet just a few atoms thick begin to move—not randomly, but in a coordinated rhythm, twisting and untwisting in sync like dancers following a beat.
Phys.org / Hidden Arctic leaks: Natural seepage of oil and gas uncovered off Northeast Greenland
A large research study by an international team of scientists led by Christoph Böttner from Aarhus University shows clear evidence of extensive natural hydrocarbon seepage along the Northeast Greenland margin—one of the ...
Phys.org / Ultrafast light-driven electron slide discovered
When an intense laser pulse hits a stationary electron, it performs a trembling motion at the frequency of the light field. However, this motion dies down after the pulse, and the electron comes to rest again at its original ...
Phys.org / Water causes rock to shift on the Matterhorn
When water penetrates rock crevices in permafrost, it transports heat deep underground, where it causes the frozen rock to thaw. Researchers at the WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research (SLF) have explored which processes ...