Phys.org news
Phys.org / From bolts to blue jets, lightning comes in many strange forms
Lightning has captured people's fascination for millennia. It's embedded in mythology, religion and popular culture. Think of Thor in Norse mythology or Indra in Hinduism.
Phys.org / Scientists measure cellular membrane thickness inside cells for the first time
Scientists have long known that cellular membranes vary in thickness, but measuring those differences inside actual cells has been out of reach.
Phys.org / Crop droughts set to worsen—even as rainfall increases
Europe and western North America will experience more frequent and severe crop droughts as Earth warms, even in places where yearly rainfall increases.
Phys.org / Avocadoes may become easier to grow in India—but not if global emissions remain high
A new study suggests that with low to moderate levels of global greenhouse emissions in coming decades, more of India could become suitable for growing avocadoes. However, with high enough emissions, growing zones could shrink ...
Phys.org / Plants use bacterial-like gene to make alkaloids, offering new route for sustainable medicines
Plants make substances called alkaloids to protect themselves, and humans have long taken advantage of these chemicals, using them in painkillers, treatments for disease and household products such as caffeine and nicotine.
Phys.org / Can a bat catch prey on a mirror? A bat's expert foraging skills revealed using a robot
Scientists built a robot to help explain how a tropical bat spots insects perched on leaves using echolocation, a highly sophisticated behavior that requires precise, split-second decision making on the part of the hunting ...
Phys.org / A CRISPR fingerprint of pathogenic C. auris fungi for precision diagnostics
Infection with the pathogenic yeast fungus Candida auris (C. auris) can wreak havoc on the health of hospital patients and residents of nursing homes, especially those who are already weakened by other illnesses. The pathogen ...
Phys.org / Polyamines guide cellular decisions by altering the phosphoproteomic landscape, study finds
Polyamines are small molecules naturally present in all cells and are critical in guiding cellular decisions, whereas an alteration in the abundance of these metabolites is invariably observed in pathological scenarios such ...
Phys.org / Measuring movement creates a new way to map indoor air pollution
University of Birmingham scientists have developed a new way of measuring and analyzing indoor air pollution that—in initial trials—has established a clear link between office occupancy, physical activity, and air quality.
Phys.org / Sparse tongue hair explains why queen bees stop foraging when workers emerge
During spring, when queen bumblebees first emerge from hibernation to start their nests, they work incredibly hard foraging for nectar to fuel their new colonies. But then, as soon as their first workers are born, they seem ...
Phys.org / Scientists realize a three-qubit quantum register in a silicon photonic chip
Quantum technologies are highly promising devices that process, transfer or store information leveraging quantum mechanical effects. Instead of relying on bits, like classical computers, quantum devices rely on entangled ...
Phys.org / Asexual yam species employs mimicry to trick birds and spread farther
Evolutionarily speaking, the ultimate goal of a lifeform is to reproduce and stave off extinction. Many plants and animals have evolved unique tricks to do so. One of these tricks is mimicry, which might be used to trick ...
