Phys.org news
Phys.org / One-of-a-kind 'plasma tunnel' recreates extreme conditions spacecraft face upon reentry
Picture a spacecraft returning to Earth after a long journey. The vehicle slams into the planet's atmosphere at roughly 17,000 miles per hour. A shockwave erupts. Molecules in the air are ripped apart, forming a plasma—a ...
Phys.org / Ultra-thin metasurface chip turns invisible infrared light into steerable visible beams
The invention of tiny devices capable of precisely controlling the direction and behavior of light is essential to the development of advanced technologies. Researchers at the Advanced Science Research Center at the CUNY ...
Phys.org / Political division in the US surged from 2008 onward, study suggests
Divisions within the US population on social and political issues have increased by 64% since 1988, with almost all this coming after 2008, according to a study tracking polarization from the end of the Reagan era to the ...
Phys.org / Ozone-depleting CFCs detected in historical measurements—20 years earlier than previously known
An international research team led by the University of Bremen has detected chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) in Earth's atmosphere for the first time in historical measurements from 1951—20 years earlier than previously known. ...
Phys.org / Two huge hot blobs of rock influence Earth's magnetic field, study reveals
Exploring Earth's deep interior is a far bigger challenge than exploring the solar system. While we have traveled 25 billion km into space, the deepest we have ever gone below our feet is just over 12 km. Consequently, little ...
Phys.org / Are cats 'vegan' meat eaters? Why isotopic signatures of feline fur could trick us into thinking that way
Cats—unlike humans—are true carnivores: they must eat meat to survive because their bodies can't draw some essential nutrients from plants. By looking at tissues, researchers can get a good understanding of what foods ...
Phys.org / Ancient American pronghorns were built for speed
The fastest land animal in North America is the American pronghorn, and previously, researchers thought it evolved its speed because of pressure from the now-extinct American cheetah. But recently, that theory has come under ...
Phys.org / AI systems could identify math anxiety from student inputs and change feedback
Math anxiety is a significant challenge for students worldwide. While personalized support is widely recognized as the most effective way to address it, many teachers struggle to deliver this level of support at scale within ...
Phys.org / New mineral sunscreen reduces white cast by using tetrapod-shaped zinc oxide
UCLA researchers have developed a mineral sunscreen formulation that significantly reduces the white, chalky cast that keeps many people from wearing sun protection daily. For decades, dermatologists have urged people to ...
Phys.org / Urban light pollution disrupts nighttime melatonin in wild nurse sharks
Artificial light from major coastal cities can disrupt the nighttime biology of sharks, according to new research that provides the first-ever measurements of melatonin—a hormone tied to biological rhythms—in wild sharks.
Phys.org / High-tech scans of an enigmatic 400-million-year-old lungfish reveal new details
New pieces have been added to the puzzle of the evolution of some of the oldest fish that lived on Earth more than 400 million years ago. In two separate studies, experts in Australia and China have found new clues about ...
Phys.org / Cosmic radiation brought to light: Researchers measure ionization in dark cloud for the first time
Where starlight doesn't reach, new things are born: For the first time, an international research team has directly measured the effect of cosmic radiation in a cold molecular cloud. The observation shows how charged high-energy ...
