Phys.org news
Phys.org / Webb redefines the dividing line between planets and stars
Planets, like those in our solar system, form in a bottom-up process where small bits of rock and ice clump together and grow larger over time. But the heftier the planet, the harder it is to explain its formation that way.
Phys.org / A tiny wall spider named for Pink Floyd is hunting urban pests up to six times its size
A team of researchers from institutions across South America have expanded scholarly knowledge of the Pikelinia spider genus, with their recent discovery of a new crevice weaver species: Pikelinia floydmuraria. The new species ...
Phys.org / After 9,000 years of cultivation, rice has reached its thermal limit
Rice has historically been a heat-loving plant. In fact, the wild ancestor of cultivated rice once grew primarily on the sweltering, rain-swept Malay and Indochina peninsulas as well as the islands of Southeast Asia. It wasn't ...
Phys.org / Ph.D. student solves persistent problem in high-entropy alloys
The University of Wyoming's Lauren Kim has solved a persistent problem in the cutting-edge field of high-entropy alloys, a class of materials with great potential in modern engineering, electronics and energy applications—such ...
Phys.org / Andean volcanic eruptions during the Late Miocene likely drove global cooling
Mark Clementz, a professor in the University of Wyoming Department of Geology and Geophysics, and colleagues have produced a compelling study that shows that an increase in volcanic activity in the Andes in the Late Miocene ...
Phys.org / Toothy snout recasts Australia's famed Muttaburrasaurus as a picky eater
In a surprising new study, Australia's most famous plant-eating dinosaur has been described as a "picky eater with a nose for good food" when it roamed across the continent around 96 million years ago. After examining different ...
Phys.org / Ancient graves and DNA uncover family bonds that went beyond genetics
You probably have a member of your family that you're not related to by blood—a step-parent, an adopted cousin, your mom's best friend who you grew up calling your aunt. They're indisputably part of your family, but a DNA ...
Phys.org / High school student designs low-cost teabags to remove arsenic from water and help millions
Arsenic contamination in drinking water is a global issue, with over 200 million people estimated to be at risk. While water treatment plants remove the metal, the problem persists in low-resource areas or undertreated well ...
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 / Discovery of Addison's disease gene in dogs could help humans as well
Among dog breeds, Nova Scotia duck tolling retrievers (tollers) have an unusually high rate of Addison's disease, a condition in which the adrenal glands do not produce enough hormones, notably cortisol and aldosterone. In ...
Phys.org / Fluorescent technique reveals hidden scale of microfiber pollution from our clothes
Pollution released from our textiles is smaller and more irregular in shape than previously thought, according to new research led by The University of Manchester. In a study published in Scientific Reports, Manchester researchers—in ...
Phys.org / Using computed tomography to study DNA from ancient humans without destroying samples
Research on ancient DNA is surging, but how can scientists ensure that human remains of irreplaceable significance are preserved? This is the question investigated by an international research team led by the University of ...
