Phys.org news
Phys.org / Engineered bacteria offer a new way to accelerate rock weathering for carbon removal
Rock weathering, the breakdown and dissolving of rocks and minerals caused by their exposure to water, air and biological life, is a major regulator of Earth's atmospheric CO2 levels and climate. Throughout Earth's history, ...
Phys.org / Light reveals internal motion in electron crystals and can trigger their melting
Electrons, particles that carry a negative electric charge, typically move through materials. At low densities and temperatures, however, the electrical repulsion between them can overpower their tendency to move, prompting ...
Phys.org / Bumblebees may self-medicate when exposed to fungal infections
There is an old saying that nature is the best medicine, and it turns out bumblebees might agree. A new study published in the journal Royal Society Open Science suggests that buff-tailed bumblebees (Bombus terrestris) may ...
Phys.org / Why some earthquakes caused by fracking come with warning signs
Fracking, the injection of high-pressure fluid to fracture rock and release oil or gas, can trigger earthquakes. While some sites generate small tremors beforehand that may provide an early warning, others produce few or ...
Phys.org / Diamond clock combines two signals to cut temperature-driven drift
Despite all the advertisements for engagement rings and necklace gifts, natural diamonds are imperfect. Their carbon atoms are arranged in a cubic lattice, but they nonetheless contain several types of crystallographic defects ...
Phys.org / Satellite images show bedrock and glacier collapsed on Nepal-China border, then rivers flooded
As rescue teams searched for missing people following catastrophic flooding along the Nepal-China border, Earth scientists reviewed satellite imagery for clues to the cause and assessed the devastation.
Phys.org / Scientists capture first molecular-level images of water reorganization during a reaction crucial for life
Some of nature's most important chemical reactions rely on the coupled movement of negatively and positively charged particles. These processes play central roles in photosynthesis, catalysis and biological energy conversion ...
Phys.org / Low temperature graphene growth opens a route to sustainable resource recycling
Graphene is an exceptionally useful material for creating batteries, catalysts and electronic devices. Yet producing graphene typically requires temperatures as high as 900°C (1,652°F), limiting energy efficiency and making ...
Phys.org / Eagles known as hunting specialists reveal an unexpected taste for goat
Eagles are symbols of hunting prowess. Known as top predators wherever they live, they are often assumed to kill as their primary mode of obtaining food. However, a new study published in the Journal of Raptor Research reports ...
Phys.org / Inspired by nature, scientists engineer tiny 'nitrogen factories' that could help future cereal crops
As fertilizer prices remain elevated, researchers at South Dakota State University are developing an innovative solution to corn's nitrogen supply problems by taking inspiration from an ancient Mexican variety and root nodules ...
Phys.org / Mercury's crust points to deeper, hotter volcanic origins than expected
The evolutionary histories of Earth and Mercury differ fundamentally. The smallest planet, closest to the sun, likely began cooling early on, much like a setting pudding: As early as about 1 billion years after its formation, ...
Phys.org / Self-blinking 'fairy lights' allow DNA to be imaged at almost double-helix-width resolution
Researchers have developed fluorescent molecules that permit imaging of how DNA is packaged inside living cells at unprecedented resolution and, in preserved cells, at a resolution close to the width of the double helix itself.
