Phys.org news
Phys.org / 15-atom iridium nanoclusters stay stable 20 hours, outperform commercial catalysts
An international research team from Tohoku University, Tokyo University of Science, Vanderbilt University and the University of Adelaide has discovered a novel, exceptionally simple method to precisely synthesize extremely ...
Phys.org / Shining light into unhatched eggs could allow for chicken 'gender reveals'
Scientists have demonstrated a noninvasive technique that uses light to reveal the hidden contents of chicken eggs, potentially helping to curb the meat industry's practice of killing billions of male chicks at birth. The ...
Phys.org / Molecular simulations uncover why water nanodrops spread thin on hydrophilic surfaces
Why does water roll off a duck's back but spread on clean glass? For macroscopic (millimeter-scale) drops, this behavior can be explained using continuum theory. However, when nanoscale (10–9 mm) droplets spread on surfaces, ...
Phys.org / Stressed-out soil bacteria adapt to environmental conditions
A new study from Caltech demonstrates that soil bacteria can adapt under stress, particularly when a key nutrient, phosphorus, is running low in their environment. The work is important for understanding the complex relationships ...
Phys.org / Microbial partners may help maize and sorghum respond to higher temperatures
New research suggests the microbiome near the surface of a plant's roots, known as the rhizosphere microbiome, may play a role in helping crops respond to heat stress.
Phys.org / New technique sharpens predictions of metal alloy behavior by capturing subtle atomic patterns
Companies working at the frontier of aerospace, energy and computing are constantly looking for new materials to improve performance. But in order to understand how those materials will actually behave once they're inside ...
Phys.org / Arabidopsis meristem map uncovers 18 cell clusters shaping stems and flowers
Researchers have produced the most detailed map yet of how stem cells in the growing tip of a plant begin their journey to form the many cell types that shape flowers and stems. They identified 18 distinct cell type clusters ...
Phys.org / Perfectly preserved pterosaur wing rewrites the fossil rulebook
An international study led by Curtin University has revealed new insights into how an ancient flying reptile was preserved in extraordinary detail for 113 million years, offering a rare glimpse into a vanished world.
Phys.org / Fossilized babies of ancient crocodile-like predators uproot understanding of how animals adapted to the land
Life on our planet began in the water. Eventually, one branch of the fish family tree developed legs and came up on land. These early four-legged animals, the tetrapods, were the forebears of today's mammals, birds, reptiles ...
Phys.org / 'Timescapes' may help explain how animal species perceive events so differently in time
There is evidence that nonhuman animals perceive the world, and how it unfolds in time, differently from humans and from each other. For example, certain beetles can see flickering in lights up to around 500 Hz, while in ...
Phys.org / Hidden electric space waves are quietly cleaning Earth's 'killer' electrons
High above our heads, a silent battle is unfolding within Earth's magnetic shield. For decades, scientists have tracked "killer electrons"—ultrafast particles capable of piercing satellite armor and endangering astronauts ...
Phys.org / Pigeons' eyes are almost perfectly still when they're flying, study finds
When pigeons are flying through the air, they lock their eyes in a near-fixed position instead of moving them around. Researchers from Harvard University discovered this after attaching a lightweight rig of cameras and mirrors ...