Phys.org news
Phys.org / Why some tunes stick: Mathematical symmetry helps explain catchy melodies
Why do some melodies feel instantly right, balanced, memorable and satisfying, even if you have never heard them before? New research from the University of Waterloo suggests that more than creativity is at play.
Phys.org / A key out-of-Africa site just got older: Dating methods push 'Ubeidiya site back at least 1.9 million years
A new study provides a clearer timeline for one of the most significant prehistoric sites worldwide for the study of human evolution. By integrating three advanced dating techniques, researchers have determined that the site ...
Phys.org / Nanodevice produces continuous electricity from evaporation
A nanodevice developed at EPFL produces an autonomous, stable current from evaporating saltwater by using heat and light to control the movement of ions and electrons. Previously, researchers in the Laboratory of Nanoscience ...
Phys.org / How fast is the universe expanding? Supernova could provide the answer
That the universe is expanding has been known for almost a hundred years now, but how fast? The exact rate of that expansion remains hotly debated, even challenging the standard model of cosmology. A research team at the ...
Phys.org / New chip-scale microcomb uses lithium niobate to generate evenly spaced light
Applied physicists in the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) have discovered a new way to generate ultra-precise, evenly spaced "combs" of laser light on a photonic chip, a breakthrough ...
Phys.org / Nature-inspired method forms ZnO quantum dots in solid crystals at room temperature
In nature, tiny crystals known as nanocrystals are formed slowly over many years. Rocks and minerals react with air, water, and carbon dioxide in a process called chemical weathering. These reactions happen gently, at room ...
Phys.org / Why some objects in space look like snowmen: Gravitational collapse may shed light on contact binaries
Astronomers have long debated why so many icy objects in the outer solar system look like snowmen. Michigan State University researchers now have evidence of the surprisingly simple process that could be responsible for their ...
Phys.org / Storms reveal rare 2,000-year-old footprints on Scottish beach
Storms that recently ravaged Britain's coastline have revealed 2,000-year-old footprints on an Angus beach—one of only a handful of locations in the U.K. where markings of this kind have ever been discovered. The imprints ...
Phys.org / Cheaper green hydrogen? New catalyst design cuts energy losses in AEM electrolyzers
Producing clean hydrogen from water is often compared to storing renewable energy in chemical form, but improving the efficiency of that process remains a scientific challenge. Researchers at Tohoku University have now developed ...
Phys.org / A few weeks of X's algorithm can make you more right-wing—and it doesn't wear off quickly
A new study published in Nature has found that X's algorithm—the hidden system or "recipe" that governs which posts appear in your feed and in which order—shifts users' political opinions in a more conservative direction.
Phys.org / Scientists unlock a massive new 'color palette' for biomedical research by synthesizing non-natural amino acids
Ozempic has been making headlines for its remarkable success in treating obesity and diabetes. Yet it is just one in a rapidly growing class of drugs called peptide therapeutics that sits between small molecules (like aspirin) ...
Phys.org / Rocket re-entry pollution measured in atmosphere for first time
When part of a SpaceX rocket re-entered Earth's atmosphere exactly a year ago, it created a spectacuglar fireball that streaked across Europe's skies, delighting stargazers and sending a team of scientists rushing toward ...
