Phys.org news
Phys.org / Hidden nest cameras debunk long-standing myth about how cuckoos lay their eggs
An international team of ornithologists has overturned one of the oldest assumptions in natural history by directly documenting how common cuckoos lay their eggs in host nests located inside cavities. The findings, published ...
Phys.org / Promiscuity and parental behavior in birds are driven by demographics, not the other way around
New research shows that variation in mating behaviors, parental care and differences in ornamentation of the sexes in bird species is driven by demographics rather than vice versa. An international team of researchers from ...
Phys.org / First direct nanomagnet measurement finds switching attempts far slower than long-assumed
A compass always points north—or does it? Magnets normally maintain a stable direction of magnetization, pointing from south to north (S→N). However, this direction can change under strong magnetic fields or heat. For example, ...
Phys.org / Q&A: Scientists decode the logic behind cells' mysterious protein stockpiles
As far as research subjects go, it's not always easy to find common ground with a single-celled bacterium. Yet the more Paul Wiggins studies his model bacteria, Acinetobacter baylyi, the more he sees surprising commonalities ...
Phys.org / Wildfire-driven deforestation rates in California among highest in world
California has one of the highest rates of wildfire-driven deforestation in the world, and the trend has accelerated over the past three decades, according to a study from the University of California, Davis. The study, published ...
Phys.org / Clearing crowded supermarket aisles lifts sales by 11.5% in field tests
Additional product displays in supermarket aisles—so-called secondary placements—are intended to encourage impulse purchases. However, a new study by Mathias C. Streicher of the University of Innsbruck shows that excessive ...
Phys.org / Sun simulations reveal how cool prominences survive in million-degree corona
At more than one million degrees, the sun's atmosphere—the corona—is incredibly hot; but not everywhere. Time and again, huge structures of significantly cooler solar plasma—about 10,000 degrees—appear within the corona. ...
Phys.org / How a faster protein-screening tool could strengthen US rare-earth supply chains
To ensure a robust domestic supply chain in the U.S., Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) scientists are using bacterial proteins to separate the rare-earth elements that are ubiquitous in magnets, batteries, and ...
Phys.org / Measuring how stressed rocks 'sigh' before breaking could help predict geohazards
Too much stress can make even a rock crack. But before rocks reach their breaking point, they "sigh" a chemical warning by releasing nuclides, a type of atom defined by the number of neutrons as well as protons in the nucleus. ...
Phys.org / Seeing is believing: Smart probes reveal proteins inside living cells with unprecedented clarity
Fluorescent probes have transformed modern biology by allowing researchers to tag and visualize individual molecules in living cells, tissues, and animals. Using these tools, researchers can watch viruses infect cells in ...
Phys.org / Turning four into two: How duplicated genomes become diploid again
Genome duplication probably gave biodiversity a decisive evolutionary boost. A Chinese-German research team led by Axel Meyer from the University of Konstanz has now investigated the early phases of the process known as rediploidization. ...
Phys.org / Cosmetics from waste? Microbial discovery unlocks greener route to high-value chemical products
Researchers at University of Toronto's Department of Chemical Engineering & Applied Chemistry have made a key discovery about how certain bacterial strains produce a set of economically valuable chemicals—opening the door ...
