Phys.org news
Phys.org / Twisted 2D materials get an ultraclean, scalable upgrade for future quantum devices
Exciting electronic characteristics emerge when scientists stack 2D materials on top of each other and give the top layer a little twist.
Phys.org / Vibrational spectroscopy technique enables nanoscale mapping of molecular orientation at surfaces
Sum-frequency generation (SFG) is a powerful vibrational spectroscopy that can selectively probe molecular structures at surfaces and interfaces, but its spatial resolution has been limited to the micrometer scale by the ...
Phys.org / Catalyst selectivity as a balancing act: Co₃O₄ 'trapped' in transition shows peak activity
In a study appearing in Nature Catalysis, researchers from the Inorganic Chemistry Department of the Fritz Haber Institute reveal how structural changes on the surface and in the bulk region of the cobalt oxide catalyst Co3O4 ...
Phys.org / Nanoscopic raft dynamics on cell membranes successfully visualized for first time
A collaborative team of four professors and several graduate students from the Departments of Chemistry and Biochemical Science and Technology at National Taiwan University, together with the Department of Applied Chemistry ...
Phys.org / Ecosystem productivity shapes how soil microbes store or release carbon, challenging old assumptions
Soils store more carbon than the atmosphere and vegetation combined, with soil microorganisms playing the main role. As a result, the global soil carbon cycle—by which carbon enters, moves through, and leaves soils worldwide—exerts ...
Phys.org / Teen girls cannot escape unrealistic beauty ideals on social media, researchers say
Girls between the ages of 13 and 19 are widely exposed to beauty content online that promotes products unsuitable for young skin—even when they are not actively seeking beauty-related information. Moreover, they believe ...
Phys.org / Woodland birds living among native trees produce more chicks, study shows
Native trees, such as oaks, have long held a special place in our culture and countryside. Now, researchers have shown that these trees are also important to woodland birds and their offspring.
Phys.org / How pointing errors impact quantum key distribution systems
Quantum key distribution (QKD) is an emerging communication technology that utilizes quantum mechanics principles to ensure highly secure communication between two parties. It enables the sender and receiver to generate a ...
Phys.org / AI helps reveal global surge in floating algae
For the first time and with help from artificial intelligence, researchers have conducted a comprehensive study of global floating algae and found that blooms are expanding across the ocean. These trends are likely the result ...
Phys.org / Observing the positronium beam as a quantum matter wave for the first time
One of the discoveries that fundamentally distinguished the emerging field of quantum physics from classical physics was the observation that matter behaves differently at the smallest scales. A key finding was wave-particle ...
Phys.org / Some moral acts matter more than others, study shows
Every day, we quietly judge the people around us. Did that co-worker split the credit fairly? Did a neighbor return a lost package? Did someone cut in line or respect the rules?
Phys.org / Soil ecoacoustics: Researchers call for global effort to listen underground
An international team of researchers has mapped a new way forward to monitor the health of the planet by listening to the soil beneath our feet.
