Phys.org news
Phys.org / Cascaded-mode interferometer could replace beam-splitting waveguides for fiber optics
Interferometers, devices that can modulate aspects of light, play the important role of modulating and switching light signals in fiber-optic communications networks and are frequently used for gas sensing and optical computing.
Phys.org / Plants 'breathe' with millions of tiny mouths—lasers illuminate evolution of stomata behavior
Plant behavior may seem rather boring compared with the frenetic excesses of animals. Yet the lives of our vegetable friends, who tirelessly feed the entire biosphere (including us), are full of exciting action. It just requires ...
Phys.org / Were large soda lakes the cradle of life?
Along with nitrogen and carbon, phosphorus is an essential element for life on Earth. It is a central component of molecules such as DNA and RNA, which serve to transmit and store genetic information, and ATP (adenosine triphosphate), ...
Phys.org / Making foie gras without force-feeding
Foie gras is a unique delicacy made from the liver of a duck or goose. While it can be an acquired taste, the buttery, fatty dish is an indulgent cuisine prized in many parts of the world.
Phys.org / Oxygenation strategy provides facile route to long-wave infrared birefringent crystals
Long-wave infrared birefringent crystals are essential materials in infrared optical applications in fields such as infrared imaging, laser technology, and optical communications. Due to limitations in birefringence, infrared ...
Phys.org / Simulations show six valves provide ideal setup for rapidly dispersing cooling gas
When the plasma inside a fusion system starts to misbehave, it needs to be quickly cooled to prevent damage to the device. Researchers at Commonwealth Fusion Systems believe the best bet is a massive gas injection: essentially, ...
Phys.org / Adding silicon to soil can help tomato plants fight South American tomato pinworm
A team of entomologists and botanists at the International Center of Insect Physiology and Ecology in Nairobi and the University of Pretoria has found that adding silicon to soil can help tomato plants fight off the destructive ...
Phys.org / Overlooked diversity: New research suggests plants, fungi and even viruses use venom
A new study reveals plants, fungi, bacteria, protists, and even some viruses deploy venom-like mechanisms, similar to that of venomous snakes, scorpions and spiders, according to researchers at Loma Linda University School ...
Phys.org / Tracking net-zero carbon debt: Who is responsible for overshoot of the 1.5°C climate limit?
What is a fair way forward after the 1.5°C warming limit of the Paris Agreement has been breached? In a new study, IIASA researchers explore the concept of "net-zero carbon debt"—a measure for assessing who bears greater ...
Phys.org / Language ambiguity: How children and adults interpret contextual pronouns differently
"Did you see that?" It is a simple phrase we hear every day, but how do we know what "that" refers to? A new study from Kyushu University, published in PLOS One, reveals that children and adults use different strategies to ...
Phys.org / New study uncovers key pathways in hydronium and hydroxide ion neutralization
A new study provides fresh insight into traditional acid-base chemistry by revealing that the mutual neutralization of isolated hydronium (H3O⁺) and hydroxide (OH⁻) ions is driven by electron transfer rather than the ...
Phys.org / Who is calling? Bats outsmart deception by solving sensory conflicts
Would you answer someone's cry for help if that someone was sitting unharmed in front of you? Most probably would not, and bats have similar reservations, according to a new study published in Current Biology in which researchers ...