Phys.org news
Phys.org / Electric discharges detected on Mars for the first time
On Mars, winds constantly stir up whirlwinds of fine dust. It was at the center of two of these dust devils that the SuperCam instrument's microphone, the first ever to operate on Mars, accidentally recorded particularly ...
Phys.org / OLEDs can now switch light's handedness with an electrical signal
Researchers from the University of Oxford have for the first time discovered an approach to electrically switch organic LEDs (OLEDs) to emit either left- or right-handed circularly polarized light without changing the light-emitting ...
Phys.org / Mini-fridges on a nanoscale? New cooling technique could make computer chips more powerful
As more devices get piled onto computer chips to increase processing power capacity, heat generation becomes increasingly concentrated. This heat must be removed to keep chip performance high, but is currently achieved by ...
Phys.org / Novel mRNA therapy curbs antibiotic-resistant infections in preclinical lung models
Researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and collaborators have reported early success with a novel mRNA-based therapy designed to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Phys.org / The collapse of Maya civilization: Drought doesn't explain everything
Between 750 and 900 CE, the population of the Maya lowlands in Central America experienced a major demographic and political decline which, according to the scientific literature, coincided with repeated episodes of intense ...
Phys.org / Brain's GPS hasn't changed in millions of years: Specialized neurons may be vital to evolutionary survival
The same brain cells linked to disorientation in Alzheimer's disease have been preserved—and even slightly increased—across millions of years of evolution.
Phys.org / Uncovering a new genetic code in archaea opens doors for bioengineering applications
The genetic code is the recipe for life, and provides the instructions for how to make proteins, generally using just 20 amino acids. But certain groups of microbes have an expanded genetic code, in which one or two additional ...
Phys.org / Ancient hominin fossils reveal two human ancestors lived side by side
With the help of newly identified bones, an enigmatic 3.4-million-year-old hominin foot found in 2009, is assigned to a species different from that of the famous fossil Lucy providing further proof that two ancient species ...
Phys.org / Ultrafast UV-C laser pulses generated and detected using 2D materials
Scientists have developed a new platform for the generation and detection of ultrashort UV-C laser pulses on femtosecond timescales. This breakthrough could unlock new opportunities for transforming optical wireless communication ...
Phys.org / Corral technique measures fragile quantum states in magnet-superconductor hybrids from afar
Hybrid materials made of magnets and superconductors give rise to fascinating quantum phenomena, which are so sensitive that it is crucial to measure them with minimal interference. Researchers at the University of Hamburg ...
Phys.org / Plants use engineering principles to push through hard soil
Across the globe, soil compaction is becoming an ever more serious challenge. Heavy vehicles and machinery in modern agriculture compress the soil to such an extent that crops struggle to grow. In many regions, the problem ...
Phys.org / Public trust in science eroded by UN climate change language, study suggests
The United Nations' climate change body may unintentionally be eroding public trust in science because of the way it communicates risk, new University of Essex research shows.
