Phys.org news

Phys.org / New method to degrade PFAS 'forever chemicals' found effective in the lab

Per-and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are known as "forever chemicals" because they are notoriously resistant to degradation. Due to their stable chemical structure, PFAS—which are found in thousands of variants—are ...

Jun 25, 2024 in Chemistry
Phys.org / AI predicts upper secondary education dropout as early as the end of primary school

An interdisciplinary team of researchers from the University of Jyväskylä, Finland, from the fields of Psychology, Education, and Information Technology have developed the first machine learning models that forecast upper ...

Jun 25, 2024 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Half of world's lakes are less resilient to disturbance than they used to be

Nearly half of the world's large lakes have lost resilience, or the ability to bounce back after an abrupt disturbance, in recent decades, according to the first global assessment of long-term changes in lake resilience. ...

Jun 25, 2024 in Earth
Phys.org / Boosting 'natural killer' cell activity could improve cancer therapy

Yale researchers have uncovered a way to make a type of white blood cells known as natural killer cells—which kill infected, damaged, or malignant cells in the body—more effective against cancer. The approach, they say, ...

Jun 25, 2024 in Biology
Phys.org / China lunar probe returns to Earth with samples

A Chinese probe carrying samples from the far side of the moon returned to Earth on Tuesday, capping a technically complex 53-day mission heralded as a world first.

Jun 25, 2024 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Researchers use gold membrane to coax secrets out of surfaces

Using a special wafer-thin gold membrane, ETH researchers have made it significantly easier to study surfaces. The membrane makes it possible to measure properties of surfaces that are inaccessible to conventional methods.

Jun 25, 2024 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / Radioactive isotopes trace hidden Arctic currents

The Arctic Ocean is warming four times faster than the rest of the world's oceans, a trend that could potentially spill over to the rest of the world in the form of altered weather patterns and other climate consequences. ...

Jun 25, 2024 in Earth
Phys.org / Quantum annealer improves understanding of quantum many-body systems

Physicists have long been pursuing the idea of simulating quantum particles with a computer that is itself made up of quantum particles. This is exactly what scientists at Forschungszentrum Jülich have done together with ...

Jun 25, 2024 in Physics
Phys.org / Researchers move floating objects with soundwaves

EPFL researchers have succeeded in directing floating objects around an aquatic obstacle course using only soundwaves. Their novel, optics-inspired method holds great promise for biomedical applications such as noninvasive ...

Jun 25, 2024 in Physics
Phys.org / Bats use four key tactics for accurate target tracking

The ability of "target tracking," i.e., keeping a target object in sight, is essential for various activities and has improved in animals and machines through the evolution of life and technology, respectively. Because most ...

Jun 25, 2024 in Biology
Phys.org / Study finds strong path dependence in Plio-Pleistocene glaciations through climate model simulations

The climate modeling community has been particularly vexed by the glacial/interglacial cycles of the past three million years, when the Northern Hemisphere oscillated between times with and without large ice sheets.

Jun 25, 2024 in Earth
Phys.org / 3D-printed chip sensor detects foodborne pathogens for safer products

Every so often, a food product is recalled because of some sort of contamination. For consumers of such products, a recall can trigger doubt in the safety and reliability of what they eat and drink. In many cases, a recall ...

Jun 25, 2024 in Chemistry