Phys.org news
Phys.org / Natural insecticide made from compound found in garlic and spearmint kills bean beetles effectively
In an effort to develop more environmentally friendly alternatives to synthetic insecticides, researchers from Kyushu University have developed and tested a new insecticide made from compounds derived from garlic and spearmint.
Phys.org / Mobile fungal 'Starship' carries protein that triggers crop leaf loss
An international research team led by plant scientist Professor Dr. Bart Thomma of the Institute of Plant Sciences at the University of Cologne, the MiBiNet Collaborative Research Center and the CEPLAS Cluster of Excellence ...
Phys.org / Hidden hormone–habitat relationship revealed in reef fish
In the animal kingdom, only those that adapt to their environment survive. This adaptation takes a wide range of forms, from invisible internal shifts in gene expression to dramatic anatomical changes, such as tadpoles growing ...
Phys.org / Uranus's unusual rotation makes its bow shock expand and contract each day
Within our solar system, Uranus is a geometric oddball. Its spin axis tilts more than 90° from its orbit, so it essentially rolls on its side through space. In contrast, Earth and other planets tilt only moderately or not ...
Phys.org / Just 50°C decides whether an ultrathin magnetic film stays flat or falls apart
Magnetic storage technologies, which store information in the direction of magnetization, play an essential role in modern data storage. Hard disk drives (HDDs) are widely used for long-term storage, while nonvolatile magnetic ...
Phys.org / Different genes, same result: How flies evolved multiple ways to define heads and tails
One of the most important milestones in the early life of an organism is when the embryo breaks symmetry and arranges itself to form the head (anterior) at one end and tail (posterior) at the other end. Scientists have used ...
Phys.org / One snail, five slimes: Collagen and calcium reshape mucus for different jobs
Snails are particularly active after a rain shower. Even on the Max Planck Campus in Potsdam-Golm, common brown-lipped snails (Cepaea nemoralis) leave behind shiny trails of mucus. Researchers from the "Biomaterials" department ...
Phys.org / From mountain peaks to microclimates, new maps bring satellite big data down to Earth
Zooming from her office, Michigan State University researcher Kelly Kapsar showed satellite images from across the United States. In some, different colors revealed the precise heights of the forested ridges in the Sierra ...
Phys.org / An ultramassive white dwarf half Earth's size may hold a rare oxygen-neon core
Astronomers have found evidence that one of the most massive white dwarfs known has an oxygen-neon core instead of the more common carbon-oxygen core. The finding is important because the composition of a white dwarf's core ...
Phys.org / US firm takes on backyard mosquitoes—with 600,000 mosquitoes
Todd Montgomery pops the lid off a small tube and taps out hundreds of mosquitoes into the backyard of a suburban home outside Washington.
Phys.org / Honduras review confirms 227 native mammal species after eight-year effort
An eight-year international research effort has produced the most comprehensive review of Honduras' mammals since 1998, verifying 227 native species across 146 genera and 42 families, along with three introduced rodent species. ...
Phys.org / Newly identified C/EBPγ protein links cancer cell plasticity and DNA repair
A research team has identified the transcription factor C/EBPγ as a novel regulator that simultaneously promotes epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and DNA double-strand break repair in lung adenocarcinoma cells. The ...
