Phys.org news
Phys.org / Space debris poses growing threat, but new study suggests cleanup is feasible
High up in Earth's orbit, millions of human-made objects large and small are flying at speeds of over 15,000 miles per hour. The objects, which range from inactive satellites to fragments of equipment resulting from explosions ...
Phys.org / New massive duck-billed dinosaur species identified
There's a new dinosaur species on the block. An international team, including a biologist from Penn State Lehigh Valley, discovered that a 75-million-year-old fossil classified as a different dinosaur is its own massive, ...
Phys.org / Cracking the code of why and when some choose to 'self-handicap'
Partying the night before a big exam. Preparing last-minute for a work presentation. Running a 5K in a 10-pound Halloween costume. All are examples of what psychologists call "self-handicapping"—creating obstacles to success ...
Phys.org / Lightning channels reveal hidden bursts: Lateral negative re-discharges observed for first time
A new study led by researchers from the Institute of Atmospheric Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) has uncovered the first observational evidence of lateral negative re-discharges occurring on negative leader ...
Phys.org / Frequent flares from TRAPPIST-1 could impact habitability of nearby planets
Like a toddler right before naptime, TRAPPIST-1 is a small yet moody star. This little star, which sits in the constellation Aquarius about 40 light-years from Earth, spits out bursts of energy known as "flares" about six ...
Phys.org / LHC data confirm validity of new model of hadron production—and test foundations of quantum mechanics
A boiling sea of quarks and gluons, including virtual ones—this is how we can imagine the main phase of high-energy proton collisions. It would seem that particles here have significantly more opportunities to evolve than ...
Phys.org / Seeding jet exhaust with ice-nucleating particles could reduce aviation's climate impact
If you look up at the sky on a clear day, chances are you'll notice thin, white clouds—also known as contrails—following behind airplanes.
Phys.org / Nanotyrannus was not a juvenile T. rex, new study confirms
For decades, paleontologists argued over the lone skull used to establish the distinct species Nanotyrannus. Was it truly a separate species or simply a juvenile Tyrannosaurus rex? A new paper published in Science has definitively ...
Phys.org / High-energy-density barocaloric material could enable smaller, lighter solid-state cooling devices
A collaborative research team from the Institute of Solid State Physics, the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has discovered a high-energy-density barocaloric effect in the plastic ...
Phys.org / Scientists capture first detailed look inside droplet-like structures of compacted DNA
Inside human cells, biology has pulled off the ultimate packing job, figuring out how to fit six feet of DNA into a nucleus about one-tenth as wide as a human hair while making sure the all-important molecules can still function.
Phys.org / Increasing plant diversity in agricultural grasslands boosts yields, reducing reliance on fertilizer
Higher plant diversity in agricultural grasslands increases yields with lower inputs of nitrogen fertilizer. That is the headline finding of a landmark, international study led by Trinity College Dublin that paints a promising ...
Phys.org / 'Free-range' dinosaur parenting may have created surprisingly diverse ancient ecosystems
Picture a baby Brachiosaurus the size of a golden retriever, hunting for food with its siblings while dodging predators that would happily eat it. Meanwhile, its parents—towering over 40 feet tall—are dozens of miles ...
