Phys.org news

Phys.org / Rare observations reveal an X9 solar flare before it erupts

Solar flares are powerful bursts of radiation from the sun's surface, which can wreak havoc on Earth's power grids, damage orbiting satellites, and pose serious radiation risks to astronauts. Yet despite decades of study, ...

22 hours ago
Phys.org / Newly discovered 'thunder' of Atlantic sturgeons inspires awe

When a team of researchers recorded a low thundering underneath the surface of the Hudson River, they thought they were hearing the muffled rumble of trains. A closer look and listen led to a much more interesting discovery: ...

17 hours ago
Phys.org / Outdoor lights may keep mosquitoes biting and breeding deeper into autumn

In some parts of the world, autumn brings welcome relief from mosquitoes, such as the Northern house mosquito (Culex pipiens). As the days grow shorter, the waning light is a signal for them to enter a winter state of dormancy ...

23 hours ago
Phys.org / Perfect randomness realized for the first time

Creating perfect randomness is surprisingly difficult. Even modern random number generators never generate completely ideal random numbers: small systematic errors can result in some numbers appearing slightly more frequently ...

22 hours ago
Phys.org / How the greenhouse effect governs temperature changes across Antarctica

A decade ago, Bradley Markle, an assistant professor at the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research at the University of Colorado Boulder, noticed an odd pattern while sifting through temperature records from the end of the ...

16 hours ago
Phys.org / Researchers push back fundamental limit on energy transfer between particles without 'spilling' radiation

Researchers at TU/e have demonstrated that energy transfer without loss via light or heat can occur over much greater distances than previously thought possible thanks to vibrations in microscopic gold rods. They succeeded ...

18 hours ago
Phys.org / Monkey see, monkey do: Study sheds light on cooperative decision-making

The old "monkey see, monkey do" adage may rest on some neuroscientific evidence, finds a new Yale study. To examine how the primate brain facilitates cooperative behavior among individuals during social interaction, a team ...

17 hours ago
Phys.org / Temporary carbon removal could help support climate goals, if used correctly

Persistent methane emissions from sectors such as agriculture and growing debates over the credibility of carbon offsets are creating new challenges for governments and companies pursuing net-zero commitments. New research ...

17 hours ago
Phys.org / DNA 'nicks' make for safer, more precise genetic analysis

Researchers at Cornell University have developed a safer and more precise way to study how genes function in living tissues by refining a recently developed CRISPR-based genetic technique in fruit flies, enabling researchers ...

18 hours ago
Phys.org / Metamaterials enable control of heat transfer at nanoscale, potentially transforming energy and electronics

Heat behaves in predictable ways: a hot cup of coffee cools, a laptop warms your hands, the sun heats Earth. But at scales thousands of times smaller than a human hair, those rules begin to break down, and scientists are ...

18 hours ago
Phys.org / Moon base missions face an unseen threat, and these simulations show where it could strike first

Researchers have developed a novel virtual model for simulating how astronauts in future moon base operations might interact with each other and with their environment, with preliminary simulations revealing potential opportunities ...

22 hours ago
Phys.org / 'Feathered dragon' has some of the longest tail feathers ever found on a fossil bird

Birds have all kinds of fancy decorations for attracting mates—male peacocks have a fan of feathers accented with shimmering blue eye-spots, birds of paradise do courtship dances that highlight their fluffy plumes, and female ...

22 hours ago