Phys.org news

Phys.org / Compact flat-lens system can generate nondiffracting bottle beams

Most laser sources produce Gaussian beams that diverge as they propagate. This natural spreading limits their effectiveness in applications that require light to remain concentrated over long distances. To overcome this challenge, ...

12 hours ago
Phys.org / Deep mantle deformation is linked to subducted slabs, global map shows

Slow roiling convection currents deep within Earth's mantle, which are associated with the movements of tectonic plates, also deform the material of the mantle itself. Now, a new study in The Seismic Record confirms that ...

13 hours ago
Phys.org / How mitochondria organize our 'second genome'

EPFL scientists have discovered that a simple shape change in mitochondria helps cells evenly distribute their mitochondrial DNA, solving a long-standing puzzle.

13 hours ago
Phys.org / Underground lab clears crucial hurdle for dark matter hunt

Australia's bid to detect elusive dark matter has taken a major step forward, with new research confirming that cosmic radiation levels deep inside the Stawell Underground Physics Laboratory (SUPL) are low enough to support ...

16 hours ago
Phys.org / UV light method offers repeat recycling for acrylic plastics without the environmental cost

A breakthrough method for chemically recycling acrylic—one of the world's most widely used plastics—has been developed by researchers at the University of Bath. In contrast to conventional mechanical recycling, this method ...

12 hours ago
Phys.org / Rudeness may be rewarded—as a response to rudeness

If you don't have anything nice to say, perhaps it's OK to say it anyway—if responding to someone who has treated you or your team rudely, new Cornell research suggests. Civil responses to disrespectful behavior remain the ...

13 hours ago
Phys.org / Current connection: Scientists detail how shifts in the Atlantic Ocean impacted the Alaskan climate 13,000 years ago

Some newly published findings from an Idaho State University professor and his colleagues point out how changes to currents an ocean away can impact climates on the other side of the globe. The new paper published in Nature ...

14 hours ago
Phys.org / Smartphone rapid test detects microbiologically contaminated water in less than a minute

Worldwide, billions of people rely on water sources whose hygienic quality is unclear or difficult to monitor. Conventional microbiological analysis methods take up to 24 hours, are costly, and require specialized laboratories ...

14 hours ago
Phys.org / Graphene 'nano-aquariums' capture atomic-resolution videos of gold atoms in solvents

A team led by scientists at the National Graphene Institute (NGI) at The University of Manchester has developed the first technique capable of capturing atomic‑resolution videos of individual gold atoms 'dancing' across a ...

13 hours ago
Phys.org / Backyard birdwatchers help scientists uncover what hawks really like to eat

Anyone who keeps a bird feeder has likely had the same uneasy thought after seeing a sudden blur of wings in the yard: What was that hawk doing here?

14 hours ago
Phys.org / Male fish lose their learning edge in drug-polluted waters, research reveals

A common antidepressant detected in rivers and streams worldwide is disrupting how fish learn, and the impact is strikingly one-sided. New research led by Monash University shows the drug amitriptyline impairs spatial learning ...

15 hours ago
Phys.org / Watering smarter, not more: A modern-day robotic divining rod

Advanced technology can help farmers get to the root of a growing problem—overwatering in an era of increasing drought and water scarcity. A new UC Riverside system can map soil moisture tree by tree, so growers water only ...

17 hours ago