Phys.org news

Phys.org / Quantum Newton's cradle set to level up computing

Sending quantum information through a chain of qubits, like energy through a Newton's cradle, could be the key to faster operations and take quantum computing to the next level.

7 hours ago
Phys.org / JWST captures rare glimpse of early black hole growing inside network of young galaxies

Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have captured one of the clearest views yet of how an early supermassive black hole may grow within a network of young galaxies. The compact active galaxy, seen just a billion ...

14 hours ago
Phys.org / Not every meal has the same impact: Researchers reveal the hidden footprint of our food

Leiden environmental researchers have mapped the environmental footprint of different diets and revealed which population groups have the greatest impact through their food choices. Their findings show where efforts to make ...

3 hours ago
Phys.org / How insect submariners survive the depths without imploding

Deep-diving insect larvae are challenging a long-held idea about why there are almost no insects in the ocean, thanks to sturdy air sacs. In Lake Malawi in East Africa, billions of lake fly larvae (Chaoborus edulis) make ...

7 hours ago
Phys.org / Human impacts rewrite the rules of island biodiversity around the globe

A new study reveals that human activities have fundamentally reshaped biodiversity patterns on islands across the globe, with important implications for how scientists understand ecology, evolution and conservation.

7 hours ago
Phys.org / Plant diversity boosts natural pest control in farms, while forests and grasslands follow different rules

Plant diversity has long been regarded as key to stable and resilient ecosystems. However, until now, little has been understood about why it has different effects in agricultural areas than in grasslands or forests. An international ...

3 hours ago
Phys.org / Virtual café experiment finds Japanese participants keep greater distance than Italians

How close do we stand to other people during a social interaction? The distance we maintain between our body and that of another person—known as interpersonal distance—is a fundamental aspect of everyday life. It influences ...

7 hours ago
Phys.org / Silkworm cultivation predates the Silk Road in southern Central Asia, ancient cocoons suggest

The silkworm moth, whose caterpillars have been used in silk production since antiquity, may have been brought to southern Central Asia 4,000 years ago—nearly 2,000 years earlier than previously assumed—according to new research ...

7 hours ago
Phys.org / Chocolate syrup-like fluid stores multiple interacting memories

Animals and electronic devices aren't the only things with memory. Materials can retain memories of past deformations in their microscopic structure. A common example is a crease in a sheet of paper that has been folded then ...

4 hours ago
Phys.org / Environmental bacteria ferry genes that boost antibiotic resistance over 10,000-fold

A patient with a severe infection is prescribed a potent antibiotic. Hopes for improvement are high, but just after treatment is given, resistance to the drug increases thousands of times. How could this happen?

8 hours ago
Phys.org / Moon baboon: New insight into the mind of ancient Egyptians

New research from the University of St Andrews has shed light on baboons, moonlight and their link to an ancient Egyptian deity.

10 hours ago
Phys.org / Global map reveals mining's uneven toll on forests and biodiversity

A new study led by Japanese researchers from Tohoku University and the National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES) reveals that some of the minerals most essential for green technologies may have a significant negative ...

4 hours ago