Phys.org news
Phys.org / Researchers discover genetic secrets of mung bean crops
Researchers at the Center for Crop and Food Innovation (CCFI) have made a significant contribution to a landmark study, uncovering tens of thousands of previously hidden structural variations influencing agriculturally important ...
Phys.org / New model maps solar storms across 1 million miles around Earth
A team at the Applied Physics Lab is working to understand the complex science behind predicting invisible threats that can quickly cripple electric grid infrastructure on Earth.
Phys.org / Genomic study of the Asian house shrew reveals a complex history of Indo-Pacific trade and human migration
Sometimes mistaken for a strange-looking mouse with a long, pointed snout, the Asian house shrew is a small, furry animal known for its musky odor. It's usually found lurking near homes and farms, ports and cities, across ...
Phys.org / Tiny mountain lakes pose big, overlooked flood risks, new study warns
A new international study involving scientists from the University of Aberdeen has revealed a critical blind spot in global climate risk assessments—the growing danger posed by small alpine lakes formed by glacier retreat ...
Phys.org / Astronomers reveal how clouds shape the hidden interiors of the galaxy's most common planets
Sub-Neptunes are the most common type of planet in our galaxy. Bigger than Earth but smaller than Neptune, these worlds remain deeply mysterious because scientists still do not know what they are made of. What astronomers ...
Phys.org / New ligand engineering strategy creates more active nanocluster catalysts
A joint research group from Tohoku University, Tokyo University of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan University and the Japan Fine Ceramics Center has developed a thermal catalyst that exhibits high carbon monoxide (CO) oxidation ...
Phys.org / Capturing the cosmic 'drift' before a star is born
Stars like our sun are formed from the collapse of stellar objects called prestellar cores, cold and dense concentrations of gas and dust held together by gravity. While many questions remain about the exact mechanisms of ...
Phys.org / Image: Curiosity rover sees Martian sulfur up close
This close-up view shows fragments of sulfur crystals, the first ever seen on the Red Planet.
Phys.org / Volcanoes and wildfires are adding water vapor to the stratosphere, raising climate concerns
Moderate volcanic eruptions and extreme wildfires since 2005 have led to an increase in the amount of water vapor in the stratosphere, a layer of Earth's atmosphere above the weather-filled troposphere. That's potentially ...
Phys.org / Newly identified 'saprotropism' helps roots avoid decaying plant matter—but not animal decay
Decaying matter shapes life in soil, but it can also create hostile zones for growing roots. Professor Jiří Friml of the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) and international collaborators have now identified ...
Phys.org / Next‑generation membranes can refine crude oil using under half the energy of distillation
Oil refining is necessary for transforming raw, unusable crude oil into valuable goods like gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and petrochemical feedstocks. However, the usual distillation process is energy-intensive, spurring researchers ...
Phys.org / Morning glories reveal 96% drop in adaptation as pollinator pressure reshapes evolution
Facing both climate change and a crashing pollinator population, plants may be evolving to attract pollinators rather than adapting to a warming climate, and the trade-off has resulted in a steep decline in plants' rate of ...