Phys.org news
Phys.org / Quantum-centric supercomputing simulates 12,635-atom protein
The scale of chemistry simulations with quantum computing has increased dramatically in just the last few months. In the latest milestone for the field, researchers from Cleveland Clinic, RIKEN, and IBM used a quantum-centric ...
Phys.org / Extreme weather events are accelerating tidal wetland loss, satellite data show
Tidal wetlands are critical, yet vulnerable ecosystems. Tidal marshes, mangrove forests, and tidal flats support biodiversity, protect against flooding and storm surges, sequester carbon, and improve water quality. Due to ...
Phys.org / Seabird world shrinks as oceans warm, forcing longer flights to survive
Seabirds such as albatrosses and petrels are retreating into smaller areas of ocean and traveling further to find new places to live as the climate warms. Scientists from the University of Reading studied more than 120 species ...
Phys.org / Bats create 'silent frequency zones' to detect prey in noisy flight, researchers reveal
Sound plays an important role for many animals, helping them navigate and hunt. Echolocation is the ability of animals like bats and dolphins to locate objects by emitting sound waves and interpreting the returning echoes. ...
Phys.org / Proteins that create ice inspire 'cool' applications, from cryomedicine to artificial snow
Bacteria from the Middle East have caused precipitation all the way out in California. The same bacteria, which are known to attack plants, have also been found embedded within lumps of hail in West Africa.
Phys.org / Scientists solve 200-year-old puzzle of how tobacco plants make nicotine
Scientists have uncovered how tobacco plants naturally make nicotine, solving a mystery that has puzzled researchers for nearly two centuries. The discovery, published in Nature Communications, could lead to safer production ...
Phys.org / Urban life makes animals bolder, more aggressive across 133 species, analysis finds
A global analysis has found that urban animals are bolder and more aggressive, exploratory and active than their rural counterparts. The findings are published in the Journal of Animal Ecology.
Phys.org / Silver vine or catnip? When cats can choose, silver vine wins
What plant do cats love most? In Europe and North America, many people would probably answer "catnip." In Japan, the answer would more likely be silver vine (matatabi in Japanese). Both plants are famous for triggering the ...
Phys.org / Climate report says world won't get as hot as feared but will pass warming limit
Scientists are jettisoning their worst and best case scenarios for a warming world as no longer plausible. That shows how modest gains in the fight to curb climate change have dialed back the most catastrophic of future heating ...
Phys.org / DNA floating in seawater is now enough to let scientists monitor the health of America's dolphin populations
DNA is everywhere in the world's oceans—not only packaged inside cells from skin, scales, mucus, feces, and blood, but also floating freely. Sequencing such "environmental DNA" (eDNA) from open water has long been used as ...
Phys.org / New 'Happy-Face' spider species discovered in the Indian Himalayas
Vibrant, tiny, and sporting a bright red grin on its back, the Happy-Face spider is one of the most famous and recognizable arachnids in the world. For over a century, this cheerful-looking creature was thought to be a unique ...
Phys.org / How much worse could western wildfires get? New modeling changes projections
Across the western United States, wildfires are increasing in size and intensity. As the climate continues to warm, more extreme wildfires will reshape landscapes and pose a growing risk to human health and natural ecosystems ...