Phys.org news

Phys.org / How 36,000 buried tea bags help explain global decomposition

Co-developed by Umeå university, a method to measure the decay of plant material with the help of simple tea bags has quickly become the standard in scientific research as well as a favorite teaching activity throughout ...

Jul 3, 2024 in Biology
Phys.org / Treasures beneath the ocean floor? Seawater plays role in gold formation

Understanding how gold forms is crucial for knowing where to find it and how to extract it sustainably. McGill researchers have answered a long-standing question in geology that could lead to new ore discoveries.

Jul 3, 2024 in Earth
Phys.org / Cryptocurrency investors are more likely to self-report 'Dark Tetrad' personality traits, study shows

Owning cryptocurrency may be associated with certain personality and demographic characteristics as well as a reliance on alternative or fringe social media sources, according to a study published July 3, 2024 in the open-access ...

Jul 3, 2024 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Researchers discover photo-induced charge-transfer complex between amine and imide

A research team led by Prof. Zhang Guoqing from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) has discovered a highly reactive photo-induced charge-transfer complex (PCTC) ...

Jul 3, 2024 in Chemistry
Phys.org / Giant salamander-like creature was a top predator in the ice age before the dinosaurs

Forty million years before the first dinosaurs evolved, a ferocious predator lurked in swampy waters. Its skull alone was over two feet long. It lay in wait, its jaws open wide, preparing to clamp down its interlocking jaws ...

Jul 3, 2024 in Biology
Phys.org / New models suggest Milky Way is not as packed with stars as previously thought

A small team of astronomers from Yunnan University, the University of Utah, New Mexico State University, and the University of St Andrews has created a new model of the Milky Way galaxy based on the results of their census ...

Jul 3, 2024 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Physicists explore how fluctuations shape transport networks

Understanding how transport networks, such as river systems, form and evolve is crucial to optimizing their stability and resilience. It turns out that networks are not all alike. Tree-like structures are adequate for transport, ...

Jul 3, 2024 in Physics
Phys.org / High ceilings linked to poorer exam results for uni students

Ever wondered why you performed worse than expected in that final university exam where you sat in a cavernous gymnasium or massive hall, despite countless hours, days and weeks of study? Now you have a genuine reason—high ...

Jul 3, 2024 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Scientists achieve first intercity quantum key distribution with deterministic single-photon source

Conventional encryption methods rely on complex mathematical algorithms and the limits of current computing power. However, with the rise of quantum computers, these methods are becoming increasingly vulnerable, necessitating ...

Jul 3, 2024 in Physics
Phys.org / New possibilities for reservoir computing with topological magnetic and ferroelectric systems

Speech recognition, weather forecasts, smart home applications: Artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things are enhancing our everyday lives. Systems based on reservoir computing are a very promising new field.

Jul 3, 2024 in Physics
Phys.org / Blue and great tits deploy surprisingly powerful memories to find food, finds study

Blue and great tits recall what they have eaten in the past, where they found the food and when they found it, a new study shows. In the first experiment of its kind to involve wild animals, blue and great tits demonstrated ...

Jul 3, 2024 in Biology
Phys.org / Mapping the surfaces of MXenes, atom by atom, reveals new potential for the 2D materials

In the decade since their discovery at Drexel University, the family of two-dimensional materials called MXenes has shown a great deal of promise for applications ranging from water desalination and energy storage to electromagnetic ...

Jul 3, 2024 in Nanotechnology