Phys.org news

Phys.org / AI bosses are creating a new problem for gig workers

For millions of gig workers driving for companies such as Uber Eats, DoorDash and Deliveroo, there is no human manager to call, no supervisor to appeal to and no office to walk into. Decisions about pay, performance, penalties ...

1 hour ago in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Cuttlefish use polarized light to create a dramatic mating display invisible to humans

Many organisms leverage showy colors for attracting mates. Because color is a property of light (determined by its wavelength), it is easy for humans to see how these colors are used in animal courting rituals. Less obvious ...

22 hours ago in Biology
Phys.org / Milky Way is embedded in a 'large-scale sheet' of dark matter, which explains motions of nearby galaxies

Computer simulations carried out by astronomers from the University of Groningen in collaboration with researchers from Germany, France and Sweden show that most of the (dark) matter beyond the Local Group of galaxies (which ...

20 hours ago in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Highly stable Cu₄₅ superatom could transform carbon recycling

After years of trying, scientists have finally created a stable superatom of copper, a long-sought-after chemical breakthrough that could revolutionize how we deal with carbon emissions.

21 hours ago in Chemistry
Phys.org / Higher water levels could turn cultivated peatland in the North into a CO₂ sink

In its natural state, peatland is one of the largest carbon stores in nature. This is because the soil is so waterlogged and low in oxygen that dead plant material breaks down very slowly. The plants do not fully decompose ...

18 hours ago in Earth
Phys.org / Tornado-forecast system can increase warning lead times, study finds

Researchers at the University of Kansas have shown the National Severe Storms Laboratory's Warn-on-Forecast System (WoFS) has potential to help weather forecasters issue warnings to emergency managers and the general public ...

17 hours ago in Earth
Phys.org / 'Goldilocks size' rhodium clusters advance reusable heterogeneous catalysts for hydroformylation

Recent research has demonstrated that a rhodium (Rh) cluster of an optimal, intermediate size—neither too small nor too large—exhibits the highest catalytic activity in hydroformylation reactions. Similar to the concept ...

14 hours ago in Chemistry
Phys.org / NASA's Juno measures thickness of Europa's ice shell

Data from NASA's Juno mission has provided new insights into the thickness and subsurface structure of the icy shell encasing Jupiter's moon Europa. Using the spacecraft's Microwave Radiometer (MWR), mission scientists determined ...

18 hours ago in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Magnetic superhighways discovered in a starburst galaxy's winds

Using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), an international team of astronomers has mapped a magnetic highway driving a powerful galactic wind into the nearby galaxy merger of Arp 220, revealing for the ...

20 hours ago in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Climate-risk scores guide major decisions, but underlying science is rarely open

When families decide where to buy a home, when cities approve new development, or when governments decide where to invest billions in resilience, they increasingly turn to climate-risk scores for guidance.

21 hours ago in Earth
Phys.org / Artificial nighttime lighting is suppressing moth activity, new research shows

Moths move significantly less when exposed to artificial nighttime light, new research shows. Moths' attraction to artificial light, such as streetlights, is common knowledge and has been much studied. But, as many people ...

16 hours ago in Biology
Phys.org / Scientists develop technique to identify malfunctions in our genetic code

An international team of researchers including scientists from The Australian National University (ANU) have developed a way to reveal the smallest of malfunctions in the biochemical machinery that makes proteins in our bodies. ...

17 hours ago in Biology