Phys.org news
Phys.org / Political division in the US surged from 2008 onward, study suggests
Divisions within the US population on social and political issues have increased by 64% since 1988, with almost all this coming after 2008, according to a study tracking polarization from the end of the Reagan era to the ...
Phys.org / Ancient American pronghorns were built for speed
The fastest land animal in North America is the American pronghorn, and previously, researchers thought it evolved its speed because of pressure from the now-extinct American cheetah. But recently, that theory has come under ...
Phys.org / New mineral sunscreen reduces white cast by using tetrapod-shaped zinc oxide
UCLA researchers have developed a mineral sunscreen formulation that significantly reduces the white, chalky cast that keeps many people from wearing sun protection daily. For decades, dermatologists have urged people to ...
Phys.org / High-tech scans of an enigmatic 400-million-year-old lungfish reveal new details
New pieces have been added to the puzzle of the evolution of some of the oldest fish that lived on Earth more than 400 million years ago. In two separate studies, experts in Australia and China have found new clues about ...
Phys.org / AI systems could identify math anxiety from student inputs and change feedback
Math anxiety is a significant challenge for students worldwide. While personalized support is widely recognized as the most effective way to address it, many teachers struggle to deliver this level of support at scale within ...
Phys.org / CT scans unwrap secrets of ancient Egyptian life
Keck Medicine of USC radiologists use computed tomography (CT) scanners to diagnose and treat patients' diseases and injuries. Recently, however, this advanced technology was put to a far more novel use: examining the bodies ...
Phys.org / Maps offer neighborhood-level insight into American migration
California's most devastating wildfire—the 2018 Camp Fire, which killed 85 and destroyed nearly 19,000 structures—forced nearly half of all residents living within designated fire perimeters to relocate within a year.
Phys.org / Cosmic radiation brought to light: Researchers measure ionization in dark cloud for the first time
Where starlight doesn't reach, new things are born: For the first time, an international research team has directly measured the effect of cosmic radiation in a cold molecular cloud. The observation shows how charged high-energy ...
Phys.org / Urban light pollution disrupts nighttime melatonin in wild nurse sharks
Artificial light from major coastal cities can disrupt the nighttime biology of sharks, according to new research that provides the first-ever measurements of melatonin—a hormone tied to biological rhythms—in wild sharks.
Phys.org / Under snowpacks, microbes drive a winter-to-spring nitrogen pulse, study finds
When snow blankets the landscape, it may seem like life slows down. But beneath the surface, an entire world of activity is unfolding.
Phys.org / We ate space mushrooms and survived to tell the tale
The mushrooms spread out on the chopping board seemed normal enough. They were rich and dense, and had a strong earthy aroma. In the saucepan, they melted—along with the cheese—to form a creamy pasta sauce.
Phys.org / Tiny radio transmitters reveal a hidden survival tactic in birds
In Sturt National Park, near Tibooburra in central Australia where temperatures can range from freezing to nearly 50°C, there lives a small bird with a white back, forked tail and—as we've just discovered—a very clever ...
