Phys.org news
Phys.org / Discovery of how a coral stiffens its skeleton on demand opens new directions for bio-inspired engineering
Touch the branches of Leptogorgia chilensis, a soft coral found along the Pacific coast from California to Chile, and its flexible arms stiffen. Penn Engineers have discovered the mechanism underlying this astonishing ability, ...
Phys.org / Young stars ejecting plasma could offer clues into the sun's past
The sun is frequently ejecting huge masses of plasma, called coronal mass ejections (CMEs), into space. They often occur together with sudden brightenings called flares, and sometimes extend far enough to disturb Earth's ...
Phys.org / What half a million tweets reveal about invasive species
A study analyzing over 500,000 tweets from 2006 to 2021 found that public discourse on invasive species heavily favors charismatic animals over ecologically harmful plants.
Phys.org / Global study reveals seabirds as critical connectors between islands, the ocean and people
A new global synthesis published today in Nature Reviews Biodiversity reveals how seabirds act as powerful connectors between marine and terrestrial ecosystems and why protecting seabirds is a powerful opportunity when tackling ...
Phys.org / An old fish fossil tells a new story about lamniform shark evolution
An international, multi-university research team, including scientists from Columbus State University, has unearthed a crucial new piece of the puzzle in the evolution of sharks.
Phys.org / Iguanas on Clarion Island, Mexico, found to predate human presence in the Americas
An international team of biologists, including those at the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin, have discovered that the spiny-tailed iguanas on Clarion Island (Mexico), previously thought to be introduced by humans, have likely ...
Phys.org / Metallic nanodots use reactive oxygen to selectively kill cancer cells
An international research team led by RMIT University has created tiny particles, known as nanodots, made from a metallic compound that can kill cancer cells while leaving healthy cells largely unharmed. While this work is ...
Phys.org / Physics-based model can predict floods and improve water management worldwide
Floods account for up to 40% of weather-related disasters worldwide, and their frequency has more than doubled since 2000, according to a recent report from the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction. Global flood ...
Phys.org / Imaging technique maps fleeting intermediates in hydrogen electrocatalysis
Electrocatalytic transformations not only require electrical energy—they also need a reliable middleman to spark the desired chemical reaction. Surface metal-hydrogen intermediates can effectively produce value-added chemicals ...
Phys.org / New earthquake model goes against the grain
When a slab slides beneath an overriding plate in a subduction zone, the slab takes on a property called anisotropy, meaning its strength is not the same in all directions. Anisotropy is what causes a wooden board to break ...
Phys.org / Global construction carbon footprint set to double by 2050
As the world marks UN World Cities Day on 31 October—a call to make cities more sustainable—a new international study published in Communications Earth & Environment warns that the global construction sector's carbon ...
Phys.org / Weather radar data reveal alarming declines in insect populations
A research team including a Keele University scientist have made a breakthrough in monitoring insect populations across the UK using weather radar data. Traditionally used to track rainfall and storms, these radars are now ...
