Phys.org news
Phys.org / A few seconds of loading time can push online learners off track
An online lesson takes an extra second to load. The wait may seem trivial, but in a study examining large learning platforms, these brief pauses were linked to unfinished assignments, lower scores and less time spent on ...
Phys.org / Supercurrent enables the reading of quantum information without destroying it
One of the fundamental challenges of quantum computing is obtaining information from a quantum bit, or qubit. Unlike a conventional bit, which can be read repeatedly without altering its content, direct measurement of a quantum ...
Phys.org / Lumina simulation brings the early universe to life on a record-breaking scale
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and Nancy Roman Space Telescope are revealing the universe's earliest chapters in detail. To help astronomers understand what they are seeing, researchers at the Center for Astrophysics ...
Phys.org / Crows make decisions twice as fast as humans and monkeys
University of Tübingen researchers have shown that crows, when confronted with a visual choice, make a decision twice as fast as humans and monkeys. In the experiment, two carrion crows took just 235 milliseconds on average ...
Phys.org / Sea cucumber–inspired gel could help heal damaged tissue in humans
Inspired by the ability of sea cucumbers to change the stiffness of their bodies, University of Waterloo researchers have developed a gel that could one day help repair damaged tendons and other soft tissues without leaving ...
Phys.org / Patterns of polar vortices discovered in lead-free superlattices on silicon
A team at HZB has, for the first time, reported polar vortices in (BaTiO₃/SrTiO₃)₁₀ superlattices on silicon. These results expand the range of materials and substrates on which polar topological textures can occur and open ...
Phys.org / Monarchs report their locations via… cellphone?
Who knew a monarch butterfly could borrow a cellphone to check in with friendly people he met on his journey? That is essentially what happens now that new technology has reduced the weight of a radio-pulse tag to less than ...
Phys.org / How screening tools measure disadvantage may leave rural communities overlooked for public support
Whether a community is prioritized for public support can depend on how its needs are measured, according to new research from the University of New Hampshire. The study found significant differences in how government screening ...
Phys.org / Ancient stalagmites reveal exceptions to Asia–South America monsoon seesaw over the past 450,000 years
In places like South Asia, Africa and parts of the Americas, monsoon rains supply water for drinking, crops and hydropower for billions of people. Understanding the patterns that monsoons tend to follow can help people plan ...
Phys.org / 'One-positron cyclotron' could test a key prediction of the Standard Model
The positron is the antimatter counterpart of the electron, identical in mass but carrying an equal and opposite electric charge. Like the electron, it also behaves like a tiny bar magnet, and according to a key prediction ...
Phys.org / Seabird family tree predicts which species accumulate plastic better than diet, global analysis finds
What seabirds eat might seem like a good starting point for identifying species that tend to accumulate plastic in their digestive systems. Yet a recent global analysis suggests that mapping the evolutionary relatives of ...
Phys.org / Cleaner brick kilns cut pollution, but gains did not reach workers, research finds
Relatively simple changes to the way traditional brick kilns operate in Bangladesh can reduce pollution, save fuel and improve the quality of bricks they produce.
