Phys.org news
Phys.org / Miniaturization of thin films uncovers 'Goldilocks zone' in relaxor ferroelectrics
A new study led by Rice University materials scientist Lane Martin sheds light on how the extreme miniaturization of thin films affects the behavior of relaxor ferroelectrics—materials with noteworthy energy-conversion ...
Phys.org / Ancient tree rings uncover climate's impact on Chinese dynastic history
A study tracking rainfall patterns over thousands of years has found that more arid periods coincided with ages of dynastic turmoil in China—highlighting a historical link between climate stress and social unrest.
Phys.org / Eco-friendly method can separate and recycle refrigerants tied to climate crisis
A study published in the journal Science Advances from researchers at the University of Kansas shows a new eco-friendly method for separating the chemicals found in common refrigerants for easier recycling at an industrial ...
Phys.org / Starfish skeletons provide key insights into bone evolution
Researchers at the Biomimetics-Innovation-Center, Hochschule Bremen—City University of Applied Sciences, have made pioneering discoveries about how mechanical stress shapes the ultrastructure of starfish skeletons. Published ...
Phys.org / 'Structural poverty' maps could steer help to world's neediest
Leveraging national surveys, big-data advances and machine learning, Cornell researchers have piloted a new approach to mapping poverty that could help policymakers identify the neediest people in poor countries and target ...
Phys.org / A new AI tool for rapid identification in forensic investigations is faster than humans at estimating biological sex
CSIRO, Australia's national science agency, has developed an advanced artificial intelligence (AI) tool for assisting in the estimation of biological sex from human skulls.
Phys.org / Lab experiments add to evidence that Earth's mantle is more complex than thought
A team of geologists and mineral physicists at Harvard University, the University of California, Argonne National Laboratory and the University of Chicago has found evidence via lab experiments that show the Earth's mantle ...
Phys.org / Scientists analyze branch patterns in trees and art, from da Vinci to Mondrian
The math that describes the branching pattern of trees in nature also holds for trees depicted in art—and may even underlie our ability to recognize artworks as depictions of trees.
Phys.org / Ancient pterosaur bones could inspire the future of aerospace engineering
The microarchitecture of fossil pterosaur bones could hold the key to lighter, stronger materials for the next generation of aircraft, new research has found.
Phys.org / Honey hunters in Mozambique use honeyguide birds to locate 75% of their harvest, study finds
A team of ornithologists from the University of Cape Town, in South Africa, and wildlife managers with the Niassa Carnivore Project, in Mozambique, has found that honey hunters in northern parts of Mozambique use honeyguide ...
Phys.org / A wealth of evidence: Machine learning approach leads to a 'living systematic map' of climate policy research
Research on climate policy is growing exponentially. Of the approximately 85,000 individual studies ever published on policy instruments for mitigating global heating, a good quarter are from 2020 or later.
Phys.org / First 'programming language' for active material enables precise control at cellular level
In 2019, Caltech researchers demonstrated a new method to use light to control active matter—a kind of material made up of individual energy-consuming pieces that act as a whole to create mechanical motion. The process ...