Phys.org news
Phys.org / New chip-based frequency combs demonstrate potential for portable atomic clocks
The world would look radically different without rulers and measuring tapes that fit into a pocket. Carpenters, fashion designers and engineers rely on these trusty tools to check the size of everything from a wooden board ...
Phys.org / Flexible protein gate controls access to mitochondrial folds, simulations suggest
Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, mitochondria in our cells churn out energy from the food we eat, which keeps our bodies functioning. Much of this work happens along cristae—deep pockets in the mitochondria's inner ...
Phys.org / Shape-shifting sensory cells may help insects process visual information with less delay
Anyone who has ever tried and failed to swat a fly has experienced the speed of a tiny nervous system. Now, a new review brings together evidence that its secret lies partly in microscopic movements and shape changes within ...
Phys.org / Tiny channels between plant cells respond to wound alerts through hydrogen peroxide bursts
When a person falls and gets a cut or a scrape, they often use hydrogen peroxide to clean the wound. This molecular compound is also produced within our cells, helping our immune system build its defenses against harmful ...
Phys.org / AI techniques behind image creation improve flash flood forecasts across U.S. river basins
A flash flood can devastate a community for years in a matter of minutes. These disasters account for roughly 85% of floods and cause thousands of deaths annually worldwide, with water levels capable of shooting up 30 feet ...
Phys.org / What happens when food-safety chemicals react with food?
Following the major Cyclospora outbreak linked to iceberg lettuce, consumers might assume that produce labeled "triple-washed" offers greater protection from foodborne illness. But industrial washing cannot necessarily eliminate ...
Phys.org / How AI could help predict and explain water levels in the Great Lakes
In January 2013, Lake Michigan reached its lowest water level on record. Seven years later, in the summer of 2020, it broke the opposite record with widespread flooding, eroded shorelines and closed lakeside roads.
Phys.org / Stretching boosts thermal and electrical conductivity in new nanocomposite
A joint research team led by professors Seunghyun Baik and Joonmyung Choi from the School of Mechanical Engineering at Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU) has developed a new nanocomposite material whose electrical and thermal ...
Phys.org / Reading beyond the peaks: Optical analysis decodes spectral complexity in twisted semiconductor layers
A study from the Research Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (MANA), one of the centers under the National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), presents a new method to reveal hidden material disorder reflected in ...
Phys.org / Blue-light labeling uncovers unexpected protein partners of folded DNA structures
DNA can be more than just a double helix. When four strands are folded into a compact bundle, they form a G-quadruplex (G4). These bundles form in guanine-rich regions across the genome, including telomeres at the ends of ...
Phys.org / Shooting light pulses down a 3-kilometer borehole could illuminate seismic hazards
A better understanding of how earthquakes occur and what happens during a rupture is important for assessing seismic risk. Small earthquakes, which are more frequent than large ones, are a tempting data set, but they're hard ...
Phys.org / A symbiotic marketplace: Gutless worms swap essential bacterial partners over time
A typical scene at a local farmers market: Various stalls offer fruit, vegetables and much more. Every customer has their favorite stalls, though these may change occasionally. Some symbiotic relationships seem to work just ...
