Phys.org news

Phys.org / Turning vibrations into value—a new catalyst converts CO₂ into useful CO

Researchers at The University of Osaka have developed a catalyst that uses vibrational energy to convert carbon dioxide (CO2) into carbon monoxide (CO), an important industrial feedstock. The work, published in the Journal ...

12 hours ago
Phys.org / A philosopher's serpent: New grass-green pitviper discovered in China's Giant Panda National Park

Draped in a uniform coat of vibrant grass-green and possessing eyes that shimmer like amber, a newly discovered pitviper is the latest hidden jewel to be found in the misty mountains of western Sichuan, China.

14 hours ago
Phys.org / Beneath Arctic ice, a vast fossil fuel footprint is colliding with Indigenous lands and wildlife

Arctic fossil fuel development shows significant overlaps with Indigenous communities and ecologically sensitive areas, which might support calls from some scientists to keep Arctic fossil fuels in the ground, according to ...

13 hours ago
Phys.org / Clearing crowded supermarket aisles lifts sales by 11.5% in field tests

Additional product displays in supermarket aisles—so-called secondary placements—are intended to encourage impulse purchases. However, a new study by Mathias C. Streicher of the University of Innsbruck shows that excessive ...

13 hours ago
Phys.org / ATLAS sets record limits on Higgs boson's self-interaction

One of the biggest open questions in particle physics today is how the Higgs boson interacts with itself. This "self-coupling" could help explain the evolution of the early universe and the mechanism that gives mass to elementary ...

14 hours ago
Phys.org / First direct nanomagnet measurement finds switching attempts far slower than long-assumed

A compass always points north—or does it? Magnets normally maintain a stable direction of magnetization, pointing from south to north (S→N). However, this direction can change under strong magnetic fields or heat. For example, ...

12 hours ago
Phys.org / Hidden nest cameras debunk long-standing myth about how cuckoos lay their eggs

An international team of ornithologists has overturned one of the oldest assumptions in natural history by directly documenting how common cuckoos lay their eggs in host nests located inside cavities. The findings, published ...

14 hours ago
Phys.org / New technology helps flat-faced dogs breathe easy

Australian scientists have developed an injectable therapy that helps clear blocked airways in flat-faced dogs. Melbourne-based biotechnology company Snoretox and RMIT University have shown early success using the first therapy ...

17 hours ago
Phys.org / Laser-plasma 'mirror' unlocks a new path to extreme light intensities

An international team of physicists has achieved a significant advance in laser science, demonstrating for the first time a practical route to dramatically boosting the intensity of high-power laser light.

16 hours ago
Phys.org / How cells turn mechanical forces into biochemical signals

Cells constantly probe their environments, searching for physical cues that guide their behavior. And yet a cell's response to its environment is always biochemical, mediated by the chemistry of its internal protein machinery. ...

16 hours ago
Phys.org / Discovery of new polymer class provides compostable alternative to conventional thermoplastics

Researchers at the University of Bayreuth have discovered a new class of polymers as part of the work carried out within the Collaborative Research Center (CRC) 1357 Microplastics. These polymers are characterized by biodegradable ...

15 hours ago
Phys.org / Plants can sense the sound of rain, new study finds

The next time you find yourself lulled by the patter of rain outside your window, think how that same sprinkle might sound if you were a tiny seed planted directly below a free-falling droplet. Would you still be similarly ...

22 hours ago