Phys.org news

Phys.org / Plastics found in tomato and wheat crops stunt growth, study finds

A study investigating microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) in agricultural settings has found they reduced plant growth and entered plant tissues through the soil, raising new concerns about food safety and human exposure. ...

16 hours ago
Phys.org / The edge of the Milky Way's star-forming disk revealed

How far the Milky Way's disk extends has long been difficult to define—it doesn't end sharply, but fades away gradually at its outer edges. Now, for the first time, an international team of astronomers has identified the ...

18 hours ago
Phys.org / Mosses and thale cress share the same leaf growth principles, despite 400 million years of separate evolution

A study published in Science Advances shows that, in moss and the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, commonly known as thale cress, leaf formation relies on very similar cellular dynamics, with growth concentrated at their ...

16 hours ago
Phys.org / ATLAS acts as a cosmic-ray laboratory with first measurement of proton–oxygen collisions

Tens of kilometers above Earth's surface, high-energy particles from outer space constantly strike the atmosphere, creating showers of energetic secondary particles that rain down from the sky. Approximately one of these ...

16 hours ago
Phys.org / More effective, longer-lasting sunscreen made from natural extracts

Scientists from the Laboratory of Dermatological Photobiology of the University of Malaga, in collaboration with Cantabria Labs España, have carried out a study in which, for the first time, they have demonstrated how a natural ...

17 hours ago
Phys.org / Better-fed calves are more motivated to play, pioneering study shows

New research has revealed dairy calves that are fed less complete tasks faster and remember more in pursuit of milk, but miss out on play. Calves that were given more food were more inclined to play. The study, led by the ...

17 hours ago
Phys.org / Black bears are emerging as roaming reservoirs of antibiotic-resistant bacteria across expanding US ranges

A new gut microbiome study of bears in eastern North Carolina expands our understanding of microbial ecosystems in omnivores and contributes to the broader idea that bear feces could help scientists monitor changes in the ...

19 hours ago
Phys.org / A laser inspired by black holes: Extreme physics recreated in the lab

Researchers from Bar-Ilan University have successfully recreated key features of black hole physics in a laboratory setting using an innovative optical system that mimics how black holes behave after violent cosmic events ...

21 hours ago
Phys.org / Water-based process could make compostable packaging practical at industrial speeds

About 30% of plastics consumed are made to last forever but are discarded after a single use. Researchers at Virginia Tech are working to change that with a new approach that could make environmentally responsible packaging ...

18 hours ago
Phys.org / One-step method reveals structures of RNA-protein complexes in living cells

A new method developed at Baylor College of Medicine and collaborating institutions allows researchers to better understand how RNA works. The method, published in Molecular Cell, is a powerful strategy for identifying intricate ...

20 hours ago
Phys.org / Perovskite quantum dots crack two big barriers, staying stable in polar solvents and growing with atomic precision

Perovskite quantum dots are considered promising materials for LEDs, photocatalysis, and future quantum light sources. Researchers at LMU Munich have managed to master two major hurdles in working with these quantum dots: ...

19 hours ago
Phys.org / Stretching and squeezing diamond opens new path for ultra-precise quantum sensors

Researchers have discovered a new way to tune the quantum properties of tiny defects in diamond—by gently stretching or compressing the crystal. These findings could pave the way for next-generation sensors that can detect ...

20 hours ago