Phys.org news
Phys.org / AI model OpenScholar synthesizes scientific research and cites sources as accurately as human experts
Keeping up with the latest research is vital for scientists, but given that millions of scientific papers are published every year, that can prove difficult. Artificial intelligence systems show promise for quickly synthesizing ...
Phys.org / Nanocrystal biohybrids harvest light to reduce N₂ gas to ammonia
Ammonia, a key part of nitrogen fertilizers, is central to sustaining global food production. However, its manufacture is also energy intensive: Ammonia production requires 2% of global energy to meet global demand. Approximately ...
Phys.org / Invisible actors in groundwater mapped for first time, revealing role in freshwater reservoir
Groundwater is considered the largest reservoir of liquid freshwater on Earth and a habitat for complex microbial communities that drive essential biogeochemical cycles. Until now, the role of viruses that infect microorganisms ...
Phys.org / Analysis reveals interhemispheric thermal imbalance as key to Asian-Australian monsoon variability
The Asian-Australian monsoon system (A-AuMS) is the world's most typical cross-equatorial coupled monsoon system. On a seasonal timescale, the summer monsoon in one hemisphere is usually linked to the winter monsoon in the ...
Phys.org / 2024 total eclipse subtly shifted animal calling across three Ohio prairies, study finds
No natural phenomenon provides a rarer chance to study the secrets of the animal world than a total solar eclipse. This was recently demonstrated by researchers investigating how a total solar eclipse might affect the soundscape ...
Phys.org / Well-behaved dogs generally have lower cortisol and higher serotonin, study finds
Dogs who scored well on the Wesen test, which is used to analyze a dog's temperament, tended to have lower levels of cortisol, often called the "stress hormone," and higher levels of serotonin, often called the "happiness ...
Phys.org / From single queens to mega-colonies: How ant societies are shaped by the environment
A single queen in the tropics; large colonies in deserts; workers with uniform morphology in temperate regions; ant social structures vary according to environmental conditions. This is shown, for the first time at a global ...
Phys.org / From sea to space: Turning the tide on microplastic pollution with satellite technology
What do microplastics, water color, and satellites have in common? Dr. Karl Kaiser, professor of marine and coastal environmental science in the College of Marine Sciences and Maritime Studies at Texas A&M University at Galveston ...
Phys.org / Scientists use RNA nanotechnology to program living cells, opening a new path for cancer cure
Scientists at Rutgers University–Newark have developed a first-of-its-kind RNA-based nanotechnology that assembles itself inside living human cells and can be programmed to stop propagation of harmful cells. The findings, ...
Phys.org / Friendly bacteria can unlock hidden metabolic pathways in plant cell cultures
Plants are a rich and renewable source of compounds used in medicines, food ingredients, and cosmetics. Since growing an entire plant just to extract a few specific compounds is rather inefficient, scientists are turning ...
Phys.org / Temperature of some cities could rise faster than expected under 2°C warming
New research led by the University of East Anglia (UEA) shows how many tropical cities are predicted to warm faster than expected under 2°C of global warming.
Phys.org / Experiments with 1,600 volunteers link social exclusion to higher interest in gossip
Ages ago, when societies were organized around small villages, a person's security and sense of belonging depended partly on how close they were to the village chiefs and elders. If the village was attacked, those closest ...