Phys.org news
Phys.org / Cleaner ship fuel changed clouds, but not their climate balance
To reduce air pollution associated with ocean transport, the International Maritime Organization tightened restrictions on sulfur content in ship fuel, resulting in an 80% reduction in emissions by 2020. That shift created ...
Phys.org / Ancient DNA reveals 12,000-year-old case of rare genetic disease
Researchers led by the University of Vienna and Liège University Hospital Center have identified genetic variants associated with a rare inherited growth disorder in two prehistoric individuals who lived more than 12,000 ...
Phys.org / Wetlands do not need to be flooded to provide the greatest climate benefit, shows study
Wetlands make up only about 6% of the land area but contain about 30% of the terrestrial organic carbon pool. Therefore, CO2 emissions from wetlands are central to the global climate balance. In Denmark, the plan is to flood ...
Phys.org / Svalbard polar bears show improved fat reserves despite sea ice loss
The body conditions of polar bear (Ursus maritimus) populations around the Norwegian island of Svalbard have improved despite sea ice losses, according to new findings. The findings differ from previously published observations ...
Phys.org / Fossilized plankton study gives long-term hope for oxygen-depleted oceans
A new study suggests the world's oxygen-depleted seas may have a chance of returning to higher oxygen concentrations in the centuries to come, despite our increasingly warming climate.
Phys.org / Programmable terahertz vortices enable dual electric and magnetic skyrmion modes
Researchers have created an optical device that can generate both electric and magnetic vortex-ring-like light patterns. These structured light vortices, known as skyrmions, are highly stable and resistant to disturbances, ...
Phys.org / How tree rings help scientists understand disruptive extreme solar storms
Scientists have long relied on tree rings to learn about ancient solar storms—rare bursts of high-energy particles from the sun that can disrupt satellites, power grids, and communication systems across the planet. When ...
Phys.org / Atomic spins set quantum fluid in motion: Experimental realization of the Einstein–de Haas effect
The Einstein–de Haas effect, which links the spin of electrons to macroscopic rotation, has now been demonstrated in a quantum fluid by researchers at Science Tokyo. The team observed this effect in a Bose–Einstein condensate ...
Phys.org / Self-powered composite material detects its own cracks
A new multifunctional composite made of carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRP) and piezoelectric materials can use vibrations to self-detect tiny cracks. This material could be used in the aerospace, automotive, and construction ...
Phys.org / One single protein, one big decision: How brown algae know when to reproduce
Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Biology have discovered a remarkably streamlined strategy for developmental control in brown algae. They have shown that a single ARGONAUTE (AGO) protein orchestrates the transition ...
Phys.org / Unusual RNA caps reveal previously unknown mechanism of genetic transcription
Scientists at IOCB Prague are uncovering new details of gene transcription. They have identified a previously unknown molecular mechanism by which the transcription of genetic information from deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) ...
Phys.org / Just the smell of lynx can reduce deer browsing damage in recovering forests
New research shows that the mere smell of predators is enough to change deer behavior and limit browsing damage to tree saplings. The findings, published in the Journal of Applied Ecology, offer a potential tool for forest ...