Phys.org news
Phys.org / Atoms passing through walls: Quantum tunneling of hydrogen within palladium crystal
At low temperatures, hydrogen atoms move less like particles and more like waves. This characteristic enables quantum tunneling, the passage of an atom through a barrier with a higher potential energy than the energy of the ...
Phys.org / New membrane sets record for separating hydrogen from CO₂
When designing membranes that separate industrial gases, scientists often incorporate structures that attract the gas they want to obtain. This attraction can enhance the membrane's permeability, and help isolate the desired ...
Phys.org / Plant breeding discovery could pave way for new crop species
One of the great mysteries in plant biology is how, given the clouds of pollen released by dozens of plant species all at the same time, an individual plant can recognize which particular species' pollen grains will induce ...
Phys.org / Artificial cartilage mimics natural flexibility with adjustable structure
A Washington State University research team is working to create an artificial cartilage that is similar to natural cartilage with a recipe that can be corrected along the way.
Phys.org / Single-photon switch could enable photonic computing
There are few technologies more fundamental to modern life than the ability to control light with precision. From fiber-optic communications to quantum sensors, the manipulation of photons underpins much of our digital infrastructure. ...
Phys.org / Laser-induced break-up of C₆₀ fullerenes caught in real-time on X-ray camera
The understanding of complex many-body dynamics in laser-driven polyatomic molecules is crucial for any attempt to steer chemical reactions by means of intense light fields. Ultrashort and intense X-ray pulses from accelerator-based ...
Phys.org / An electric discovery: Pigeons detect magnetic fields through their inner ear
In 1882, the French Naturalist Camille Viguier was among the first to propose the existence of a magnetic sense. His speculation proved correct. Many animals—from bats, to migratory birds and sea turtles use the Earth's ...
Phys.org / Mercury pollution in marine mammals is increasing, new study finds
In 2017, a new global treaty was meant to bring mercury pollution under control. But three decades of data from UK harbor porpoises show mercury is still increasing, and is linked to a higher risk of dying from infectious ...
Phys.org / Symmetry simplifies quantum noise analysis, paving way for better error correction
Researchers from the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Maryland, and Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore have achieved a breakthrough in quantum noise characterization in quantum systems—a key ...
Phys.org / Understanding intrinsically disordered protein regions and their roles in cancer
Every function in a cell is associated with a particular protein or group of proteins, typically in a well-defined three-dimensional structure. However, intrinsically disordered regions of proteins defy this structure-function ...
Phys.org / Male green hermit hummingbirds: Bills evolved for battle
Let's get one thing out of the way: All hummingbirds fight. Most species fight for food, using their tiny bodies and sharp bills to force competitors away from flowers. But the green hermit hummingbird, which lives primarily ...
Phys.org / Why some volcanoes don't explode
The explosiveness of a volcanic eruption depends on how many gas bubbles form in the magma—and when. Until now, it was thought that gas bubbles were formed primarily when the ambient pressure dropped while the magma was ...
