Phys.org news
Phys.org / Mini-vortices in nanopores accelerate ion transport for faster supercapacitor charging
Tiny cavities in energy storage devices form small vortices that help with charging, according to a research team led by TU Darmstadt. This previously unknown phenomenon could advance the development of faster storage devices.
Phys.org / Surprising nanoscopic heat traps found in diamonds
Diamond is famous in material science for being the best natural heat conductor on Earth—but new research reveals that, at the atomic scale, it can briefly trap heat in unexpected ways. The findings could influence how ...
Phys.org / Geomorphological approach evaluates Galápagos watersheds
Galápagos is a living laboratory where every environmental decision matters. On Santa Cruz, the most populated island of the archipelago, freshwater is a limited and increasingly vulnerable resource due to urban growth, ...
Phys.org / Platelet-inspired nanoparticles can boost brain-computer interface electrode performance
Scientists working to enhance brain-computer interface (BCI) technology—which allows people to control devices with their thoughts—have found they can improve the performance of electrodes implanted in the brain by targeted ...
Phys.org / Energy-efficient hydrogen: Plant waste and chromium-coated copper catalyst improve electrolysis process
Hydrogen fuel could be an important part of the clean energy revolution. But it faces some challenges. Most hydrogen today is made from natural gas using a process called steam methane reforming, which produces lots of carbon ...
Phys.org / Male bonobos track females' reproductive cycle to maximize mating success
Male bonobos can decipher females' unreliable fertility signals, allowing them to focus their efforts on matings with the highest chance of conception, according to a study by Heungjin Ryu at Kyoto University, Japan, and ...
Phys.org / Female Galápagos seabirds have flings—and males seem OK with it
Perched on a plastic chair overlooking a colony of Nazca boobies in the Galápagos Islands, researcher David Anderson carefully studied the seabirds.
Phys.org / 2025 on track to tie second hottest year on record: EU monitor
The planet is on track to log its second hottest year on record in 2025, tied with 2023 after a historic high in 2024, Europe's global warming monitor said Tuesday.
Phys.org / Durable catalyst shields itself for affordable green hydrogen production
An international research team led by Professor Philip C.Y. Chow at The University of Hong Kong (HKU) has unveiled a new catalyst that overcomes a major challenge in producing green hydrogen at scale. This innovation makes ...
Phys.org / Microneedle system delivers biofertilizer directly into plants, boosting growth with less waste
Researchers at the National University of Singapore (NUS) have developed dissolving microneedle patches that deliver living "biofertilizer" straight into plant tissue. In greenhouse tests, Choy Sum and Kale grew faster—by ...
Phys.org / Melatonin wakes up plants, stimulating growth and boosting stress tolerance
In an interesting turn of botanical events, University of Houston engineers report that while melatonin keeps us asleep, it wakes up plants, helping them grow.
Phys.org / Trust in science is low among minorities for a reason, research finds
The COVID-19 pandemic prompted a nationwide conversation in the U.S. about how much people trust scientists and trained medical professionals. But for some communities, distrust has been the norm.