Phys.org news
Phys.org / Ancient asteroid barrage may explain why early Earth had no stable continents
New research led by Curtin University and QUT (Queensland University of Technology) has revealed that repeated asteroid impacts may have been the dominant force shaping early Earth, delivering vast amounts of heat into the ...
Phys.org / Natural hallucinogens may have evolved as ecological tools, not chemical accidents
Natural hallucinogens, such as psilocybin, mescaline, N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and related compounds, have generally received attention for their effects on human perception, emotion and cognition. Recently, interest ...
Phys.org / Commute stress can fuel workplace conflict, but research suggests a simple fix
Pothole season, summer construction season or maybe bad weather. No matter the time of year, it's no surprise commuters who drive to work may start their day already feeling a bit on edge.
Phys.org / Ultra-precise technology can count damaged DNA fragments
The Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science has developed an ultrasensitive immunoassay-based analytical platform that can detect and quantify trace amounts of "Small Excised Damaged DNA (sedDNA)" fragments generated ...
Phys.org / Fossils upend catastrophist narrative that flowering plants flourished only after dinosaur extinction
A unique cache of plant fossils from volcanic deposits in New Mexico contradicts the common narrative that flowering plants were minor players in Earth's forests until dinosaurs disappeared 66 million years ago.
Phys.org / New insight into how cells move copper out of the mitochondrial matrix could guide novel treatments
Copper is essential for life. Our cells need the metal to make energy and stay healthy, but if it is in the wrong place or present in excess, copper can be deadly. Texas A&M AgriLife Research scientists have identified a ...
Phys.org / Seven exotic quantum phases predicted in ultracold magnetic atoms, including topological superconductivity
Strongly interacting quantum particles are key to some of the most fascinating phenomena in modern physics—from magnetism and superconductivity to topological states. Yet the complexity of such systems makes many of their ...
Phys.org / Fossil fish tooth chemistry uncovers Southern Hemisphere role in Earth's ice age shift
To understand where Earth might be headed, it's important to know where it has been. Throughout its existence, especially over the past couple of million years, Earth has experienced periodic cold and warm intervals, known ...
Phys.org / Check politics at the door? Not at many workplaces, researcher says
When people think of workplace segregation, they usually think of race or gender. Yet Americans are also sorted at work by something employers rarely measure: how they vote.
Phys.org / How ancient subduction zones helped create hotspots of mineral wealth
A study led by geoscientists at the University of Sydney has revealed why some ancient continental edges became fertile sites for major mineral deposits, while others with apparently similar geology did not.
Phys.org / What really controls water chemistry in nanoscale spaces
Water is the most studied molecule on Earth, yet a surprisingly basic question has gone unanswered for decades: When water is squeezed into gaps just a few molecules wide—as happens inside nanoscale pores, membranes and biological ...
Phys.org / Defect detection automated in diamond, other advanced semiconductors
Materials scientists at Rice University have developed a new workflow methodology for measuring microscopic defects in diamond and other advanced semiconductor materials. By making it easier to spot flaws that can undermine ...
