Phys.org news

Phys.org / Lunar landforms indicate geologically recent seismic activity on the moon

The moon's steadfast illumination of our night sky has been a source of wonder and inspiration for millennia. Since the first satellite images of its surface were taken in the 1960s, our understanding of Earth's companion ...

Apr 24, 2024 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Giant virus discovered in wastewater treatment plant infects deadly parasite

The single-celled organism Naegleria fowleri ranks among the deadliest human parasites. Researchers around Matthias Horn and Patrick Arthofer from the Center for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science at the University ...

Apr 24, 2024 in Biology
Phys.org / Researchers uncover 'parallel universe' in tomato genetics

In a paper appearing in Science Advances, Michigan State University researchers have unraveled a surprising genetic mystery centered on sugars found in what gardeners know as "tomato tar."

Apr 24, 2024 in Biology
Phys.org / Hidden biosphere discovered beneath world's driest hot desert

In a finding with implications for the search for extraterrestrial life, researchers have discovered microbial life 13 feet below Earth's most inhospitable desert. The research is published in the journal PNAS Nexus.

Apr 24, 2024 in Biology
Phys.org / Researcher finds that wood frogs evolved rapidly in response to road salts

When we think of evolution, we think of a process that happens over hundreds or thousands of years. In research published in Ecology and Evolution a team led by Rick Relyea, Ph.D., professor of biological sciences and David ...

Apr 24, 2024 in Biology
Phys.org / Light stands still in a deformed crystal

AMOLF researchers, in collaboration with Delft University of Technology, have succeeded in bringing light waves to a halt by deforming the two-dimensional photonic crystal that contains them. The researchers show that even ...

Apr 24, 2024 in Physics
Phys.org / Some cannabis rolling papers may contain unhealthy levels of heavy metals

A team of chemists at Lake Superior State University, working with colleagues from Wayne State University, both in Michigan, and two representatives from JEOL U.S., a lab equipment maker, has found that some cannabis rolling ...

Apr 24, 2024 in Chemistry
Phys.org / Researchers find oldest undisputed evidence of Earth's magnetic field

A new study, led by the University of Oxford and MIT, has recovered a 3.7-billion-year-old record of Earth's magnetic field, and found that it appears remarkably similar to the field surrounding Earth today. The findings ...

Apr 24, 2024 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Ultrasensitive photonic crystal detects single particles down to 50 nanometers

Using an ultrasensitive photonic crystal, TU/e researchers were able to detect single particles down to 50 nanometers in diameter. The new research has just been published in the journal Optica.

Apr 24, 2024 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / How evolution has optimized the magnetic sensor in birds

Migratory birds are able to navigate and orientate with astonishing accuracy using various mechanisms, including a magnetic compass. A team led by biologists Dr. Corinna Langebrake and Prof. Dr. Miriam Liedvogel from the ...

Apr 24, 2024 in Biology
Phys.org / Scientists map soil RNA to fungal genomes to understand forest ecosystems

If a tree falls in the forest—whether or not anyone registers the sound—one thing is for sure: there are lots of fungi around. Within a forest's soil, hundreds of species decompose debris, mobilize nutrients from that ...

Apr 24, 2024 in Biology
Phys.org / Study suggests that cells possess a hidden communication system

Cells constantly navigate a dynamic environment, facing ever-changing conditions and challenges. But how do cells swiftly adapt to these environmental fluctuations?

Apr 24, 2024 in Biology