Phys.org news
Phys.org / Why these birds meet again in Africa: Flycatcher study reveals how genes and environment guide 13,000‑km migrations
Migratory birds such as the pied flycatcher typically have wintering locations in Africa close to others from the same breeding population. That means that birds breeding in the Netherlands run into each other again in Africa, ...
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 / Inorganic nanoscale device behaves like a single neuron, opening doors for AI and retinal implants
McGill University researchers have developed a light-detecting nanoscale structure that mimics how a neuron processes information. The neuron-like behavior emerges from the materials themselves, reducing the energy demand ...
Phys.org / Plankton-linked vapors could speed cloud seed formation over cold oceans
For nearly 50 years, scientists have suspected that microscopic marine plankton play a role in cloud formation over the oceans. Now, an experiment led by the University of Helsinki suggests that it may be more important than ...
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 / Scientists develop predictive roadmap to boost performance in next-gen spintronics
Chiral 2D metal halide perovskites (MHPs) are among the most promising materials for future technologies that exploit the spin of electrons in spin-based optoelectronics, or spintronics, but getting them to perform consistently ...
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 / 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 / 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 / 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 / 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 ...
