Phys.org news
Phys.org / Satellite constellations could create spiraling space debris
To date, close to 30,000 satellites have been launched into Earth's orbit, leading to mounting concerns over the debris created when they collide. In a new analysis posted to the preprint server arXiv, Hugh Lewis of the University ...
Phys.org / Long-sought Zhang-Rice singlet visualized directly in cuprate superconductor
Superconductors are materials that conduct electricity with zero electrical resistance below specific temperatures. Most of these materials become superconducting at very low temperatures, but some also exhibit superconductivity ...
Phys.org / Recyclable glue bonds underwater in seconds and holds for years
Most glues need a dry surface to stick properly. Bonding materials underwater is challenging because water forms a thin film on any surface, so instead of an adhesive touching a material directly, it touches a layer of water, ...
Phys.org / River shipping emits nearly one-quarter of global shipping CO₂, analysis finds
River and canal ships generate roughly a quarter of the world's shipping carbon dioxide emissions, according to new research published in Nature Climate Change. And that's despite the fact that these bodies of water make ...
Phys.org / Famous oddball quasar isn't X-ray weak after all, astronomers say
For more than two decades, the quasar PHL 1811 has been considered the prototype of a rare class of "intrinsically X-ray weak" quasars, thought to produce unusually little X-ray radiation. But in 2024, the Einstein Probe ...
Phys.org / Unfamiliar with rattlesnakes, blackbirds still avoid striking them while defending nests
In a rare study of snakes as nest predators, scientists found nesting birds were loath to strike rattlesnakes even though they likely had no previous experience with vipers.
Phys.org / Models of glacial collapse in Antarctica improve predictions of sea-level rise
With approximately one-third of the world's population living within a day's walk of a coastline, sea-level rise poses a serious global threat. Every centimeter of sea-level rise could displace 1.5 million people, and current ...
Phys.org / New evidence helps solve how earliest birds took flight
The first bird to inhabit Earth used its robust hind legs to make two or three powerful leaps while flapping its way to flight, according to a study by the University of Southampton published in Developmental Biology.
Phys.org / A dying star offers a rare glimpse of how the universe recycles its raw materials
Astronomers have captured an unprecedented image of a cosmic recycling project in progress—fragments of a dying star being busted up, stripped and absorbed into interstellar space.
Phys.org / Hurricane Hunter data reveal early signs of strengthening tropical cyclones
Before tropical cyclones can significantly strengthen, they generally must first become vertically aligned, with their rotating centers stacked through the atmosphere. New research using nearly three decades of NOAA Hurricane ...
Phys.org / Severe weather now a key predictor of where bird species occur in North America
Scorching heat waves, severe cold snaps and other extreme weather events are limiting where species can exist—and affecting biodiversity estimates—for more than 500 North American bird species, according to a new, Yale–led ...
Phys.org / Unsupervised free time increases the likelihood that adolescents will engage in violent behavior, 21-country study finds
A study involving more than 58,000 adolescents from 21 countries found that "unstructured free time"—defined as periods without adult supervision or activities guided by educational, cultural or athletic goals—is strongly ...