Phys.org news
Phys.org / International team says science alone won't save coral reefs
Coral reefs are disappearing at an unprecedented rate as climate change, marine heat waves, pollution and coastal development threaten one of Earth's richest ecosystems. While scientific research has greatly advanced understanding ...
Phys.org / Simple treatment strengthens pineapple leaf fibers for sustainable composites
Pineapple leaf fiber has long been valued in parts of Southeast Asia for traditional uses, including basketry in Malaysia and Thailand and textile applications in the Philippines. Its high cellulose content and ready availability ...
Phys.org / Turning up the heat on cancer: Manganese ferrite nanoparticles outperform rivals
Scientists have long known that heat can be used to help fight cancer. But heating tumors and cancer cells is trickier than it sounds. Apply too much heat and patients could get hurt; apply too little or target the wrong ...
Phys.org / Ocean acidification may be shrinking the brains of the world's most intelligent invertebrates
An ongoing research project exploring the effects of rising levels of oceanic CO2 on squid neurology reveals that exposure to future levels of ocean acidification could shrink their brain volume by around 50%. This severe ...
Phys.org / Making the 'invisible' visible: How high-speed movies could change the way scientists study disease
High-speed movies of microscopic worms may sound like a dull night at the cinema, but this advanced imaging capability could help scientists better understand how diseases begin and progress, track subtle changes in cells ...
Phys.org / Is the state of nature fair? Researchers measure how biomass is distributed in microbial communities
The distribution of income and growing inequality are central themes in public debate. Far less attention has been paid to how resources are distributed in ecological communities, in the so-called state of nature, without ...
Phys.org / Traveling protein waves reveal how dividing cells set chromosome-splitting spindle size
When a human cell prepares to split into two daughter cells, it must first construct a tiny internal machine called the mitotic spindle—a structure of protein fibers that physically pulls chromosomes apart and deposits one ...
Phys.org / How cells keep genomic hitchhikers under control
Much of the genome is made up of repetitive DNA sequences that trace back to ancient mobile elements, many of which have lost their ability to copy themselves into new locations but can still cause problems if they become ...
Phys.org / What powers the Everglades? Study tracks how algae and plant matter fuel the food web
Scientists thought dead plant material was primarily powering the Everglades. Algae says not so fast.
Phys.org / Romantic relationships with AI evolve in a similar way to human ones
A new study shows that relationships with artificial intelligence (AI) systems can evolve from casual conversations to bonds characterized by emotional intimacy, emotional dependence or experiences similar to a romantic breakup. ...
Phys.org / JWST's 'overmassive' early black holes may not be so massive after all
Astronomers studying a population of unusually X-ray-silent and overmassive black holes discovered by the James Webb Space Telescope have found that they may not be as massive as they appear. The new paper, outlining a plausible ...
Phys.org / Long-theorized electron-on-helium qubit achieves strong coupling to a single microwave photon
Quantum computers, devices that store and process information leveraging the principles of quantum mechanics, have been found to be promising for tackling some problems that cannot be solved by classical computers. Quantum ...
