Phys.org news
Phys.org / Rare ultra-magnetic star may be key to solving 90-year old quantum cold case
Astronomers may have just confirmed one of the quirkiest aspects of quantum mechanics: that seemingly empty space can alter the behavior of light. This phenomenon, called "vacuum birefringence," was first predicted nearly ...
Phys.org / AI for homework—parents more willing to pay subscriptions for their children as peer pressure rises
Many parents have mixed feelings about the unrestricted use of artificial intelligence (AI) for schoolwork. They are concerned about the potential impact on their child's ability to learn but also don't want them to be left ...
Phys.org / Decoding the North American bison's genome to better inform conservation efforts
A new study by ancient DNA researchers at the University of California, Santa Cruz, used paleogenomics to create a genetic roadmap to help guide the restoration of another iconic species once on the brink of extinction: the ...
Phys.org / Mitochondria act as sensors for essential iron molecule, study reveals
Heme, a bioactive form of iron, has numerous essential functions in the cell. As a key component of hemoglobin, it enables oxygen transport in the blood. In addition, it performs important functions in other proteins in processes ...
Phys.org / An elegant modification doubles the range of low-noise 'white lasers' in a single fiber
Supercontinuum light sources—often called "white lasers" because they emit a broad, continuous rainbow of colors—are essential tools for everything from advanced medical imaging to environmental gas detection. However, researchers ...
Phys.org / Never-before-seen woven structure that forms naturally inside a crystal discovered
For the first time, scientists have observed a three-dimensional woven structure forming naturally inside a crystal, revealing a previously unknown way in which matter can organize itself.
Phys.org / One-third of agricultural land accounts for two-thirds of global impact, study reveals
Agriculture covers more than 40% of Earth's habitable land and plays a central role in both climate change and biodiversity loss. Yet the impact of agriculture is far from evenly distributed across space.
Phys.org / Two decades of blazar observations, and the mysteries keep piling up
Narrow jets of luminous matter may be emitted toward Earth from the nuclei of active galaxies billions of light-years away. The galaxy then appears as a point source and is called a blazar. A Polish-German team of scientists ...
Phys.org / Bacterial enzyme switch could weaken antibiotic defenses in MRSA and other pathogens
If you ask Vijay Parashar, associate professor of medical and molecular sciences (MMSC) at the University of Delaware College of Health Sciences, human bodies are bags of bacteria. "It sounds gross, but not all bacteria are ...
Phys.org / How 'smart' hydrogel packaging tells you if your food is still fresh
The cuts of meat in a supermarket case can look perfectly fresh even as bacteria are already multiplying inside the package. Is there a way to know before you open it?
Phys.org / Super-Earths may be solid deep inside their mantles
Deep inside super-Earths—rocky planets with masses between 1 and 10 times that of Earth—high pressure can cause familiar minerals to take forms rarely seen on Earth. Understanding more about the temperature and pressure conditions ...
Phys.org / Trillion-mile gas streamer may explain tilt of triple-star system's outer planet-forming ring
A team of astronomers using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) has captured a massive stream of gas—one trillion miles, or 0.2 light-years, long—feeding the young triple-star system GW Orionis. These ...
