Phys.org news
Phys.org / A few weeks of X's algorithm can make you more right-wing—and it doesn't wear off quickly
A new study published in Nature has found that X's algorithm—the hidden system or "recipe" that governs which posts appear in your feed and in which order—shifts users' political opinions in a more conservative direction.
Phys.org / How fast is the universe expanding? Supernova could provide the answer
That the universe is expanding has been known for almost a hundred years now, but how fast? The exact rate of that expansion remains hotly debated, even challenging the standard model of cosmology. A research team at the ...
Phys.org / Hiding in plain sight: Discovery of cryptic species could double the number of vertebrates
There may be twice as many vertebrates on the planet as previous estimates claimed, according to a new study published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. That's not because of any errors ...
Phys.org / Triplet superconductivity—physicists may have found the missing link for quantum computers
Many physicists are searching for a triplet superconductor. Indeed, we could all do with one, although we may not know it yet—or understand why. Triplet superconductors could be the key to achieving the most energy-efficient ...
Phys.org / Could a recently reported high-energy neutrino event be explained by an exploding primordial black hole?
The KM3NeT collaboration is a large research group involved in the operation of a neutrino telescope network in the deep Mediterranean Sea, with the aim of detecting high-energy neutrino events. These are rare and fleeting ...
Phys.org / Quantum entanglement pushes optical clocks to new precision
By replacing single atoms with an entangled pair of ions, physicists in Germany have demonstrated unprecedented stability in an optical clock. Publishing their results in Physical Review Letters, a team led by Kai Dietze ...
Phys.org / New 'scimitar-crested' Spinosaurus species discovered in the central Sahara
A paper published in Science describes the discovery of Spinosaurus mirabilis, a new spinosaurid species found in Niger. A 20-person team led by Paul Sereno, Ph.D., Professor of Organismal Biology and Anatomy at the University ...
Phys.org / Helping beekeepers fight mites through more effective treatments
Researchers from the USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and the University of California, Davis, are helping beekeepers protect their colonies from destructive varroa mites. In a new study, the researchers investigate ...
Phys.org / A key out-of-Africa site just got older: Dating methods push 'Ubeidiya site back at least 1.9 million years
A new study provides a clearer timeline for one of the most significant prehistoric sites worldwide for the study of human evolution. By integrating three advanced dating techniques, researchers have determined that the site ...
Phys.org / New chip-scale microcomb uses lithium niobate to generate evenly spaced light
Applied physicists in the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) have discovered a new way to generate ultra-precise, evenly spaced "combs" of laser light on a photonic chip, a breakthrough ...
Phys.org / Archived tree cores reveal why boreal forests are getting starved for nitrogen
Despite decades of industrial deposition, nitrogen availability in the boreal forest is steadily declining. In a new study published in Nature, researchers from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences using decades ...
Phys.org / Nature-inspired method forms ZnO quantum dots in solid crystals at room temperature
In nature, tiny crystals known as nanocrystals are formed slowly over many years. Rocks and minerals react with air, water, and carbon dioxide in a process called chemical weathering. These reactions happen gently, at room ...