Phys.org news
Phys.org / Watermelon super-pangenome paves the way for precision breeding
Watermelon is a quintessential summertime fruit, evoking images of warm, sunny afternoons and cookouts with friends and family. You can easily picture its striped, green rind and pink flesh, imagine the delicate crunch as ...
Phys.org / Microplastics pass through earthworms without accumulating in body tissues, study shows
As much as 40 million metric tons of microplastics are released into the environment globally every year. These tiny pieces of plastic come from larger plastic items that break down or are shed by products such as clothing, ...
Phys.org / Tiny eggs may explain why ammonites vanished while nautiloids survived asteroid aftermath
Some of the most beautiful creatures to grace the ancient seas, the ammonites, disappeared in the end-Cretaceous mass extinction that finished off the dinosaurs 65.5 million years ago. "It's a tragic story, because this incredibly ...
Phys.org / Dog training choices may reflect owners' ethical views on animals
Whether a dog owner rewards their dog with a treat or corrects it by pulling on the leash is not simply a matter of what they believe to be the most effective training method. According to the study, owners' choice of training ...
Phys.org / Greener process recovers over 96% of rare earths from permanent magnets
Researchers from the University of Jyväskylä, Finland, have developed a solid-phase extraction process that enables the eco-friendly recovery of critical raw materials from NdFeB magnets. The developed method utilizes organic ...
Phys.org / Chemistry-aware AI can generate millions of plausible new molecules
Finding and developing new molecules is one of the great research endeavors of modern chemistry. From the development of new drugs to the creation of more sustainable materials, everything depends on finding new combinations ...
Phys.org / A chemical failsafe can save crops from disease without crushing growth
Salicylic acid, the active molecule in aspirin and some acne medications, is a hormone in plants that is essential for immunity, but it's a double-edged sword: Too much can cause autoimmunity and stunt growth. In a study ...
Phys.org / Indigenous Andeans have a digestive superpower—and it may be linked to potatoes
Indigenous people of the Andes were the first to domesticate the potato, making the starch-rich crop a dietary staple for this high-altitude population long before it spread to the rest of the world. Today, their descendants ...
Phys.org / Astronomers map lifetime of over 100,000 molecular clouds across 66 galaxies
An international team of astronomers has analyzed the data from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) to investigate giant molecular clouds in nearby galaxies. The new ...
Phys.org / JWST pins down the origins of a planetary odd couple
Across the Milky Way galaxy, a planetary odd couple is circling a star some 190 light years from Earth. A normally "lonely" hot Jupiter is sharing space with a mini-Neptune, in a rare and unlikely pairing that's had astronomers ...
Phys.org / Physics-based weather models more accurate than AI at predicting extreme weather
Weather forecasting is another aspect of modern life that artificial intelligence is transforming. Models like GraphCast, Pangu-Weather, and Fuxi are already better than traditional physics-based climate models at predicting ...
Phys.org / Unraveling the evolution of an extraordinary photosynthesis in a tropical tree species
Plants use sunlight to convert water and carbon dioxide into energy-rich sugars and oxygen in various ways (photosynthesis). Drought is a major challenge in this process. A research team led by Wolfram Weckwerth at the University ...
