Phys.org news
Phys.org / Gene discovery could shave years off avocado breeding
Scientists have found a genetic switch that could shave years off avocado breeding by allowing researchers to identify one of a young tree's most important traits long before it flowers.
Phys.org / A successful, sustainable catalyst for ethanol dehydrogenation
Ethanol is an alcohol used in a vast number of industrial and household applications. When dehydrogenated—in this case, stripped of some of its hydrogen atoms—it yields another important compound: acetaldehyde, which is used ...
Phys.org / Private mission to rescue NASA's aging telescope runs into its own trouble
The spacecraft rushing to the rescue of an aging and sinking NASA telescope has run into its own problem.
Phys.org / Understanding eras: Predicting audience preferences with new perspective on nostalgia
When brands spend millions every year to transport Super Bowl audiences back in time during commercials, what happens if they choose the wrong era? Knowing who prefers which part of history is valuable marketing knowledge, ...
Phys.org / Repeating distance patterns let optical systems tackle large optimization problems
From planning transportation networks to organizing massive datasets, many of society's most important challenges boil down to an optimization problem: finding the best solution among an enormous number of possibilities. ...
Phys.org / The cost of memory: How organisms balance thinking and sensing
Remembering the past can help living organisms make better decisions, but memory comes at a cost. Whether it is an animal searching for food or a single cell responding to its surroundings, storing and using information requires ...
Phys.org / Mosquitoes are rapidly activating enzymes against common insecticide, researchers warn
Traditionally, public health programs have relied on chemicals for mosquito management, which may be why combating mosquitoes is becoming more difficult. Over time, insecticides trigger biochemical and genetic variations ...
Phys.org / 100% organic free-range egg production could have negative consequences for climate and nature
A study published in Royal Society Open Science reveals striking trade-offs when it comes to different methods of egg production. Using UK data, the study compared several possible scenarios for the egg industry, including ...
Phys.org / Deformed head shapes in fossilized humans show their infants were probably just as helpless as modern human babies
Archaic human parents had to look after helpless infants like modern-day parents do, according to new research. Human babies are born less developed than those of other great apes and are therefore unable to move as freely. ...
Phys.org / Queen bee pheromones help daughters decide whether to stay or leave the nest
Female sweat bees need to make a pivotal life decision: remain in the nest to help their mother raise more offspring or leave to establish nests of their own. New research from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute ...
Phys.org / Ultracold neutrons don't disappear into the mirror world
For decades, a theory in physics has postulated the existence of a mirror world whose interaction with our own reality is extremely feeble. The particles in this mirror universe are also thought to be candidates for dark ...
Phys.org / DNA studies uncover a forgotten population at the top of the world
Scientists have uncovered an ancient population previously unknown to science in Ladakh, a high-altitude region in northern India. Their studies revealed individuals with a nearly perfect 50–50 mix of South Asian-related ...
