Phys.org news
Phys.org / From strays to territory bosses: Epigenetics makes cheetahs adaptable
The findings of a new study led by the Leibniz-IZW on Namibian free-ranging cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus jubatus) demonstrate that epigenetic mechanisms might play an important role in how animals develop different phenotypes ...
Phys.org / Can atmospheric methane removal limit peak warming?
In a new report, the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) concludes that global warming is expected to exceed 1.5°C within the next few years. This makes two questions increasingly important: how high will temperatures ...
Phys.org / Bumpy battery surfaces can masquerade as nanoscale ion pathways, misleading material design
A signal that appears to show ions moving inside a battery may, in fact, be an illusion caused by an uneven surface. A KAIST research team has identified the origin of this type of artifact, which can lead researchers to ...
Phys.org / Deep biosphere has endured mountain-building and erosion over hundreds of millions of years
A new study reveals that microbial life deep within Earth has persisted and repeatedly flourished through hundreds of millions of years of mountain-building and erosion. By analyzing minerals, fluids and gases from a 2.3-kilometer-deep ...
Phys.org / How 'hyperselection' is making modern life efficient, pleasant—and boring
It's difficult to imagine a song like Queen's 1975 "Bohemian Rhapsody" topping the charts today. Almost six minutes long, it moves through several radically different musical sections and famously ignores the conventional ...
Phys.org / How climate change may amplify the impact of earthquakes in the Arctic
Permafrost refers to permanently frozen ground. The rock is held together by ice, much like cement binds concrete. However, when the ice thaws, the ground becomes weak and unstable. During an earthquake, this can trigger ...
Phys.org / Slender crystal's blue-to-yellow glow could make invisible forces visible
Applying pressure to luminescent organic crystals usually brings molecules closer together and weakens their fluorescence. Materials that instead brighten and undergo a large color change are rare, and clear design principles ...
Phys.org / Why 'you're smart' can backfire: Young children may cheat more after ability praise
Parents and teachers might think telling kids "they're smart" is a helpful way to build self-confidence and support positive development.
Phys.org / Reversible electric control unlocks persistent chiral phonon states
Atoms in a material are rarely still. They jiggle back and forth in collective lattice vibrations known as phonons. Their motion can also carry a rotational element: In 2023, scientists at PSI experimentally proved the existence ...
Phys.org / New model measures economic risks solar storms pose to US power grid
In 1967, a solar storm nearly triggered World War III by jamming early-warning radar systems in the United States, causing U.S. leaders to think the Soviet Union was responsible. Though society averted catastrophe thanks ...
Phys.org / Ancient charcoal reveals evidence of wildfires near the South Pole
A journey back in time to the Late Cretaceous: A swampy rainforest with conifers and tree ferns stretches as far as the eye can see, dinosaurs roam through the misty wetlands, and the climate is mild and warm. The average ...
Phys.org / Neutrophil vesicles help Candida albicans evade immune-cell engulfment
The immune system is a highly sophisticated defense network designed to protect against pathogens. A research team from the Universities of Würzburg and Jena and the Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection ...
