Phys.org news
Phys.org / Using light to probe fractional charges in a fractional Chern insulator
In some quantum materials, which are materials governed by quantum mechanical effects, interactions between charged particles (i.e., electrons) can prompt the creation of quasiparticles called anyons, which carry only a fraction ...
Phys.org / Long-term radio observations probe a relativistic binary pulsar system
Astronomers have analyzed the data from long-term radio observations of a binary pulsar known as PSR J1906+0746. Results of the new study, published February 5 on the arXiv pre-print server, deliver important information ...
Phys.org / Antarctica sits above Earth's strongest 'gravity hole.' Now we know how it got that way
Gravity feels reliable—stable and consistent enough to count on. But reality is far stranger than our intuition. In truth, the strength of gravity varies over Earth's surface. And it is weakest beneath the frozen continent ...
Phys.org / Amazon rainforest flipped to carbon source during 2023 extreme drought, study shows
The Amazon rainforest is of crucial importance to the Earth's ecosystem, given its capacity to store substantial amounts of carbon in its vegetation. In 2023, the region experienced unusually high temperatures, reaching 1.5°C ...
Phys.org / Laser-made surface repels nearly any liquid, even after fivefold stretching
Researchers from North Carolina State University have used laser ablation to create ultra-stretchable, superomniphobic materials without the use of harsh chemical solvents. The materials—which are useful in applications ...
Phys.org / New species of ancient crocodile named in honor of Welsh school teacher
A new species of crocodylomorph dating to about 215 million years ago has been described from the U.K. It has been called Galahadosuchus jonesi in recognition of David Rhys Jones, a secondary school physics teacher from Ysgol ...
Phys.org / Offshore wind farms change ocean current patterns, simulations show
By 2050, offshore wind power capacity in the North Sea is set to increase more than tenfold. Researchers at the Helmholtz Center Hereon have analyzed the long-term overall impact of this large number of wind farms on the ...
Phys.org / Researchers uncover MraZ 'donut' deformation that triggers bacterial cell division
A research team led by UAB researcher David Reverter has discovered the molecular mechanism that describes in detail the process regulating cell division in bacteria, based on the binding of the MraZ protein to the dcw gene ...
Phys.org / Molecular 'knitting machine' for bacterial capsules mapped in 3D
Most bacteria, including many bacterial pathogens, are surrounded by an outer protective layer of sugar molecules, known as a capsule. This primarily protects the bacteria from environmental influences, but also serves as ...
Dialog / Evidence that some birds are stubborn appears in the form of color preferences
We like to think that animals follow the crowd. If most of the group does something, surely the individual will copy. But what if the story is more complicated? What if the deciding factor isn't just what the majority is ...
Phys.org / Isotopes reveal how social status shaped diet in medieval England
Isotope analysis reveals that social status and wealth had a profound impact on diet in medieval England, showing that people from different social groups in medieval Cambridge ate markedly different food. The research, carried ...
Phys.org / If alien signals have already reached Earth, why haven't we seen them?
For decades, scientists have searched the skies for signs of extraterrestrial technology. A study from EPFL asks a sharp question: if alien signals have already reached Earth without us noticing, what should we realistically ...
