Phys.org news
Phys.org / Much of Earth's 'space dust' may come from unidentified near-Earth asteroids
Like a shelf in an old house, the Earth collects a lot of dust from its surroundings. This "space dust" is mostly made up of micrometeorites that survive atmospheric entry and provides researchers with a cheap and easy way ...
Phys.org / Baseline tool could separate alien life signals from geology on ocean worlds
When it comes to the search for life elsewhere in the universe, methane and other chemical compounds are seen as signs of biology because they are often produced by living microbes. However, scientists can be misled because ...
Phys.org / JWST finds the most distant barred galaxy candidate in the early universe
Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have identified what may be the most distant barred spiral galaxy ever discovered, dating to a time less than 1.2 billion years after the Big Bang. The paper outlining its ...
Phys.org / How approaching sounds can warp your perception of time
Everyone's perception of time is unique. It is a subjective experience shaped by factors such as age, emotions, memory and environmental contexts. And it may also be influenced by background noise, as scientists have demonstrated ...
Phys.org / Scientists just measured the smallest possible contacts for future computer chips
The rise of AI has created an almost insatiable appetite for computing power. Training and running AI systems requires vast numbers of transistors, and engineers are now racing to pack more of them onto every chip. With their ...
Phys.org / 'Cosmic wallflowers' may hold the key to the origin of globular clusters
Astronomers using computer simulations have investigated whether a class of star clusters nicknamed "cosmic wallflowers" could be the long-sought ancestors of the globular clusters we see orbiting galaxies today. Their paper, ...
Phys.org / Rare color shifting discovered in iconic Australian frog
University of Newcastle researchers have documented one of the clearest examples of iridescence ever recorded in an amphibian, revealing that the endangered green and golden bell frog (Ranoidea aurea) possesses intricate ...
Phys.org / Steering light in a flash: New chip redirects light beams in less than a trillionth of a second
Light can carry enormous amounts of information at extreme speeds, making photonic technologies promising for the development of faster communications, more powerful computing systems and more sensitive sensors. But for light ...
Phys.org / Quantum computers model nine fusion fuel material configurations for first time
A team of scientists from Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Cleveland Clinic and IBM has calculated nine molecular configurations of a promising material to produce fuel for fusion energy—the first known instance of such computations ...
Phys.org / Satellite record reveals US tidal wetland productivity rose 6% in 20 years
Carbon sequestration, climate regulation, biodiversity support and shoreline protection: These are all benefits provided by tidal wetlands. As the climate changes, the amount of carbon captured by these vital ecosystems may ...
Phys.org / Medieval text family trees suggest 60% of works vanished over centuries
For every King Arthur or Roland, whose adventures readers can still enjoy today, another hero of ancient literature may have been lost forever. Before the printing press, texts were copied manually. This process introduced ...
Phys.org / New ultrathin lens focuses light into an optical needle
Researchers have created a special flat lens that shapes light into an optical needle—a thin beam that stays tightly focused over a long distance. Combining this lens, which is about 7 microns thick, with optical coherence ...
