Phys.org news
Phys.org / Turtles finally have a place in the tree of life thanks to an X‑ray study of South African fossils
The origin of turtles has always been a bit of a puzzle for scientists who study the evolution of animals. To this day, where they fit in the tree of life remains a highly debated topic.
Phys.org / Red dwarf stars detected 'eating' Earth-like planets
Astronomers have found some of the strongest evidence yet that stars can swallow their own planets. A new study, published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, supports the long-held belief that young stars ...
Phys.org / Mineral clues in Gale Crater track ancient Mars climate change
While NASA imagery has shown evidence of ancient rivers and lakes on Mars that transitioned to dry dunes, uncertainty remains over the timing of the environmental changes that may have contributed to these shifts.
Phys.org / Silver nanoparticles enable assembly of a theorized, previously unobserved crystal metallic structure
Using finely tuned nanoscale building blocks, researchers from Brown University and the University of Michigan College of Engineering have stabilized a fleeting structural phase of matter that had been predicted theoretically ...
Phys.org / New ammonia-making method could upend one of industry's dirtiest processes
As our world's population grows, so does the demand for ammonia—a key ingredient in fertilizer. The International Renewable Energy Agency estimates that ammonia production must quadruple by 2050 to feed the increase in global ...
Phys.org / Why the most massive galaxies in the early universe stopped forming stars prematurely
Astronomical observations show that the most massive galaxies in the early universe formed approximately three to four billion years after the Big Bang and stopped producing stars very early in cosmic history, around one ...
Phys.org / Scientists unlock evolution of gigantism in Scottish island wrens
A new study of British wrens has provided new insights into the inner workings of "island syndromes," according to research led by the University of Birmingham. The paper, published in the Evolutionary Journal of the Linnean ...
Phys.org / A 'Balrog' in the tunnels: Scientists discover a new cave cricket species on the tiny island of Kastellorizo, Greece
Despite the intensity of modern exploration, the eastern Mediterranean continues to yield unexpected discoveries. On the small Greek island of Kastellorizo, researchers have documented a previously unknown cave cricket thriving ...
Phys.org / How bacteria survive with almost no oxygen— and why blocking one enzyme could aid new antibiotics
Researchers in Leiden have, for the first time, observed how a specialized enzyme helps bacteria stay alive when oxygen levels are low, and how that process can be blocked. The study, published in Science Advances, opens ...
Phys.org / Ultrafast holographic imaging reveals electron and magnetic dynamics inside next-generation materials
An extremely fast microscopy method to research the interaction of light and matter makes it possible to study optical processes on very short timescales. To this end, a German–Italian research team is combining holographic ...
Phys.org / Spin wave signals used in computing boosted more than 5,000 times in Z-shaped path approach
A research team from Tohoku University, Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd., and École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) has invented a new way to efficiently guide spin waves around sharp corners with minimal loss—representing ...
Phys.org / Shock waves show how baby stars' cradles get their radial shape in 3D simulations
The universe is full of fascinating structures, and some of the most striking take shape inside the giant clouds where stars are born. There, streams of gas appear to converge from all directions toward a dense central hub, ...
