Phys.org news
Phys.org / Hail conditions on the move as winter crops face rising risk
A hailstorm can undo a season's work in minutes. It can strike quickly and unevenly, shredding wheat, bruising fruit, flattening crops—while also leaving neighboring paddocks untouched. In a new Nature Climate Change study, ...
Phys.org / Climate change may shift hailstorms toward Earth's poles—new study
Everyone has a storm story—whether it's that time you just escaped a downpour, or the hailstorm that wrote off your car. Even though hailstorms are relatively rare, they cause significant damage. Two new studies shed light ...
Phys.org / Detailed molecular picture of tooth enamel reveals adaptations to diet
From chewing to chomping to grinding, teeth suffer from a lifetime of repeated mechanical stress. It makes sense, then, that enamel is one of the hardest natural materials.
Phys.org / Whiskey chemistry propels microscopic machines through liquid
Whisky-inspired chemicals could help power a new generation of microscopic machines, according to researchers who have discovered a way to make tiny particles "swim" through liquid using compounds linked to the production ...
Phys.org / Cells have a built-in 'seatbelt' against sudden stress
When cells experience sudden physical stress, like stretching or pressure, they can activate a fast, protective mechanism that shields their nuclei from destruction, according to a new study published in the Biophysical Journal. ...
Phys.org / Dead Sea archaea sport reinforced swimming tail for hypersalty waters
Living in the Dead Sea would be a very unpleasant experience for most creatures. With salt concentration above 30% and temperatures ranging from 10–50°C, it takes unique environmental adaptations to survive in such harsh ...
Phys.org / Violating the 3rd law of black hole mechanics in vacuum gravity
Black holes, regions in space where gravity is so strong that nothing can escape, have been widely studied over the past decades, due to their unique and intriguing properties. Einstein's theory of general relativity predicts ...
Phys.org / World's largest scorpion revealed by 415-million-year-old fossils
Fossil fragments found in the U.K. have been identified as remains of the largest scorpions ever. Measuring more than a meter in length, Praearcturus gigas was among the first large predators to ever stalk the land.
Phys.org / Solar sails edge closer to reality, but interstellar travel is another story
From planetary rovers and asteroid sample return missions to the recent Artemis II flight above the far side of the moon, we are seemingly good at doing space. But our achievements still do not match many of our space dreams, ...
Phys.org / Distant blazar OP 313 emits very high-energy gamma rays above 100 GeV
An international team of astronomers have employed one of the Large-Sized Telescopes (LSTs) at the Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory (CTAO) to observe a distant blazar known as OP 313. Results of the observational campaign, ...
Phys.org / Genetically modified hookworms produce and deliver therapeutics
Hookworms, intestinal parasites that infect hundreds of millions of people in under-resourced tropical regions around the globe, have evolved to survive inside the human gut for years, secreting molecules that enable coexistence ...
Phys.org / Rising seas could eventually 'drown' mangroves and release carbon
Mangroves could store less carbon—and even begin releasing it—as sea levels rise, suggests new research in Earth's Future. Mangroves are made up of salt-tolerant plants that grow in coastal areas. They cover less than 1% ...