Phys.org news
Phys.org / A safer, nonflammable battery electrolyte exists, but self-assembly flaw is holding it back
Many important technologies, from handheld phones to medical devices and transportation vehicles, rely on rechargeable batteries. Modern top-of-the-line rechargeable batteries transport lithium ions between electrodes to ...
Phys.org / Diamonds are not a geoengineer's best friend: Carbon impurities provide a reality check
The field of solar geoengineering revolves around the idea of cooling the globe via the injection of aerosols to reflect sunlight or to thin clouds. One such strategy, stratospheric aerosol injection (SAI), aims to mimic ...
Phys.org / An end to the battle between touchscreens and long fingernails is on the horizon
Anybody who has tried to use a smartphone or tablet with long nails knows that there's a learning curve. Rather than effortlessly tapping with a fingertip, you must awkwardly lay the pads of your fingers onto the screen. ...
Phys.org / Green clay courts serve up environmental solutions by absorbing carbon dioxide
Green clay tennis courts are able to absorb massive amounts of carbon dioxide via enhanced rock weathering, according to a new study in Applied Geochemistry. Enhanced rock weathering—the process of using silicate rocks ...
Phys.org / Nanoplastics become more harmful after being outdoors, study finds
When cutlery, insulation, packaging and other items made of polystyrene plastic break down, they can form nanoplastics up to 100 times thinner than the average human hair—small enough to be inhaled into the lungs. For the ...
Phys.org / Mining a methane-degrading bioreactor for protein rubies
Scientists have found a new type of iron-storing protein in a mixture of microbes containing methane-degraders. This discovery underscores the importance of characterizing proteins from microbes that cannot be isolated, thereby ...
Phys.org / Decoding sugars one bond at a time—without labels
Researchers at National Taiwan University have developed a tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy platform that can identify tiny structural differences in oligosaccharides without fluorescent labels. The method can distinguish ...
Phys.org / Field-portable assays help scientists study and explore caves
A new study has demonstrated that we now have the tools to study the incredibly complex ecosystems of caves in near real-time with field-portable assays. The study was published in Applied and Environmental Microbiology.
Phys.org / Neutrality can speed up and stabilize collective decisions, new study shows
Trying to persuade people to abandon deeply held views often backfires, leaving groups entrenched and unable to move forward. A new study by researchers at the University of Bath in the UK proposes a strategy that is both ...
Phys.org / All 5 fundamental units of life's genetic code were just discovered in an asteroid sample
A new study reveals all five fundamental nucleobases—the molecular "letters" of life—have been detected in samples from the asteroid Ryugu.
Phys.org / How birds send heat into space measured for the first time—a hidden reflectance of feathers
As human-caused climate change continues to raise temperatures across the globe, understanding how birds regulate their temperature is vital for their conservation. But how much heat birds emit—an invisible spectrum of ...
Phys.org / Altered colony chemistry reveals a process that destroys termite societies
Several insect species, including ants, honeybees and termites, live in highly organized societies, also known as social insect colonies. Insects living in these colonies can take on different roles, such as reproducing, ...
