Phys.org news
Phys.org / Novel technique drills more detail into ice core records
Glaciers can reveal vast archives of information about Earth's environmental past, but deciphering the origins of the matter within them can be a challenge. Now, using a novel technique that enables researchers to directly ...
Phys.org / A hidden Oregon basin and a shallower slab sharpen the Cascadia megaquake threat
A new look at the Juan de Fuca tectonic plate beneath the coast of northern Oregon suggests this subducting slab is shallower than previously thought, with impacts on potential peak ground shaking during a Cascadia megathrust ...
Phys.org / Solar flares' domino effect isn't limited to the sun, 16,000-star sweep reveals
Our sun is a roiling mass of energy, with solar flares exploding on its surface, sending gas, plasma, and light that blasts across the solar system. When radiation from extra-powerful flares breaks through Earth's outer protective ...
Phys.org / ALMA confirms rare quasar pair at redshift 5.7 in merging galaxies
Using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), astronomers have discovered a close pair of quasars, which is a result of a distant massive galaxy merger. The detection of the quasar pair was detailed in a ...
Phys.org / Warmer winters and snow drought may threaten western US water by speeding flows
As future shifts in climate lead to more rain and less snow in the western United States, new research finds that water will move faster through a landscape, likely leading to negative impacts on summer water levels and water ...
Phys.org / Polymer physics reveals DNA loops are formed by single molecular motors
Scientists from Skoltech and the University of Potsdam have developed a physical theory that sheds light on how molecular motors organize the three-dimensional structure of the genome. Using theoretical polymer physics and ...
Phys.org / Warm-bodied sharks and tunas face 'double jeopardy' in warming seas
A new study reveals that some of the ocean's most powerful predators are running hotter, and that they are likely paying an increasingly steep price for it. The significance of this headline finding is the "double jeopardy" ...
Phys.org / Sex pheromone of a sandgrain-sized insect deciphered
Parasitic wasps of the genus Trichogramma are among the smallest insects in the world—yet they play an important role in natural ecosystems and agricultural landscapes as natural antagonists of pest species. Research teams ...
Phys.org / Industrial chemical leaks could push ozone layer recovery back by 7 years
The recovery of the ozone layer in Earth's stratosphere could be delayed by several years, according to an international study led by Swiss research institution Empa which included contributions from University of Bristol ...
Phys.org / Temperature shifts change plant proteins that power photosynthesis
Humans adjust to changes in temperature by putting on a sweater or taking off layers. Plants adjust to temperature changes, in part, by switching the way they express the protein that performs the critical first step of photosynthesis, ...
Phys.org / Human sense of smell evolved with diets and lifestyle, genetic study suggests
From the ability to detect the smell of wet soil to the scent of ripe fruit, the human olfactory system has evolved over thousands of years in response to how people live and what they eat, according to a new genetic study ...
Phys.org / Closing the carbon cycle: Unraveling the roles of light and heat in CO₂ photocatalysis
Rising carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from human activities are the largest contributor to global warming. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), global CO2 emissions reached an all-time high of 37.8 gigatons ...