Phys.org news
Phys.org / Lunar spacecraft exhaust could obscure clues to origins of life
Over half of the exhaust methane from lunar spacecraft could end up contaminating areas of the moon that might otherwise yield clues about the origins of Earthly life, according to a recent study. The pollution could unfold ...
Phys.org / The Milky Way's black hole is hiding an explosive past, evidence suggests
Our galaxy's supermassive black hole is famous for being one of the dimmest in the universe. Evidence from a new space telescope shows that might not always have been the case.
Phys.org / New tool narrows the search for ideal metal organic frameworks
Princeton researchers have developed a new tool to speed the discovery of advanced materials known as metal organic frameworks (MOFs).
Phys.org / Nature-inspired computers are shockingly good at math
Neuromorphic computers, inspired by the architecture of the human brain, are proving surprisingly adept at solving complex mathematical problems that underpin scientific and engineering challenges.
Phys.org / Earth's early sponges were soft: Scientists close fossil record gap
Sponges are among Earth's most ancient animals, but exactly when they evolved has long puzzled scientists. Genetic information from living sponges, as well as chemical signals from ancient rocks, suggest that sponges evolved ...
Phys.org / A Namib desert beetle runs to stay cool: How scientists solved the puzzle of this unique and speedy species
The Namib desert of south-western Africa can be extremely hot—the surface temperature can be over 50°C. But a surprising number of around 200 beetle species live on its bare, inhospitable-looking sand dunes.
Phys.org / Overlooked molecule points to new treatments for drug-resistant fungal infections
Fungal infections kill millions of people each year, and modern medicine is struggling to keep up. But researchers at McMaster University have identified a molecule that may help turn the tide—butyrolactol A, a chemical ...
Phys.org / Supernova remnant video from NASA's Chandra is decades in making
A new video shows the evolution of Kepler's Supernova Remnant using data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory captured over more than two and a half decades.
Phys.org / Marine geoscientists link warming with ancient ocean 'salty blob'
Climate change has many culprits, from agriculture to transportation to energy production. Now, add another: the deep ocean salty blob.
Phys.org / Four baby planets show how super-Earths and sub-Neptunes form
Thanks to the discovery of thousands of exoplanets to date, we know that planets bigger than Earth but smaller than Neptune orbit most stars. Oddly, our sun lacks such a planet. That's been a source of frustration for planetary ...
Phys.org / Small-scale rainforest clearing drives majority of carbon loss, study finds
Think of the destruction of Earth's rainforests and a familiar image may come to mind: fires or chainsaws tearing through enormous swaths of the Amazon, releasing masses of planet-warming carbon dioxide.
Phys.org / Urban atmosphere acts as primary reservoir of microplastics, researchers find
Over the past two decades, microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) have been recognized as emerging pollutants, detected across every environmental compartment of Earth's system—the atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, ...
