Phys.org news
Phys.org / Low-power lasers create durable nano-patterns into sulfur-derived polymers
A new way to imprint complex surfaces on low-cost, sustainable polymers could be used in a wide range of industries, including water-repellent coatings, optical devices and data storage disks. The complex nano- and microscale ...
Phys.org / Human-driven fires have shaped the Amazonian forest for over 10,000 years
New research is dismantling the longstanding myth of the "pristine" Amazon. A reconstruction of 10,000 years of Amazonian pyrogeography, based on 1,361 radiocarbon (¹⁴C) dates across 303 sites—including soil charcoal and ...
Phys.org / Rocky Mountain find reveals new funnel-web spider far from its Northwest relatives
Researchers at the University of Idaho have identified a new species of spider in the mountains of northern Idaho and given it a name that pays tribute to the university itself: Hexura vandal. The spider belongs to a small ...
Phys.org / Flexible nanopores shed new light on Parkinson's and ALS
In a promising milestone for nanotechnology, Constructor University has contributed to a study demonstrating self-assembling nanopores capable of detecting disease proteins associated with illnesses like Parkinson's and ALS.
Phys.org / AI streamlines search for new ceramics that generate electricity
A tedious process of trial and error is normally required to discover ceramic materials that generate electricity under mechanical stress. Known as piezoelectric ceramics, these valuable next-generation materials can replace ...
Phys.org / Aboriginal artists painted giant ancestral beings as colonization arrived, study finds
Slithering across the ceiling of an Australian rock shelter is a giant snake with a crocodile-like head, razor-sharp teeth and a long tongue. It's more than 6 meters (20 feet) long, making it one of the largest Rainbow Serpent ...
Phys.org / Infection kills gut cells, while diet reshapes existing ones, fruit fly study finds
The intestines rely on different strategies to rebuild themselves in response to diet changes versus infections, according to a new Cornell study—a finding that can shed light on how gut health adapts to harsh conditions, ...
Phys.org / 'Cut-to-fuse' strategy: A new route for molecular skeletal editing
Restructuring a molecule without rebuilding it from scratch is an increasingly important goal in modern organic chemistry. Skeletal editing is an approach that helps chemists explore new chemical structures and simplify the ...
Phys.org / Hollow-core fiber platform could help different quantum technologies connect
Quantum technologies promise secure communication networks, powerful forms of computing and new sensing tools. One of the major challenges, however, is that different quantum systems often operate at different wavelengths ...
Phys.org / Tides can be mapped much more locally using a new method based on satellite images
When high or low tide occurs, the water does not necessarily rise and fall uniformly along the entire coastline. In fact, the height of the tide in a bay can vary by up to one meter (3 feet) from one location to another just ...
Phys.org / The length of your online reviews may help scammers map your friends and target them
On the surface, posting online reviews looks like a win-win activity. It helps both businesses we like and people who might frequent them. But although posting reviews can benefit others, it can also put us all at risk, according ...
Phys.org / How plastic welds retain a molecular 'memory' of their former surfaces to strengthen pipe joints
Welding plastic is a critically important part of everyday engineering—especially for preventing leaks in underground water and gas pipes. For decades, engineers have understood that a properly welded joint in polyethylene ...
