Phys.org news
Phys.org / Tangled seaweed inspires one-size-fits-all cleaners for ocean microplastics
Inspired by naturally occurring mats and balls of seaweed, researchers have created highly porous, superadhesive meshes capable of capturing both large and small microplastic particles—a longstanding challenge in the field. ...
Phys.org / Cell-inspired synthetic fibers reveal a reversible route to self-protecting smart materials
Researchers at the University of Bayreuth, together with colleagues from Freie Universität Berlin and the Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden, have developed a synthetic fiber system inspired by the cellular cytoskeleton ...
Phys.org / Pumas make roads safer for drivers by changing prey behavior patterns
Living among large predatory carnivores could actually make you safer. A study published in the journal Current Biology found that pumas—wild cats also known as mountain lions, cougars or panthers—change deer behavior, leading ...
Phys.org / New molecule class creates hardy, drought tolerant plants
As climate change causes water scarcity and temperatures to rise, crops around the world are feeling the heat. How can we prevent severe crop losses in these relentlessly sweltering conditions? An international research team ...
Phys.org / Avalanche cracks may appear globally supersonic while remaining locally subsonic
Can a crack be supersonic? Can the fracture that triggers an avalanche propagate faster than the limiting velocity predicted by classical fracture mechanics? The question remains the subject of debate within the scientific ...
Phys.org / Total eclipse gives scientists chance to probe sun's mysteries
Scientists plan to use a total solar eclipse that will be visible in Spain next week as a rare chance to learn more about the stormy, unpredictable nature of our star.
Phys.org / German cockroaches appear to be more social animals than previously thought
Newborn German cockroaches use pheromones in cockroach feces to identify members of their own colony and form a kind of social bond, a discovery that could be used to improve pest control efforts.
Phys.org / Restoring the silenced Friedreich's ataxia gene through unconventional means
Cells can switch off genes by tightly packaging DNA around proteins called histones. However, scientists at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital have discovered that under certain conditions, this packaging acts more like ...
Phys.org / Why some people are mosquito magnets while others get away unbitten
Some mosquitoes really are picky eaters. They will not just stick their proboscis into any old human. We know this anecdotally, with some people claiming they are always bitten while others are completely ignored, though ...
Phys.org / Women with narcissistic tendencies may struggle with forgiveness
Narcissism is associated with selfishness and other negative traits like a grandiose sense of self-importance, a constant need for admiration and a lack of empathy for others. So it may not be surprising that narcissists ...
Phys.org / A temperature dial for more realistic quantum simulations
Scientists from Rice University in the U.S. have developed a way to precisely tune the temperature inside a trapped-ion simulator. The breakthrough means they will be able to run quantum simulations at precise temperatures ...
Phys.org / Asteroid Nysa's rare three-lobed structure challenges formation models
Named for the mythical valley where the god Dionysus was raised in secret by nymphs, the asteroid 44 Nysa inhabits the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Through observations by the Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers ...
