Phys.org news
Phys.org / Tardigrades reveal extreme heat-blocking survival trick while in tun state
Tardigrades, also known as water bears or moss piglets, are tiny eight-legged animals that can survive in extreme environments, where humans and most other animals would die. This resistance to extreme conditions, including ...
Phys.org / Topological states emerge in quantum Hall-superconductor devices with multiple channels
Topological phases are unusual states of matter that give rise to properties protected by a material's overall structure (i.e., "topology"), as opposed to microscopic details. These phases are of great interest for the development ...
Phys.org / A hidden supermassive black hole may be lurking inside the Antennae galaxies
Astronomers may have uncovered a hidden supermassive black hole inside the famous Antennae galaxies NGC 4038/4039, a pair of colliding galaxies best known for their spectacular bursts of star formation. The paper outlining ...
Phys.org / 'Shoot for the moon?' Aim a bit lower, researchers say
How ambitious should you be? Folk wisdom offers conflicting advice: "Shoot for the moon," but also, "Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good." A new study by researchers at the University of Wyoming, Stanford University ...
Phys.org / Last-of-its-kind tree clinging to cliffside finds new hope at botanic gardens
Conservationists are in a race against time to prevent one of the world's rarest island plants from disappearing forever, after seeds collected from the only surviving wild Dendroseris neriifolia tree arrived at the Millennium ...
Phys.org / Orangutans breastfeed for six and a half years, the longest among mammals
Orangutans have one of the slowest life histories among mammals, and a new study now shows just how long orangutan mothers continue to breastfeed their offspring. An international team has demonstrated that wild orangutan ...
Phys.org / Diamond quantum sensor could reveal elusive altermagnets
For nearly a century, there were two known kinds of magnets. Ferromagnets are the classic magnets that attract metal and keep pictures stuck to the refrigerator. Antiferromagnets hide their magnetism at the atomic scale but ...
Phys.org / A climate fix with a hidden catch: Cutting methane reshapes ozone layer's comeback in unexpected ways
Reducing methane emissions will slow climate change but could also slow the recovery of the stratospheric ozone layer, new research from the University of Reading shows.
Phys.org / Fish-microbe partnership may influence ocean health by making carbon-trapping minerals
New research reveals a potential link between the gut microbes of a fish and global ocean processes, offering new insight into how marine ecosystems help regulate ocean chemistry and the marine carbon cycle. The study, titled ...
Phys.org / Elephant declines could trigger wider ecosystem losses in African savannas, 15-year test shows
For decades, ecologists have theorized that the extinction of one important species could set off a chain reaction of losses throughout an ecosystem. Now, new research offers some of the clearest real-world evidence that ...
Phys.org / Are taxpayers being gaslighted by street lamp charm?
Gas streetlights might look quaint, but researchers at the University of Cincinnati say they are costly, wasteful and release toxic pollutants into the air. In two studies examining their use in Boston, Massachusetts, and ...
Phys.org / 'Bio-stickers' speed up plastic breakdown in marine environments
Plastic waste poses an urgent problem for the planet's ecosystems, especially in waterways. Millions of tons of plastic waste enter Earth's oceans every year, and plastic has been found in every part of the ocean, including ...