Phys.org news
Phys.org / Shrubs curb carbon emissions in China's largest desert, decades-long experiment shows
An experiment in western China over the past four decades shows that it is possible to tame the expansion of desert lands with greenery, and, in the process, pull excess carbon dioxide out of the sky.
Phys.org / Lit bots beware: AI creative writing faces reader skepticism, study shows
When it comes to creative writing, score one for the humans over the machines. For now, anyway. New research finds that people evaluate creative writing less favorably when they learn it was generated in whole or part by ...
Phys.org / Early warning for wine spoilage glows in the dark
Researchers built a living biosensor made of bacteria that lights up when it detects acetic acid, the main chemical signal that wine is starting to spoil. It works in real time, even in high-alcohol conditions, so wineries ...
Phys.org / Scientists reveal gold precipitation mechanism at pyrite-water interface
Gold is generally associated with pyrite (iron disulfide, FeS2), and pyrite-induced gold precipitation is critical to the formation of high-grade gold deposits. However, the role of pyrite in precipitating gold from fluids ...
Phys.org / Q&A: Even small amounts of online math practice can improve skills
An analysis of data from 200,000 students using a computer-assisted math program supports an optimistic view of skill-focused, mastery-based learning, even with limited use.
Phys.org / Hibernating hamsters maintain muscle cells by suppressing muscle regeneration, study shows
Skeletal muscle stem cells in hibernating Syrian hamsters preserve their ability to function by suppressing their activation during the hibernation period, a research team led by Hiroshima University has shown. This insight ...
Phys.org / Harvestmen arachnids apparently use fluorescent patterns for species recognition
A research team from Munich has identified a previously unknown communication mechanism in harvestmen. Five closely related species show species-specific, strongly fluorescent structures on their backs that become especially ...
Phys.org / AI generates short DNA sequences that show promise for gene therapies
Scientists at the Broad Institute and Mass General Brigham have built a generative AI model that creates short DNA segments that can control gene activity in specific cells. These sequences, called cis-regulatory elements ...
Phys.org / New evidence reveals how Greenland's seaweed locks away carbon in the deep ocean
An interdisciplinary study confirms, for the first time, the oceanographic pathways that transport floating macroalgae from the coastal waters of Southwest Greenland to deep-sea carbon reservoirs, potentially playing a previously ...
Phys.org / Nepal's green success story has a hidden social gap, research shows
In recent years, Nepal has been heralded as a global leader in community-based forest conservation. By handing over nearly a third of its nationally owned forest to local villagers in the 1980s, the country reversed years ...
Phys.org / South African San rock art reveals trance dances and initiation ceremonies
In a study published in Telestes, Dr. Joshua Kumbani and Dr. Margarita Díaz-Andreu categorized the various dance scenes depicted in South African rock art, drawing on ethnographic sources, published studies, and the comprehensive ...
Phys.org / Breakthrough laser technique holds quantum matter in stable packets
For the first time, physicists have generated and observed stable bright matter-wave solitons with attractive interactions within a grid of laser light.
