Phys.org news
Phys.org / Stiff gels slow germs: Mapping the hydrogel properties that control bacterial growth
Hydrogels are soft, jelly-like materials that can absorb large amounts of water. They are widely used in medical technologies such as contact lenses and wound dressings, and are also a staple of laboratory research, where ...
Phys.org / Quick course correction needed to avoid 'hothouse Earth' scenario, scientists say
Scientists say that multiple Earth system components appear closer to destabilization than previously believed, putting the planet in increased danger of following a "hothouse" path driven by feedback loops that can amplify ...
Phys.org / Widespread loss of marine sponges possible if heat waves intensify by just 1°C
New research shows the effects of marine heat waves on sponges could be much more severe as temperatures rise. More intense marine heat waves as a result of climate change could lead to the mass loss of a sponge species found ...
Phys.org / Bird guano powered rise of Chincha Kingdom in Peruvian Andes, archaeologists find
New archaeological evidence reveals that seabird guano—nutrient-rich bird droppings—was not only essential to boosting corn yields and supercharging agriculture in ancient Peru, but it may have been a driving force behind ...
Phys.org / Twilight fish study reveals unique hybrid eye cells
Researchers have identified a new type of visual cell in deep-sea fish larvae that challenges a century of knowledge about vertebrate visual systems. Dr. Fabio Cortesi from The University of Queensland's School of the Environment ...
Phys.org / Strike against mask wearing in 1930s echoed COVID-19 protests, study finds
New research from The University of Manchester has shown that debates and resistance about wearing face masks go back a lot further than the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Meng Zhang, a Wellcome Trust Research Fellow at the University's ...
Phys.org / A new way to 'cage' plutonium
Plutonium (Pu) exhibits one of the most diverse and complex chemistries of any element in the periodic table. Since its discovery in 1940, scientists have synthesized and studied many different types of plutonium-containing ...
Phys.org / Flipping and reversing mini-proteins could improve tuberculosis treatment
Antibiotic treatments are losing effectiveness against a range of common bacterial pathogens, including E. coli, K. pneumoniae, Salmonella and Acinetobacter, according to a warning issued by the World Health Organization ...
Phys.org / Tiny marine animal reveals bacterial origin of animal defense mechanisms
Marine animals, such as the extremely simple flatworm Trichoplax, are ideal model organisms for studying the early evolutionary origins of animal life processes. Despite measuring only a few millimeters and lacking true organs ...
Phys.org / Keeping an eagle eye on carbon stored in the ocean
Geologic reservoirs that trapped petroleum for millions of years are now being repurposed to store the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide. New research is improving how we monitor this storage and verify how much CO2 these reservoirs ...
Phys.org / Elevated lead levels could flow from some US drinking water kiosks
After high-profile water crises like the one in Flint, Michigan, some Americans distrust the safety of tap water, choosing to purchase drinking water from freestanding water vending machines or kiosks. Yet this more expensive ...
Phys.org / Root microbes could help oak trees adapt to drought
Microbes could help oak trees cope with environmental change. Publishing in Cell Host & Microbe, a study observing oaks growing in a natural woodland found that the trees' above- and below-ground microbiomes were resilient ...
