Phys.org news
Phys.org / Planes on a snake? Scientists discover various crab species hitching rides on sea snakes
Like all other snakes, sea snakes shed their skin as they grow. But because they live near the surface of the open ocean, they don't have the benefit of removing their old skin by slithering against a hard surface. Instead, ...
Phys.org / Seasonal forecasts could give northern India months of warning before severe winter air pollution
Northern India experiences some of the world's worst winter air pollution, with dangerous episodes often prompting emergency control efforts. In major cities like Delhi, the Air Quality Index has reached levels above 999—over ...
Phys.org / Smart pen detects pressure and movement to identify children's writing difficulties sooner
A study by Politecnico di Milano and the University of Insubria (Varese and Como) has been published in PLOS Digital Health. The study involved more than 700 children from primary and lower secondary school. The participants ...
Phys.org / AI-generated images may support conservation, but real-world data remain essential
New research finds there is no substitute for real-world observations, but that—under the right circumstances—AI-generated images can be used to improve the performance of computer models used for species identification and ...
Phys.org / Breaking down shoe foam by genetically tweaking a microbe found in compost
Your favorite pair of tennies, kicks or trainers may soon become a little more sustainable. In a study published Sept. 11 in the journal Chem Catalysis, researchers developed a new kind of enzyme based on a bacterium found ...
Phys.org / Turkey-monitoring AI forecasts body weight three weeks ahead with 93% accuracy
Body weight monitoring is one of the most important tools for poultry farmers. It provides valuable information about growth, uniformity, feed conversion efficiency—how well birds turn feed into meat—and the occurrence of ...
Phys.org / 1,000 times faster operations bring reliable quantum computing a step closer
So far, quantum computers have been held back by their extreme sensitivity to errors and external disturbances. The longer a quantum operation takes, the greater the risk of computational errors.
Phys.org / Continuous video of black hole radio observations challenges shock wave theory
For years, scientists have relied primarily on radio imaging from techniques like very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) to study jets from the active galactic nuclei of supermassive black holes. This allows for the detection ...
Phys.org / A galaxy with almost no stars? New Cloud-9 observations strengthen the case
Astronomers have taken one of the deepest looks yet at Cloud-9, a candidate "dark galaxy," and found no trace of stars. The paper outlining this discovery was posted to the arXiv preprint server on Aug. 21.
Phys.org / Spinons may help electrons pair along stripes in some superconductors
Superconductors are materials that carry electricity with zero resistance below specific temperatures. Many of these materials become superconducting at very low temperatures, yet some enter superconducting phases at higher ...
Phys.org / Asteroid Ryugu's dust reveals nitrogen's slow concentration into complex molecules
Nitrogen is a key ingredient in the biomolecules that form the building blocks of life. Yet as an unbonded gas, it is far more likely to drift into space than to lock itself into solid compounds, making it difficult for astronomers ...
Phys.org / How atmospheric events at the top of the world could have triggered two devastating California floods
In early 2017 and 2023, California experienced two catastrophic and record-breaking floods that caused billions of dollars in damage, triggered mudslides and forced thousands of people to evacuate. Why this happened left ...