Phys.org news
Phys.org / From the lab to the hand: Nanodevice brings personalized genomics closer to reality
DNA holds the instructions that make us who we are. If we want to read those instructions, say, to understand our predisposition to genetic disorders, we need to carefully "unzip" DNA's iconic double-helix structure. This ...
Phys.org / Carbon 'offsets' aren't working: Researchers offer a 'roadmap' to improve nature-based climate solutions
A lot of the climate-altering carbon pollution humans release into the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels gets drawn into the Earth's oceans and landscapes through natural processes, mostly through photosynthesis, as plants ...
Phys.org / Water's molecular disorder helps turn carbon waste into valuable fuel products
Penn materials scientist Shoji Hall and colleagues have found that manipulating the surface of water can allow scientists to sustainably convert carbon monoxide to higher energy fuel sources like ethylene.
Phys.org / Nano-engineered photocatalyst sets milestone for solar fuel production
In a leap forward for solar fuel technology, researchers from Japan have developed nanosized, porous oxyhalide photocatalysts (Pb2Ti2O5.4F1.2) that achieved record performance in producing hydrogen from water and converting ...
Phys.org / This may be what 2,500-year-old honey looks like
Decades ago, archaeologists discovered a sticky substance in a copper jar in an ancient Greek shrine. Until recently, the identity of the residue was still murky—is it a mixture of fats, oils and beeswax or something else?
Phys.org / He said, she said—how misinformation clouds the memory of accuser and accused in sexual assault cases
A new study suggests both defendants and complainants are equally prone to memory distortions in sexual assault cases.
Phys.org / Instagram images could influence public opinion on certain major events
A new study of Instagram posts has uncovered strong statistical correlations suggesting that social media images may play a key role in shaping public opinion towards events, with notable social and political effects.
Phys.org / Too many male zoo animals may threaten endangered species conservation efforts
The largest-ever study of over 2.6 million zoo birth records reveals skewed sex ratios in endangered species, from lemurs to elephants. The international team of scientists behind the study emphasizes that it is vital that ...
Phys.org / 4D images show heat shield damage on spacecraft goes below the surface
Rather than completely burning up when a spacecraft reenters Earth's atmosphere, its heat shield's outer surface is sacrificed to protect the rest of the vehicle. The carbon fibers decompose, dissipating the heat.
Phys.org / Engineered enzyme enables precise assembly of single-handed complex molecules
Researchers at the University of Basel have repurposed a natural enzyme so that it catalyzes a highly challenging chemical reaction. Their approach opens new possibilities for synthesizing complex molecules—such as pharmaceuticals ...
Phys.org / Satellite data reveal African grasslands' carbon uptake rises with rainfall, unlike forests and savannas
Africa is a source of uncertainty in carbon cycle calculations. By some estimates, the continent's landscapes emit 2.1 billion tons more carbon dioxide than they take up each year—about equal to 1.5 times the annual emissions ...
Phys.org / Why a huge hidden flood in 2014 burst through the Greenland ice sheet surface
A huge flood triggered by the rapid draining of a lake beneath the Greenland ice sheet occurred with such force that it fractured the ice above and burst out across its surface.
