Phys.org news
Phys.org / Common plastics soak up ballistic impacts thanks to a cross-linking molecule
With help from a novel cross-linking molecule, MIT chemists have shown they can substantially improve the ballistic impact resistance of common polymers, including polystyrene and a type of rubber used to make shoe soles.
Phys.org / A new capability to detect chemical weapons involves two existing methods
In the aftermath of suspected chemical attacks, investigators from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) step in to collect chemical, environmental, and biomedical samples. Thorough forensic laboratory ...
Phys.org / Dynamic nanogates let longer molecules pass faster through flexible pores
A research team led by Professor Shuichi Hiraoka at the University of Tokyo and Professor Masanori Tachikawa at Yokohama City University has quantitatively analyzed how molecules pass through dynamic nanoscale pores using ...
Phys.org / Thundering footsteps warn caterpillars of lethal ladybeetle attacks
Diminutive warty birch caterpillars (Falcaria bilineata), less than 1.5mm long, ardently defend their leaf tip homes from invading caterpillars by scraping and pounding the leaf to warn off potential invaders. But how might ...
Dialog / Research could pave the way for more resilient winter cereals in warmer climates
The arrival of winter marks not only a change in weather, temperature, and day length, but also a change in our activity and behavior. The social outdoor events and trips to the beach over summer soon become a distant memory, ...
Phys.org / Rising seas could eventually 'drown' mangroves and release carbon
Mangroves could store less carbon—and even begin releasing it—as sea levels rise, suggests new research in Earth's Future. Mangroves are made up of salt-tolerant plants that grow in coastal areas. They cover less than 1% ...
Phys.org / HETDEX opens massive Cosmic Noon dataset to scientists, novices and AI
The Hobby-Eberly Telescope Dark Energy Experiment (HETDEX)—which recently completed the largest survey ever taken of the early universe—has released all of its immense, information-rich database to the public. Built from ...
Phys.org / Portable UV spectrometer can detect air pollutants across 2.5 km with high precision
Birgitta Schultze-Bernhardt and her team at the Institute of Experimental Physics at Graz University of Technology (TU Graz) have developed a new type of UV dual-comb spectrometer that detects gaseous air pollutants with ...
Phys.org / Temperature gaps help sneeze clouds stay denser and travel farther, experiments show
When a person coughs or sneezes, they expel a cloud of microscopic particles capable of carrying viruses and bacteria that act as vectors for respiratory diseases such as flu, COVID-19 or tuberculosis. Understanding how these ...
Phys.org / 'BBQ sauce' phase may link little red dots to quasars
Everyone knows that finding the right sauce recipe can make or break a barbecue, but now astronomers are using BBQSORS (pronounced "barbecue sauce") as part of the recipe to explain quasars, some of the brightest objects ...
Phys.org / Water-wave tweezers steer tiny 'surfers' without touching them
Summer brings with it the sight of surfers moving seamlessly across wave crests, with ocean waters carrying them along coastlines. A team of scientists has now created a similar phenomenon—with small objects rather than surfers—that ...
Phys.org / New route to tailor-made diamond nanoparticles holds promise for quantum applications
Nanodiamonds are tiny diamond particles only a few nanometers in size. Because they are chemically highly stable and can host so-called color centers, optically active defects in the crystal lattice, they are considered promising ...
