Study shows how Rembrandt broke new ground with lead-based impregnation of canvas for The Night Watch

New research has revealed that Rembrandt impregnated the canvas for his famous 1642 militia painting "The Night Watch" with a lead-containing substance even before applying the first ground layer. Such lead-based impregnation has never before been observed with Rembrandt or his c … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 11 months ago

Studying old texts using modern climate lenses

In Norse mythology, Ragnarok signifies the end of the world. But in modern popular culture, Ragnarok has also been equated with the climate crisis. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 11 months ago

UK project enhances legal understanding for legally accountable 10-year-olds, research finds

Most Year 5 children will know little about the law and their rights, yet at the stroke of midnight on their 10th birthday, they become criminally responsible in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 11 months ago

Harnessing AI for non-destructive in situ root imaging and phenotyping

Roots are essential for plant growth, but traditional methods of studying roots are resource-intensive and damaging. With advancements in image processing techniques, innovative methods for in situ root studies have emerged, providing non-destructive root imaging. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 11 months ago

Reforming agricultural AI: EasyDAM_V3 unveils next-gen automatic fruit labeling

In the dynamic realm of agricultural AI, deep learning-based fruit detection has gained prominence, particularly in smart orchards. These techniques, however, heavily depend on large, manually labeled datasets, a process both time-consuming and labor-intensive. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 11 months ago

Researchers develop sustainable wound dressing hydrogel based on seaweed and carbonated water

Acting as the main interface between the internal and the external world, the skin is the largest and most important organ of the human body. It is frequently exposed to many types of physical injuries or wounds, including cuts, scrapes, scratches, infections, and ulcers. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 11 months ago

Petri dish poultry and test tube turkey: Researcher explores Christmas dinners of the future with lab-grown meat

Christmas Dinners are one of the UK's most cherished traditions, and Christmas menus have evolved greatly over the years. Today, turkey is the typical meat of choice; going back 500 years, it was beef, venison, and wild boar in Henry VIII's festive feasts. Looking to the future, … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 11 months ago

Researchers turn a small photonic chip into a functional temperature sensor

Similar to electronics, photonic circuits can be miniaturized onto a chip, leading to a so-called photonic integrated circuit (PIC). Although these developments are more recent than for electronics, this field is rapidly evolving. One of the main issues, however, is to turn such … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 11 months ago

Is the world running out of freshwater?

More than half of the world's population faces water scarcity for at least one month a year. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 11 months ago

Reindeer vision may have evolved to spot favorite food in the snowy dark of winter

When Santa's exhausted reindeer finally set down their sleigh in the deep snow of the North Pole early Christmas morning, it's not Rudolph's radiant red nose that will help them find sustenance in the barren landscape. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 11 months ago

Research finds Caribbean islands are uniquely susceptible to flash droughts

The word "drought" typically conjures images of parched soil, dust-swept prairies, depleted reservoirs, and dry creek beds, all the result of weeks or seasons of persistently dry atmospheric conditions. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 11 months ago

New method paves the way for new antibiotics

Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) researchers have developed a promising antibiotic candidate against MRSA. Behind the discovery lies a methodology that may be important in the fight against antimicrobial resistance. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 11 months ago

New ALICE measurements shed light on the dynamics of charm and beauty particles in quark-gluon plasma

When two lead ions collide at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), they produce an extremely hot and dense state of matter in which quarks and gluons are not confined inside composite particles called hadrons. This fireball of particles—known as quark–gluon plasma and believed to hav … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 11 months ago

Pollinators found to make a big impact on edamame marketability

Soybeans can pollinate themselves, but a new study by UMD researchers shows that pollen from multiple plants can greatly increase their yields. What's more, the addition of a strip of wildflowers near rows of soybeans amplifies the effect. The information could help farmers of on … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 11 months ago

Pesticides and adjuvants disrupt honey bee's sense of smell

It has long been known that exposure to pesticide sprays is harmful to honey bees. In a new study, researchers have uncovered the effect of such sprays on the sense of smell in bees, which could disrupt their social signals. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 11 months ago

In India, computer typists embody 'fuzzy' nature of state borders

Pakistani Hindus arrive in the western Indian city of Jodhpur with hopes and plans to migrate, but before they even approach the Foreigners' Registration Office (FRO), most have to visit a typist. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 11 months ago

Prone to abandoning New Year's resolutions? Research suggests blaming money worries rather than being time-poor

People who abandon New Year's resolutions or other commitments can maintain the respect of their peers by blaming external factors such as lack of money, new research suggests. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 11 months ago

Less social media makes you happier and more efficient at work, says study

If you feel overworked and stressed, you'll be less committed to your job and perform less well. Many companies are aware of this problem and, therefore, spend money on professionals to look after the mental health of their employees. And yet there's a much simpler and more cost- … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 11 months ago

Study exposes oppression of mothers in Brazil's family courts

Thirteen Brazilian mothers who say they are victims of domestic violence have told researchers of their harrowing experiences inside that country's family court system. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 11 months ago

Earth had its warmest November on record

November 2023 was the warmest November in NOAA's 174-year global climate record. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 11 months ago

Study discusses impact of factor endowments on technology choice, industrial upgrading

Assistant Professor Liu Zhengwen and Professor Zhang Bo of the School of Economics, together with Professor Justin Yifu Lin from the Institute of New Structural Economics and National School of Development have co-authored an article titled "Endowment, technology choice, and indu … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 11 months ago

Trying to communicate with whales is like talking to extraterrestrials

Communicating between species isn't something that only has to take place between space-faring civilizations. There are plenty of species here on our home planet that communicate using a variety of sights, sounds, and smells. We're only starting to unlock the secrets of how to un … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 11 months ago

Epidemic thunderstorm asthma

One stormy November night in 2016, a horror story unfolded across Melbourne. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 11 months ago

Breakthrough Listen scans entire galaxies for signals from extremely advanced civilizations

In 1960, Dr. Frank Drake led the first Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) experiment at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Green Bank, West Virginia. In the more than sixty years that have since passed, astronomers have conducted multiple surveys in search o … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 11 months ago

'It's finished!': IEA boss says COP28 bid farewell to fossil fuels

While the UN's COP28 climate summit marked a pivot moment, when the world pledged to say "goodbye" to fossil fuels, International Energy Agency chief Fatih Birol told AFP on Friday, it needs to now urgently boost finance for the energy transition in developing countries. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 11 months ago

Research reveals advantages of scheduling retail employees with higher performers

One barely has to wade into a Reddit thread in which workers whine about their employer before encountering something related to shifts. This often focuses on with whom a worker is scheduled and how that makes things better or worse. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 11 months ago

Puerto Rico case study sheds light on academic-NGO collaborations for disaster resilience

Puerto Rico has faced several human-made and natural crises in recent years, including the devastating effects of Hurricane Maria in 2017. Building disaster resilience and recovery is crucial for community well-being and requires a comprehensive approach with cooperation from mul … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 11 months ago

Reminders of death from disasters affect people's behaviors, research finds

Prolonged reminders of death from long-term disasters affect people's choices and behaviors, finds a new study by King's College London researchers. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 11 months ago

Custom software speeds up, stabilizes high-profile ocean model

On the beach, ocean waves provide soothing white noise. But in scientific laboratories, they play a key role in weather forecasting and climate research. Along with the atmosphere, the ocean is typically one of the largest and most computationally demanding components of Earth sy … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 11 months ago

Basic monthly income trial shows promise with significant reduction in homelessness

Researchers at the Center for Homelessness, Housing, and Health Equity Research at the University of Southern California released an interim report on the first six months of a randomized controlled trial to study the impact of a basic income and social support intervention for 1 … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 11 months ago

Research reveals origin of saltwater crocodiles caught in Northern Australia harbor

Problem saltwater crocodiles are typically traveling between 100km and 200km to Darwin Harbor potentially in search of new resources or territories, according to a new study on the migration of the reptiles. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 11 months ago

Morocco earthquake had unusual deep slip, according to new modeling

In their rapid characterization of the magnitude 6.8 Al Haouz earthquake in Morocco, researchers from the U.S. Geological Survey's National Earthquake Information Center (NEIC) suggest that the earthquake ruptured roughly 25 kilometers deep beneath the surface. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 11 months ago

Reviewing the state of research into 2D noble metal-based intermetallic compound electrocatalysts

As demand grows for more sustainable and efficient energy generation, electrochemical energy conversion technologies that rely on electrocatalysis stand out as promising alternatives. Research into the best type of electrocatalysts is ongoing. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 11 months ago

Northeast China faces high levels of nitrogen pollution, study finds

A new study has revealed the extent and sources of nitrogen pollution in Northeast Asia, a region that suffers from severe air pollution and environmental degradation. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 11 months ago

How the world's first deal to ditch fossil fuels was forged at COP28

It was an improbable scene in Dubai as a top oil executive basked in a standing ovation from hundreds of diplomats tasked with fighting climate change. Sultan Al Jaber, head of the United Arab Emirates' state-owned oil company, had just presided over the two-week COP28 summit tha … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 11 months ago

'This is so crazy.' Tax spike pushes researchers to the brink of bankruptcy

Going into 2022, Zehra Parlak received a warning from her accountant: A looming change to the federal tax code threatened to torpedo the future of Qatch Technologies, the biomedical company she had founded six years earlier based on her postdoctoral research at Duke University. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 11 months ago

New Seattle law phases out emissions from large buildings by 2050

Large commercial and residential buildings in Seattle will need to phase out the use of fossil fuels and other greenhouse gas emissions over the next three decades under a new city law passed this week. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 11 months ago

Climate change is further reducing fish stocks with worrisome implications for global food supplies

The health benefits of eating seafood are appreciated in many cultures which rely upon it to provide critical nutrients vital to our physical and mental development and health. Eating fish and shellfish provides significant benefits to neurological development and functioning and … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 11 months ago

War in Gaza: An ethicist explains why you shouldn't turn to social media for information about the conflict

As the war between Israel and Hamas drags on, many on both sides have taken to social media to gather information and air their outrage. The impulse to do so is understandable: Political activism on social media provides people with an emotional outlet and gives them a sense that … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 11 months ago

Opinion: COP28 agreement on adapting to climate change kicks the real challenge down the road

COP28 concluded late on Wednesday morning to a mixed reaction. The Dubai agreement extracted a promise from nearly 200 countries to transition away from fossil fuels, but it leaves many questions unanswered when it comes to keeping global average temperatures from warming by more … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 11 months ago

Five major outcomes from the latest UN climate summit

The latest UN climate summit, COP28, was always going to be controversial. It was held in a state whose economy is heavily dependent on oil and gas—the United Arab Emirates. The summit president, Sultan Al Jaber, remains head of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company and recently dec … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 11 months ago

New analysis confirms precolonial lineage of extinct Indigenous woolly dog

Dogs have been in the Americas for more than 10,000 years. They were already domesticated when they came from Eurasia with the first people to reach North America. In the coastal parts of present-day Washington state and southwestern British Columbia, archaeologists have found do … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 11 months ago

Eggs from men, sperm from women: How stem cell science may change how we reproduce

It may soon be possible to coax human skin cells into becoming functional eggs and sperm using a technique known as "in vitro gametogenesis." This involves the creation (genesis) of eggs and sperm (gametes) outside the human body (in vitro). | Continue reading


@phys.org | 11 months ago

Why universities warrant public investment: Preparing students for living together well

A recent report noting that funding for Ontario's universities is "low when compared with support in other provinces" points to underfunding as a serious problem in the province's post-secondary sector. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 11 months ago

Scientists reveal the molecular structure of a complex bacteriophage

The word "virus" is often associated with negative connotations. However, it is important to note that not all viruses are harmful. In fact, there are many viruses that live inside our bodies and play important roles in our health. One example is bacteriophages, viruses that infe … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 11 months ago

Ultrafast lasers map electrons 'going ballistic' in graphene with implications for next-gen electronic devices

Research appearing in ACS Nano reveals the ballistic movement of electrons in graphene in real-time. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 11 months ago

Researchers study the risk of glacial lake outbursts in the Third Pole

The Third Pole, which spans the Tibetan Plateau and the surrounding Himalayas, Hindu Kush, and Tianshan Mountain ranges, is extremely vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Warming temperatures and altered rainfall patterns have caused more than 10,000 glaciers in the regio … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 11 months ago

Myrtle rust is devastating Australian forests: New high-tech spray holds out hope for native trees

Around a decade ago, an invasive fungal disease called myrtle rust reached Australia and began to spread like a plague through certain plants. The disease affects plants of the Myrtaceae family, which includes eucalypts, paperbarks and lilly pillies, and makes up 10% of Australia … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 11 months ago