Deadly box jellyfish antidote discovered using CRISPR genome editing

Researchers at the University of Sydney have discovered an antidote to the deadly sting delivered by the most venomous creature on earth—the Australian box jellyfish. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Almost half of World Heritage sites could lose their glaciers by 2100

Glaciers are set to disappear completely from almost half of World Heritage sites if business-as-usual emissions continue, according to the first-ever global study of World Heritage glaciers. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Too much smiling in a sales pitch could kill the deal

Spending too much time exuding joy is one of the fastest ways to lose a potential investor. A new study published in the Academy of Management Journal concludes one of the keys to financial persuasion is to strategically incorporate emotion and limit its duration. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

The space rock that hit the moon at 61,000 kilometers an hour

Observers watching January's total eclipse of the Moon saw a rare event, a short-lived flash as a meteorite hit the lunar surface. Spanish astronomers now think the space rock collided with the Moon at 61,000 kilometres an hour, excavating a crater 10 to 15 metres across. Prof Jo … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

GM reports lower sales in China, North America

US automaker General Motors saw profits more than double in the first quarter, but said Tuesday that lower sales in China and North America ate into total revenues. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

US cities host more regionally unique species than previously thought

Scientists are analyzing a rare snapshot in time of urban plants and animals. To better understand whether rapidly growing cities are hosting the same species, a concept known as urban homogenization, a team from the California Academy of Sciences analyzed an immense volume of da … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

New DNA test stops illegal shipment of endangered eels

Researchers have developed a new method to identify illegally trafficked European eels, and it has already led to the arrest and prosecution of smugglers in Hong Kong. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Researchers design a strategy to make graphene luminescent

Lighter than aluminum, harder than a diamond, more elastic than rubber and tougher than steel. These are only a few of the characteristics of graphene, a super material that acts as an excellent heat and electrical conductor. Due to its features, it is considered a key player in … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Researchers obtain first-ever underwater ultrasound scans of wild reef manta rays

A team of researchers from the University of Cambridge and the Manta Trust has successfully scanned a pregnant wild reef manta ray underwater to obtain clear ultrasound images of her foetus, using the world's first contactless underwater ultrasound scanner. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

LS2 report: Before the return of the cold

Since the start of January, the liquid helium flowing through the veins of the LHC's cooling system has gradually been removed the accelerator and, one by one, the eight sectors of the LHC have been brought back to room temperature. "It takes about four weeks to bring a single se … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

EU court advisor sides with Airbnb in row in France

The legal advisor to the EU's top court sided with Airbnb on Tuesday as the home-sharing giant faces legal action in France aimed at restricting its services. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

General Electric reports better results, lifting shares

General Electric reported better-than-expected quarterly profits Tuesday behind improved performance in most industrial divisions, including aviation and oil and gas. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

The US white majority will soon disappear forever

Since the settlement of Jamestown in 1607 and the start of the Colonial period, the U.S. has been predominantly white. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Satellite data and AI help fight Sweden's forest fires

According to Swedish authorities, there is a high risk of forest and grass fires this week and some communities, such as Upplands Bro (northwest of Stockholm), have taken the step of banning the traditional bonfires that neighborhoods organize to celebrate Walpurgis Night (or Val … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Several small steps: Elephant calves caught on camera in Cambodia

First, the good news. Footage from the 46 camera traps deployed by Fauna & Flora International (FFI) in Cambodia's Cardamom Mountains is giving us a privileged insight into the lives of the Asian elephants that roam through in one of the continent's last remaining forest wilderne … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

New research to explore technology needed for peer-to-peer 'free trade' in excess energy

Households and businesses that generate their own power through micro-renewables, such as solar panels and wind turbines, may soon be able to decide where to distribute their extra energy thanks to funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

'Russian spy whale': the disturbing history of military marine mammals

Norwegian fishermen were reportedly approached by a beluga whale wearing a Russian harness, complete with GoPro camera holder, sparking speculation that the animal had been trained to gather intelligence by the Russian Navy. While this theory has not been confirmed, it is entirel … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Human ancestors were 'grounded,' new analysis shows

African apes adapted to living on the ground, a finding that indicates human evolved from an ancestor not limited to tree or other elevated habitats. The analysis adds a new chapter to evolution, shedding additional light on what preceded human bipedalism. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Bonobos and chimps equally love meat

In an African forest where leopards and poisonous mamba dwell, a University of Oregon team once had to flee charging boar. But it was a brief detour in research that adds to the idea that bonobos are neither hippies nor vegans. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

European eel found to spawn across 2000 km wide region of the North Atlantic Ocean

A team of researchers with members from Japan, Sweden, Denmark and Germany has found evidence showing that European eel spawn across a 2000 km wide region of the North Atlantic Ocean. In their paper published in the journal Biology Letters, the group describes their study of rece … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Professor leads science study for new space-based observatory concept

After two years of intensive work, led by the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory's (NRL) Space Science Division, the design for a conceptual space-based observatory is headed to the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine's Decadal Survey on Astronomy and Astrophysics … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Despite its green image, NZ has world's highest proportion of species at risk

A recent update on the state of New Zealand's environment paints a particularly bleak picture about the loss of native ecosystems and the plants and animals within them. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

AX J1949.8+2534 is a supergiant fast X-ray transient, observations confirm

Based on the results from a set of telescopes, astronomers detected X-ray variability of the source AX J1949.8+2534 and confirmed that the object is a supergiant fast X-ray transient (SFXT). The finding is reported in a paper published April 22 on the arXiv pre-print repository. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

The same, but better: How we represent ourselves through avatars

Most people who create avatars of themselves only make minor changes compared with their real selves, according to a new University of Alberta-led study. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Evidence of bone disease found in medieval skeletons

A large team of researchers from across the U.K. has found evidence of Paget's disease of the bone in multiple medieval skeletons uncovered in northwest Britain. In their paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the team describes their study of the ske … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

How we found a white dwarf – a stellar corpse – by accident

One of the great things about science is that, when you start to observe a new object in space, you can never be sure quite what you'll find. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Future bright for mini synchrotrons

Colliding a stream of electrons with laser light near an array of tiny silver structures could be the recipe for a new X-ray source that could revolutionize medical imaging and security scanning. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

New research takes deeper look at Venus's clouds

Venus is known for its clouds of sulfuric acid covering the entire planet and its super-fast winds moving at hundreds of kilometers per hour, but our neighboring planet's thick clouds make it difficult for scientists to peer deep inside its atmosphere. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Study finds both men and women take a negative view of women who drink

In a study examining perceptions of women who drink alcohol, a Worcester Polytechnic Institute professor and colleagues found that both men and women view women who drink alcohol in a social setting to be "less human." The study, published in the journal Sex Roles, looks at the s … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Scientists examine the ethnobotanical uses of stramonium

The Datura genus, which includes stramonium, encompasses a number of plant species that have featured heavily in the traditional medicine and popular culture of countries such as Mexico and Spain. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Researchers design a new method to probe tissues in living organisms

The formation of the embryo, from its very early stages of development, is a complex choreography that is still a mystery to science. How each cell forms, and how tissues develop correctly are processes ruled by biochemical signals, but also by mechanical signals. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Nanomaterials mimicking natural enzymes with superior catalytic activity and selectivity for detecting acetylcholine

A KAIST research team doped nitrogen and boron into graphene to selectively increase peroxidase-like activity and succeeded in synthesizing a peroxidase-mimicking nanozyme with a low cost and superior catalytic activity. These nanomaterials can be applied for early diagnosis of A … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Traditional masculinity may keep English-speaking men from studying new languages

For decades, more women have been entering male-dominated educational fields and careers. The proportion of men in female-dominated areas, on the other hand, has remained mostly unchanged. Now, gender gaps in female-dominated undergraduate majors—like foreign language—are larger … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Why jackals thrive where humans dominate

As humans put nature under the plow, asphalt, and concrete, some creatures thrive through an "enemy of my enemy is my friend" approach, embracing our disruption of the natural order, and rushing to fill the void created by hunting and habitat change. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Why your veterinarian may refuse to euthanise your pet

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@phys.org | 5 years ago

Informal and illegal housing on the rise as our cities fail to offer affordable places to live

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@phys.org | 5 years ago

Can sweet potatoes save the world?

Some foods are known as seasonal wonders, making an appearance only once or twice a year when families gather for holiday feasts. Cranberry sauce, pecan pie, eggnog. Sweet potatoes, typically with tiny marshmallows roasted on top, were once on that list. But sweet potatoes are on … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

The Tiete, Sao Paulo State's main river, is filtered by dam reservoirs

In São Paulo City, Brazil, the Tietê River is polluted by a vast amount of waste, mainly domestic sewage, but the farther it runs into the interior, the better the quality of its water becomes. It is much less murky at Barra Bonita, 294 km from São Paulo, and transparent at Burit … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Researchers discover new charge transfer and separation process

Charge transfer and separation is a fundamental process in the energy conversion that powers life on Earth. Besides deployment in solar cells and photocatalysts, this process is found in photosynthesis, as it enables energy conversion by harvesting light and then transferring and … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

OCO-3 ready to extend NASA's study of carbon

When the Orbiting Carbon Observatory 3, OCO-3, heads to the International Space Station, it will bring a new view—literally—to studies of Earth's carbon cycle. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Breakthrough in high-yield drought-resilient chickpeas

A global study led by the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) and involving scientists from The University of Western Australia has identified genes that can be used to develop drought and heat tolerant chickpeas. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Mind the gap: New study examines pay and job rank among academic economists

The pay gap between male and female economists at UK universities has not fallen for 20 years, a new study has revealed. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

An atom in a cavity extracts highly pure single photons from weak laser light

Quantum physicists can now distil a kind of photon schnapps. When spirits are distilled, the alcohol content increases relative to the water content. A similar method developed by a team from the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics in Garching works on light quanta – photons. … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Ocean's 'seasonal memory' affects Arctic climate change

Following four expeditions in the Arctic Ocean and satellite data analysis, a team of Russian climate scientists featuring MIPT researchers described the ocean's "seasonal memory." This refers to a mechanism explaining how atmospheric circulation has caused the ice in the Eurasia … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Chemical evidence shows how a dwarf galaxy contributes to growth of the Milky Way

Small stellar systems like dwarf galaxies are thought to be the main building blocks of the Milky Way. However, it is unclear how many and what kind of stars in our galaxy originated from satellite dwarf galaxies. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Astronomers discover 2,000-year-old remnant of a nova

For the first time, a European research team involving the University of Göttingen has discovered the remains of a nova in a galactic globular cluster. The remnant is located near the centre of the globular cluster Messier 22 and has recently been observed using modern instrument … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Dark matter exists: Observations disprove alternate explanations

As fascinating as it is mysterious, dark matter is one of the greatest enigmas of astrophysics and cosmology. It is thought to account for 90 percent of the matter in the universe, but its existence has been demonstrated only indirectly, and has recently been called into question … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Inorganic perovskite absorbers for use in thin-film solar cells

A team at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin has succeeded in producing inorganic perovskite thin films at moderate temperatures using co-evaporation - making post-tempering at high temperatures unnecessary. The process makes it much easier to produce thin-film solar cells from this ma … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago