Frenchman trying to cross Atlantic in barrel capsule

A 71-year-old Frenchman has departed on a journey across the Atlantic in a specially designed barrel capsule, which will use ocean currents alone to propel him across the sea. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Instagram blames 'bug' for design change that prompted backlash

Instagram said Thursday it accidentally rolled out a design change to a large number of users and quickly ended the test after complaints from users of the Facebook-owned social network. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Sleeping sickness parasite uses multiple metabolic pathways

Parasitic protozoa called trypanosomes synthesize sugars using an unexpected metabolic pathway called gluconeogenesis, according to a study published December 27 in the open-access journal PLOS Pathogens by David Horn of the University of Dundee in the UK, and colleagues. The aut … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

US fossil fuel exports spur growth, climate worries

In South Korea's largest shipyard, thousands of workers in yellow hard hats move ceaselessly between towering cranes lifting hulks of steel. They look like a hive of bees scurrying over a massive circuit board as they weld together the latest additions to the rapidly growing flee … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

After scandal-filled year, what's next for Facebook?

Facebook is closing out 2018 the same way it began the year: in defense mode. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Chasing Amazon: The store of the future is already here as retailers up their tech game

Robots roaming the aisles. Windows that allow you to tap and shop while the store is closed. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Gray wolf arrives at New Mexico zoo for recovery program

Albuquerque's zoo has received another Mexican gray wolf as part of an international recovery effort that includes breeding the endangered animals in captivity to ensure their genetic viability. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Nations count cost of 2018 climate disasters

Climate change-induced disasters cost nations at least $100 billion in 2018, a watchdog said Thursday, warning the spate of deadly wildfires, floods and superstorms was "a shadow" of things to come if greenhouse gas emissions aren't slashed. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Pluto explorer ushering in new year at more distant world

The spacecraft team that brought us close-ups of Pluto will ring in the new year by exploring an even more distant and mysterious world. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Bacteria found in ancient Irish soil halts growth of superbugs—new hope for tackling antibiotic resistance

Researchers analysing soil from Ireland long thought to have medicinal properties have discovered that it contains a previously unknown strain of bacteria which is effective against four of the top six superbugs that are resistant to antibiotics, including MRSA. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Researchers develop novel 3-D printing method for transparent glass

A novel additive manufacturing platform was used for the digital fabrication of transparent glass at industrial scale. The G3DP2 platform, developed by MIT scientists and used to turn molten glass into 3-meter tall columns, is described in an article published in 3-D Printing and … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Pine needles from old Christmas trees could be turned into paint and food sweeteners in the future

Abandoned Christmas trees could be saved from landfill and turned into paint and food sweeteners according to new research by the University of Sheffield. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Magnitude 4.9 aftershock strikes near site of Alaska quake

A magnitude 4.9 aftershock has shaken an area of south central Alaska near where a powerful temblor jolted the region last month. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Lighter load: Laundry detergents shrink for Amazon

Amazon's rise is forcing laundry detergents to shrink. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Researchers unravel mystery of how, when DNA replicates

A team of Florida State University researchers has unlocked a decades-old mystery about how a critical cellular process is regulated and what that could mean for the future study of genetics. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Historical genomes reveal recent changes in genetic health of eastern gorillas

The critically endangered Grauer's gorilla has recently lost genetic diversity and has experienced an increase in harmful mutations. These conclusions were reached by an international team of researchers who sequenced eleven genomes from eastern gorilla specimens collected up to … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Lightning's electromagnetic fields may have protective properties

Lightning was the main electromagnetic presence in the Earth's atmosphere long before the invention of electricity. There are some 2,000 thunderstorms active at any given time, so humans and other organisms have been bathed in extremely low frequency (ELF) electromagnetic fields … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Understanding metabolic processes through machine learning

Bioinformatics researchers at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (HHU) and the University of California at San Diego (UCSD) are using machine learning techniques to better understand enzyme kinetics and thus also complex metabolic processes. The team led by first author Dr. Dav … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

European wheat lacks climate resilience

The climate is not only warming, it is also becoming more variable and extreme. Such unpredictable weather can weaken global food security if major crops such as wheat are not sufficiently resilient—and if we are not properly prepared. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Give it the plasma treatment: Strong adhesion without adhesives

Polymers containing plastics are essential in modern life. Being lightweight, strong and unreactive, a vast range of technologies depend on them. However, most polymers do not adhere naturally to other materials, so they need adhesives or corrosive chemical treatments to enable a … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Nucleus-specific X-ray stain for 3-D virtual histology

Histology is used to identify structural details of tissue at the microscale in the pathology lab, but analyses remain two-dimensional (2D) as they are limited to the same plane. Nondestructive 3D technologies including X-ray micro and nano-computed tomography (nanoCT) have prove … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Researchers monitor electron behavior during chemical reactions for the first time

In a recent publication in Science, researchers at the University of Paderborn and the Fritz Haber Institute Berlin demonstrated their ability to observe electrons' movements during a chemical reaction. Researchers have long studied the atomic-scale processes that govern chemical … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

What really happens at femtosecond junctions?

When beams of ultra-short laser pulses running in the same direction intersect with each other at a noticeable angle, various interactions occur between the pulses. These physical phenomena are complicated, and their mathematical description becomes computationally complex. To ca … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

New source of very high energy gamma-ray emission detected in the neighborhood of the supernova remnant G24.7+0.6

Using MAGIC telescopes and NASA's Fermi spacecraft, an international team of astronomers has discovered a new source of very high energy gamma-ray emission around the supernova remnant (SNR) G24.7+0.6. The detection of the new source, designated MAGIC J1835–069, is detailed in a … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

For 2019, smartwatches are sleeker, slicker and getting more affordable

A friend recently looked at the smartwatch on my wrist and said, "Why are you wearing that?" He held up his cellphone. "This can do everything that can do." | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Huawei expects 21% revenue rise despite 'unfair' treatment

Chinese telecoms giant Huawei expects to see a 21 percent rise in revenue for 2018, its chairman said Thursday despite a year of "unfair treatment" which saw its products banned in several countries over security concerns. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Amazon, Walmart face hit from new India e-commerce rules

Traditional traders and local players rejoiced Thursday at new e-commerce rules imposed by the Indian government on global giants such as Amazon and Walmart which analysts said could force them to rethink their Indian operations. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

After Pluto, New Horizons mission nears an object 'beyond the known world'

Three and a half years after giving humanity its first close-up view of Pluto, and almost 13 years after launching from Earth, the New Horizons spacecraft will explore another new frontier: a reddish hunk of rock and ice known as Ultima Thule. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

How to set up your new phone for iOS and Android—and get used to Apple's X series iPhones

Perhaps you have been using one of the older iPhone models, like a 6, 7 or 8, and just found yourself with a shiny new iPhone XR or XS model, minus the home button and plus new security system and features. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Gadgets: Mixcder E7 active noise-canceling headphones, great escape

When you look at the Mixcder E7 active noise-canceling headphones, they appear fancy and expensive. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Salk scientists find genetic signatures of biological aging

Some people appear to be considerably younger or older than their chronological age. Genetic signatures that may help explain this have been discovered by scientists at the Salk Institute. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Hello, Alexa. Hey, Google: Getting your smart speaker up and running

If you just got a new smart speaker from Amazon or Google, you'll be barking commands out loud, and people around you may wonder what's going on. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

NEC to buy Danish IT firm KMD for $1.2 billion

Japan's NEC said Thursday that it would buy Denmark's largest IT firm KMD for $1.2 billion as part of its effort to expand its European and global businesses. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Britain voices 'grave' concerns over China's Huawei

British Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson has warned of his "very deep concerns" about Chinese technology giant Huawei being involved in the use of 5G on Britain's mobile network, The Times reported Thursday. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

France's Vinci to buy majority stake in London's Gatwick

France's Vinci Airports on Thursday sealed a deal to acquire a majority share in London's Gatwick airport, Britain's second biggest, for 2.9 billion pounds (3.22 billion euros, $3.67 billion). | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Indian firefighters battle air pollution in New Delhi

Indian authorities have ordered firefighters in the capital to sprinkle water from high-rise buildings to settle dust and stop garbage fires and have banned construction activity as hazardous air quality affects millions of people. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Indonesia widens danger zone around island volcano

Indonesia raised the danger level for an island volcano that triggered a tsunami on the weekend, killing at least 430 people in Sumatra and Java, and widened its no-go zone. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Online mirrors: Video bloggers and viewers share emotions

An amusing commercial shows someone having a bad day, and how that person's mood affects each person down the line, with more bad moods. This emotional "contagion" may be a real-world phenomenon, and it appears that what we experience online can have a similar effect. Examining o … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

3-week-old elephant dies at Ohio zoo after sudden illness

The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium says an elephant born three weeks ago has died. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

American adventurer completes solo trek across Antarctica

An American adventurer has become the first person to complete a solo trek across Antarctica without assistance of any kind. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

'Tech addicts' seek solace in 12 steps and rehab

The young men sit in chairs in a circle in a small meeting room in suburban Seattle and introduce themselves before they speak. It is much like any other 12-step meeting—but with a twist. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Tiny salamanders could complicate Shasta Dam project

A trio of salamander species in Northern California could complicate a controversial $1.4 billion public works project to heighten the Shasta Dam, the state's largest reservoir. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Buzzed flies reveal important step to intoxication

As New Year's Eve approaches, many people will experience the familiar buzz that comes from imbibing a favorite cocktail or glass of wine. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Fish bones yield new tool for tracking coal ash contamination

A Duke University study shows that trace elements in a fish's ear bones can be used to identify and track coal ash contamination in the waters where it lived. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Collecting clean water from air, inspired by desert life

Humans can get by in the most basic of shelters, can scratch together a meal from the most humble of ingredients. But we can't survive without clean water. And in places where water is scarce—the world's deserts, for example—getting water to people requires feats of engineering a … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Illuminating nanoparticle growth with X-rays

Hydrogen fuel cells are a promising technology for producing clean and renewable energy, but the cost and activity of their cathode materials is a major challenge for commercialization. Many fuel cells require expensive platinum-based catalysts—substances that initiate and speed … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Tree-ring analysis explains physiology behind drought intolerance

Tree rings tell the story of what's happening physiologically as fire suppression makes forests more dense and less tolerant of drought, pests and wildfires, new research shows. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

More bears needed to sustain Pyrenees population: activists

The release of additional bears into the Pyrenees mountains straddling France and Spain is needed to ensure the fledgling population's survival, the activist group charged with the bears' protection said Wednesday. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago