Rapid controlled transport of water droplets by sunlight-powered pump

Driven by natural or artificial sunlight, a novel "microtube pump" transports water droplets over long distances. As reported by Chinese researchers in the Journal Angewandte Chemie, the pump consists of a tube whose properties can be changed asymmetrically through irradiation. T … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Using archaeology to understand the past, present, future of climate change

A photo from the tragic "Camp Fire," the most destructive wildfire in California history, shows a house burned down to its foundation. Such images are difficult to process, particularly with 86 people dead. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

How do aerosols help our atmosphere clean itself?

Everyday our atmosphere has to find a way to clean itself of the air, sea and soil pollution we throw at it. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

How RE teachers see religion – and why it can be bad for pupils

Wherever you stand on Cliff Richard, his 1988 number one, with its message that "Christmas is love, Christmas is peace" and "a time to rejoice in the good that we see", succinctly summarises the common festive view of Christianity. From Christmas music to cards to charity TV adve … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

New computer model uses decades of data to help producers predict wheat forage success

A new, pioneering forage wheat model could provide a valuable technique to researchers exploring the potential of biomass production for cool-season annual forage grasses, according to model developers. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

New RNA sequencing strategy provides insight into microbiomes

Researchers from the University of Chicago have developed a high-throughput RNA sequencing strategy to study the activity of the gut microbiome. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Scientists invent easier, cheaper way to measure gravity

The world has one official kilogram against which all other country's kilograms are measured and scales calibrated. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Drones and satellite imaging to make forest protection pay

Every year 7 million hectares of forest are cut down, chipping away at the 485 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) stored in trees around the world, but low-cost drones and new satellite imaging could soon protect these carbon stocks and help developing countries get paid for prot … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Cambodia hails opening of country's largest dam despite opposition

Cambodian premier Hun Sen on Monday opened the country's largest hydropower scheme, swatting aside dire warnings about the environmental impact of the $780 million project and its affect on local communities. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

New research finds tornadoes form from the ground up, contrary to popular thought

New research challenges existing assumptions about how tornadoes form. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Hitachi to buy majority stake in ABB's power grid arm for $6.4 bn

Japan's Hitachi on Monday announced plans to buy a majority stake in the power grid business of Swiss-Swedish engineering giant ABB for $6.4 billion, in what would be its biggest ever buyout. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Moroccan saffron farmers battle knockoff spices

Saffron farmers in southern Morocco have long taken pride in the coveted spice they produce from the purple-petalled Crocus sativus, but some are worried knockoff versions are threatening their business. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Next-generation of GPS satellites are headed to space

After months of delays, the U.S. Air Force is about to launch the first of a new generation of GPS satellites, designed to be more accurate, secure and versatile. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Nissan meets to replace Ghosn, as tensions with Renault grow

The board of automaker Nissan meets Monday to discuss replacing former chairman Carlos Ghosn after his arrest for financial misconduct, as tensions grow in the firm's alliance with Renault. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Talks adopt 'rulebook' to put Paris climate deal into action

Almost 200 nations, including the world's top greenhouse gas producers, China and the United States, have adopted a set of rules meant to breathe life into the 2015 Paris climate accord by setting out how countries should report their emissions and efforts to reduce them. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

'Treasure trove' of dinosaur footprints found in southern England

More than 85 well-preserved dinosaur footprints—made by at least seven different species—have been uncovered in East Sussex, representing the most diverse and detailed collection of these trace fossils from the Cretaceous Period found in the UK to date. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Boston Harbor cleanup was economically justifiable, finds new study

A first-of-its-kind retrospective study concludes that environmental cleanup projects can provide high value to society, making them economically viable alternatives to coastal development projects. The analysis of Boston Harbor suggests the capitalized value of restored ecosyste … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Warmer winters threaten UK blackcurrant farming

Warmer winters may not provide sufficient chilling for blackcurrants in the UK, delaying the start of the growing season and resulting in reduced yields and lower fruit quality, researchers have found. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Drones can detect protected nightjar nests

Thermal-sensing cameras mounted on drones may offer a safer and more cost-effective way to locate nests of the elusive European nightjar in forestry work and construction areas, according to new research presented at the British Ecological Society's annual meeting in Birmingham t … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Nations at climate talks back universal emissions rules

Nearly 200 countries at the U.N. climate talks have agreed upon universal, transparent rules on how nations can cut greenhouse gas emissions and curb global warming, putting the principles of the 2015 Paris climate accord into action. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Medium-scale farms are on the rise in Africa. Why this is good news

Driven by population growth and growing land scarcity, most African farm households are witnessing the gradual sub-division of their land. Over time farms are getting smaller and smaller. Today, over 80% of farms in relatively densely populated countries – like Kenya, Ethiopia, M … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Researchers find some cider makers add unneeded sugar

It's the holiday season and the time of year when there are plenty of libations at nearly every event and or celebration. However, you may not be aware of all the ingredients in your favorite libation, especially if that drink is apple cider. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Rare-earth elements discovered in Georgia kaolin mines, study finds

The high-density minerals in the Georgia kaolin mines are potential sources of rare-earth elements, including the heavy rare-earth elements that are in high demand for many important uses and are mostly imported to the United States from China, according to a study led by Georgia … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Climate and vegetation shape wildfire risk in Hawai'i

A new research paper by Dr. Clay Trauernicht is the first study to link climate change to increasing wildfire probability in Hawai'i, and one of the few that looks at this question for tropical regions more broadly. "Fire in tropical ecosystems is driven by cycles of wet and dry … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Is increasing artificial light at night a danger to coral reefs?

The potentially damaging effects of manmade light at night on the reproduction of reef corals is the subject of new research involving Ocean and Earth Science researchers from the University of Southampton. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Young children make friends faster than teenagers when they move into more affluent neighborhoods

Elementary school children who move from low-income to higher-income neighborhoods form new friendships faster than teenagers, according to a newly released study conducted by a Rice University researcher. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Hubble goes deep

This image from the Hubble Deep UV (HDUV) Legacy Survey encompasses 12,000 star-forming galaxies in a part of the constellation Fornax known as the GOODS-South field. With the addition of ultraviolet light imagery, astronomers using the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope have captur … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

The life and death of a planetary system

How did we get here? | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Aleksander Madry on building trustworthy artificial intelligence

Machine learning algorithms now underlie much of the software we use, helping to personalize our news feeds and finish our thoughts before we're done typing. But as artificial intelligence becomes further embedded in daily life, expectations have risen. Before autonomous systems … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

A nuclear-powered 'tunnelbot' to search for life on Jupiter's icy moon Europa

Between 1995 and 2003, NASA's Galileo spacecraft made several flybys of Jupiter's moon, Europa. Several findings from observations of the moon pointed to evidence of a liquid ocean beneath Europa's icy surface. The ocean, researchers believe, could harbor microbial life, or evide … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Oyster aquaculture limits disease in wild oyster populations

A fisheries researcher at the University of Rhode Island has found that oyster aquaculture operations can limit the spread of disease among wild populations of oysters. The findings are contrary to long-held beliefs that diseases are often spread from farmed populations to wild p … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Image: Giant black hole powers cosmic fountain

Before electrical power became available, water fountains worked by relying on gravity to channel water from a higher elevation to a lower one. This water could then be redirected to shoot out of the fountain and create a centerpiece for people to admire. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Newly identified enzyme could play key role in childbirth and muscle diseases

Since the 1960s, scientists have known of a modification that occurs to a particular molecule in muscles, especially after exercise. What scientists haven't known is how that modification happens, or even why. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

A new neptune-size exoplanet

The remarkable exoplanet discoveries made by the Kepler and K2 missions have enabled astronomers to begin to piece together the history of the Earth and to understand how and why it differs from its diverse exoplanetary cousins. Two still outstanding puzzles include the differenc … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

December comet brings back Rosetta memories

A special visitor is crossing the sky: Comet 46P/Wirtanen, sighted with telescopes and binoculars in recent weeks, is on the way to its closest approach to Earth this weekend, when it might become visible to the naked eye. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Laser-pointing system could help tiny satellites transmit data to Earth

A new laser-pointing platform developed at MIT may help launch miniature satellites into the high-rate data game. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Tracking the footprints of protein synthesis

To trace which proteins are produced and when, researchers say, just follow the ribosome "footprints." | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Surviving one of Earth's most extreme environments

Even in Earth's most inhospitable environments, life has taken hold. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Amazon-owned Whole Foods ends partnership with Instacart

Whole Foods will no longer be working with Instacart, the grocery delivery company announced. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Facebook's controversial Portal video chat device gets browser, games: It may not matter

It's been five weeks since Facebook brought its Portal to market—and, yes, another day with another privacy-related apology from the world's largest social network. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

'Donald' makes annual list of worst passwords of the year

Want a strong online password to protect your personal information? You should probably avoid drawing inspiration from President Donald Trump. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Report aims at untapped workforce for Israel's growing high-tech sector

The growth of Israel's powerful high-tech sector is not being matched by adequate increases in employee numbers, a report said Sunday, with recruitment of more women, and Arabs and ultra-Orthodox Jewish men needed. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Nations agree milestone rulebook for Paris climate treaty

Nations on Sunday struck a deal to breathe life into the landmark 2015 Paris climate treaty after marathon UN talks that failed to match the ambition the world's most vulnerable countries need to avert dangerous global warming. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Cambodia seizes record 3-tonne haul of African ivory

Cambodia seized more than 3.2 tonnes of elephant tusks hidden in a storage container sent from Mozambique, a customs official said Sunday, marking the country's largest ivory bust. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Shenzhen, China's reform pioneer, leads tech revolution

The southern city of Shenzhen is the symbol of the transformative reforms launched by China 40 years ago: former fishing villages that morphed into a global manufacturing hub. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

5G: a revolution not without risks

The recent diplomatic dust-up over Chinese telecoms company Huawei, one of the leaders in developing equipment for fifth-generation mobile networks, has demonstrated that this technology which promises to enable an internet of things and self-driving vehicles also poses risks. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Dutch build artificial islands to bring wildlife back

Dutch ranger Andre Donker sighs as he looks out at the rippling grey waters of the Markermeer, one of Europe's largest freshwater lakes. "Once upon a time it was teeming with fish here," he says. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago

Executive's arrest, security worries stymie Huawei's reach

While a Huawei executive faces possible U.S. charges over trade with Iran, the Chinese tech giant's ambition to be a leader in next-generation telecoms is colliding with security worries abroad. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 5 years ago