Who supports Putin? Men, older generations and traditionalists, study shows

An international team of researchers has released an exhaustive look at support for Russia's autocratic President Vladimir Putin across several neighboring countries. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 12 months ago

Understanding the deep relationship between plants and the wind

As Earth's climate continues to change, a plant's ability to adapt to its shifting environment is critical to its survival. Often, to stay alive a plant must move locations by releasing its seeds, but plants are rooted in the ground and cannot move themselves. Instead, they are d … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 12 months ago

Tiny worms are helping scientists better understand fertility

Studying sex from just the male perspective misses half the experience. But much of what we know about the origins of reproductive cells comes from looking at sperm and egg formation separately—or only focusing on sperm. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 12 months ago

Discovery of planet too big for its sun throws off solar system formation models

The discovery of a planet that is far too massive for its sun is calling into question what was previously understood about the formation of planets and their solar systems, according to Penn State researchers. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 12 months ago

Research traces modern maize back to a hybrid created 5,000 years ago in Mexico

Maize is one of the world's most widely grown crops. It is used for both human and animal foods and holds great cultural significance, especially for indigenous peoples in the Americas. Yet despite its importance, the origins of the grain have been hotly debated for more than a c … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 12 months ago

Researchers show an old law still holds for quirky quantum materials

Long before researchers discovered the electron and its role in generating electrical current, they knew about electricity and were exploring its potential. One thing they learned early on was that metals were great conductors of both electricity and heat. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 12 months ago

Two-photon lithography for photonic packaging: A promising solution

Photonic integrated circuits (PICs) are compact devices that combine multiple optical components on a single chip. They have a wide range of applications in communications, ranging, sensing, computing, spectroscopy, and quantum technology. PICs are now manufactured using mature s … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 12 months ago

Taking climate action with Earth observation

As global temperatures records are smashed and greenhouse gas emissions reach new highs, a new report from the UN Environment Programme finds that current pledges under the Paris Agreement put the world on track for a 2.5°C–2.9°C temperature rise this century—pointing to the urge … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 12 months ago

There's a financial literacy gender gap—older women are eager for education that meets their needs

Every day, families across the U.S. have to make difficult decisions about budgeting, spending, insurance, investments, savings, retirement and on and on. When faced with these choices, financial literacy—that is, knowing how to make informed decisions about money—is key. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 12 months ago

US to replace all lead water lines within 10 years

President Joe Biden's administration on Thursday announced it would require the removal of the nation's remaining lead pipes within a decade, preventing an estimated 22 million people from potential exposure to the toxic metal in their drinking water. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 12 months ago

Hundreds of new oil and gas projects approved despite climate crisis

More than 400 oil and gas projects were approved globally in the last two years despite calls to abandon all new hydrocarbon development, new figures showed as the UN COP28 climate talks opened Thursday. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 12 months ago

Migratory songbird study finds link between white tail spots and longevity

A new study of a migratory songbird shows that individuals with average-sized white tail spots—a trait that is critical to successful foraging—live longer than individuals with more extreme amounts of white in the tail. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 12 months ago

NASA's 6-pack of mini-satellites ready for their moment in the sun

Most NASA missions feature one spacecraft or, occasionally, a few. The agency's Sun Radio Interferometer Space Experiment (SunRISE) uses half a dozen. This month, mission members completed the construction of the six identical cereal box-size satellites, which will now go into st … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 12 months ago

Horn of Africa floods displace more than two million

More than two million people across the Horn of Africa have been forced from their homes by torrential rains and floods, according to an AFP tally compiled Thursday from government and UN figures. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 12 months ago

Venezuela zoo welcomes three white lion cubs

A Venezuelan zoo this week welcomed the country's first three white lion cubs born in captivity, a boost for the genetically rare animal whose wild population numbers only about a dozen living in their native South Africa. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 12 months ago

Researchers reinvestigate phylogenetic and biogeographic history of trees in Cryptocaryeae

The family Lauraceae is a prominent component of the evergreen broadleaf forests in the tropics and subtropics. However, the biogeographical history of the family is poorly understood due to the difficulty of assigning macrofossils to living genera, poor pollen preservation, and … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 12 months ago

Satellite remote sensing model for wide-area prediction of transpiration rates in Japanese cypress plantations

Forests, known as nature's "green dams," play a crucial role in replenishing Earth's groundwater reserves. However, overcrowding in planted forests due to lack of maintenance activities, such as thinning practices, is a pressing concern in Japan. This overcrowding causes substant … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 12 months ago

Why the success of COP28 depends on climate finance

Beginning this week, leaders from more than 190 countries will gather in Dubai for COP28, the annual climate global summit. This year, the stakes have never been higher: wildfires in Maui, partly exacerbated by drought, killed at least 100 people and resulted in $5.5 billion in d … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 12 months ago

Study shows Black households pay higher heating costs, seek cold-related medical care more often

Ticking up the thermostat a degree or two is going to cost anyone more money, but a new study from UConn researchers suggests Black households pay more to keep their homes comfortable, in part due to increased cold sensitivity. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 12 months ago

An anisotropic density turbulence model from the sun to 1 au derived from radio observations

Density turbulence in the solar corona and solar wind is evident via the properties of solar radio bursts; angular scattering-broadening of extra-solar radio sources observed through the solar atmosphere, and can be measured in-situ in the solar wind. A viable density turbulence … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 12 months ago

Why do most women still take their husband's last name when getting married?

It's been over 50 years since there was a legal and cultural shift around women keeping their last names when they married. But many women who marry men still opt to change their name to their husband's upon saying, "I do." | Continue reading


@phys.org | 12 months ago

Chandra catches spider pulsars destroying nearby stars

A group of dead stars known as "spider pulsars" are obliterating companion stars within their reach. Data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory of the globular cluster Omega Centauri is helping astronomers understand how these spider pulsars prey on their stellar companions. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 12 months ago

NASA tests in-flight capability of Artemis moon rocket engine

NASA conducted the third RS-25 engine hot fire in a critical 12-test certification series Nov. 29, demonstrating a key capability necessary for flight of the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket during Artemis missions to the moon and beyond. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 12 months ago

Q&A: Where do accents come from? Linguist explains why we talk the way we talk

When it comes to how we talk, accents are often the thing people focus on first. We love to do impressions, and certain accents even have an impact on what we buy. But what exactly is an accent, and how does one develop? | Continue reading


@phys.org | 12 months ago

Image: The beginnings of a sunrise

City lights stretch across the United States like a string of holiday lights in this image taken from the International Space Station on Nov. 10, 2023. At far left, the lights of Chicago, Illinois, are outlined by Lake Michigan. At far right, the Dallas/Fort Worth metropolitan ar … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 12 months ago

China is already paying substantial climate finance, while US is global laggard—new analysis

Finance is poisoning international cooperation on the climate crisis. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 12 months ago

How science saved the ozone layer

On 9 January 2023, the United Nations released its latest report on the status of the ozone layer. It highlighted that this protective barrier is on track toward recovery and should be fully restored by the second half of the 21st century. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 12 months ago

Are dogs or cats more skilled in relying on human pointing gestures?

Dog and cat owners are familiar with the age-old debate: which of the two species is smarter? However, answering this question is impossible, especially due to the difficulty of a sound comparison. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 12 months ago

Pickier dogs found to have pickier brains

Dogs' food preferences are mirrored in their brain activity, particularly within their caudate nuclei -a brain region associated with reward processing, a new study combining behavioral and neuroimaging data by researchers from the Department of Ethology, Eötvös Loránd University … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 12 months ago

Contact binary asteroids are common, but we've never seen one form. Now, researchers want to make one

Ever want to play a game of cosmic billiards? That's commonly how the DART mission was described when it successfully changed the orbit of a near-Earth asteroid last year. If you want an idea of how it works, just Google it and an Easter egg from the search giant will give you a … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 12 months ago

The path to net-zero emissions runs through industry

As government leaders and climate negotiators gather in Dubai for the COP28 United Nations climate conference, an enormous challenge looms over the proceedings: decarbonizing the global industrial sector. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 12 months ago

Fighting extreme weather with extreme computing power

Artificial intelligence, which can already generate texts and mimic human speech, might also help the world prepare for the worsening effects of climate change. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 12 months ago

Satellite discovered by NASA's Lucy mission gets name

The satellite discovered during the first asteroid encounter of NASA's Lucy mission has an official name. On Nov. 27, 2023, the International Astronomical Union approved the name "Selam" or ሰላም, which means "peace" in the Ethiopian language Amharic, for Dinkinesh's moon. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 12 months ago

NASA's Hubble Space Telescope pauses science due to gyro issue

NASA is working to resume science operations of the agency's Hubble Space Telescope after it entered safe mode Nov. 23 due to an ongoing gyroscope (gyro) issue. Hubble's instruments are stable, and the telescope is in good health. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 12 months ago

Peroxidase gene found to confer drought tolerance in soybean

Over the past 100 years, global water use has increased sixfold, and increased drought has led to substantial declines in crop production in recent decades. Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.], originally domesticated in China about 5,000 years ago and subsequently spread worldwide, … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 12 months ago

New study shows how universities are critical to emerging fusion industry

A new study suggests that universities have an essential role to fulfill in the continued growth and success of any modern high-tech industry, and especially the nascent fusion industry; however, the importance of that role is not reflected in the number of fusion-oriented facult … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 12 months ago

Developing diagnostics for a deadly elephant disease

This past summer, staff at the Louisville Zoo noticed their three-year-old African elephant, Fitz, was less active than usual. A blood test confirmed that he had elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV), which can cause a deadly hemorrhagic disease. The staff in Louisville an … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 12 months ago

Aid workers in war zones like Gaza face impossible choices that can leave them traumatized

The shaky pause in fighting agreed between Hamas and Israel is bringing much needed relief to the civilians of Gaza. With its future still uncertain, aid workers are rushing to deliver food, water and other vital supplies. However, it is clear that resources are insufficient to m … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 12 months ago

Mainstream environmental nonprofits get most philanthropic support at expense of diverse organizations

Environmental nonprofit organizations that have diverse leadership and work in equity-deserving communities receive considerably less philanthropic support than conventional, mainstream nonprofits, according to new research published in the journal Energy Research & Social Scienc … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 12 months ago

Study elucidates how ionizing radiation damages DNA

High doses of X-rays and other kinds of ionizing radiation can damage the DNA present in the cell nucleus, a phenomenon which can both lead to the development of cancer in humans and be used to kill cancer cells. This damage to DNA occurs through two mechanisms: one involves the … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 12 months ago

Why the Fed should treat climate change's $150B economic toll like other national crises it's helped fight

Climate disasters are now costing the United States US$150 billion per year, and the economic harm is rising. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 12 months ago

Researchers discover the waxy surface protecting plants might hold the key to developing stronger crops

A team of U of T Scarborough researchers have discovered that the waxy protective barrier around plants might play a role in sending chemical signals to other plants and insects. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 12 months ago

Subducted seamounts may lead to larger earthquakes

There are thousands of mountains scattered across the seafloor, many of which are thousands of meters tall. These seamounts may have significant impacts on seismicity when the portion of the ocean floor they are on is subducted beneath another tectonic plate. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 12 months ago

French ski resorts risk becoming hooked on artificial snow

Winter hasn't arrived yet, but French ski resorts are already resorting to snowmaking. Milder temperatures as a result of climate change have effectively led to its use becoming entrenched in recent years, with 29% of French ski slopes area equipped with snowmaking machines, such … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 12 months ago

As plastic production grows, treaty negotiations to reduce plastic waste are stuck in low gear

Plastic pollution has spread to Earth's farthest reaches, with widespread effects on wildlife, the environment and human health. To curb this problem, U.N. member countries are negotiating a global treaty to reduce plastic pollution, which they aim to complete by the end of 2024. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 12 months ago

Webb study reveals rocky planets can form in extreme environments

An international team of astronomers have used the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope to provide the first observation of water and other molecules in the inner, rocky-planet-forming regions of a disk in one of the most extreme environments in our galaxy. These results sugge … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 12 months ago

Turnover in the Iberian fauna reduced the availability of carrion one million years ago: Study

Ana Mateos and Jesús Rodríguez, scientists at the Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana (CENIEH), have published a paper in the journal Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology showing that large herbivore carrion, a resource that had formerly been a … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 12 months ago

Researchers use architected auxetics to achieve 300 times more flexibility in new 3D printing design

There are young children celebrating the holidays this year with their families, thanks to the 3D-printed medical devices created in the lab of Georgia Tech researcher Scott Hollister. For more than 10 years, Hollister and his collaborators have developed lifesaving, patient-spec … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 12 months ago