Study identifies reaction conditions that could make autoxidation of aldehydes more environmentally friendly

Approximately 5% of global carbon emissions are attributable to producing the chemicals that are essential to modern life. Creating a sustainable solution to one chemical reaction in particular—the autoxidation of aldehydes—has challenged researchers for decades. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 10 months ago

A three-step mechanism explaining ultraviolet-induced CO desorption from CO ice

The desorption of CO ice induced by ultraviolet (UV) radiation is a phenomenon that occurs in some cold parts of the universe, which has often also been replicated in laboratory settings. While this phenomenon is now well-documented, the molecular mechanisms underpinning it are y … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 10 months ago

Realizing eco-friendly and high-performance thermoelectric materials

In a new study, environmentally benign inverse-perovskites with high energy conversion efficiency have been reported by Tokyo Tech scientists with potential for practical application as thermoelectric materials (TEMs). Addressing the limitations typically faced with TEMs, such as … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 10 months ago

Discovery of unusual star may change our picture of how stars explode and elements are made

Scientists have found a star unlike any other one recorded—which may change our understanding of how stars die. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 10 months ago

Jupiter has at least three magnetosheath jets, finds Voyager 2 data study

A team of astrophysicists and astronomers from Harbin Institute of Technology, Johns Hopkins University and Peking University has found evidence from Voyager 2 data showing that Jupiter has at least three magnetosheath jets. The study is published in Nature Communications. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 10 months ago

Astronomers find direct link that supernovae give rise to black holes or neutron stars

Astronomers have found a direct link between the explosive deaths of massive stars and the formation of the most compact and enigmatic objects in the universe—black holes and neutron stars. With the help of the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope (ESO's VLT) and … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 10 months ago

Fossil of 72-million-year-old sturgeon discovered in Edmonton

A 72-million-year-old sturgeon fossil has been discovered in Edmonton's North Saskatchewan River Valley, the first fish material of any kind found from that time period and in that geographical area. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 10 months ago

Researchers use spinning metasurfaces to craft compact thermal imaging system

Researchers have developed a new technology that uses meta-optical devices to perform thermal imaging. The approach provides richer information about imaged objects, which could broaden the use of thermal imaging in fields such as autonomous navigation, security, thermography, me … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 10 months ago

Ultra-short laser flashes on demand: Controllable light pulse pairs from a single-fiber laser

In an innovative approach to controlling ultrashort laser flashes, researchers from the Universities of Bayreuth and Konstanz are using soliton physics and two pulse combs within a single laser. The method has the potential to drastically speed up and simplify laser applications. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 10 months ago

NGC 2403 XMM4 is a super-Eddington neutron star, study finds

By analyzing the data from various space telescopes, astronomers have performed a detailed study of an ultraluminous X-ray source known as NGC 2403 XMM4. Results of the study, published January 5 in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society journal, indicate that this … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 10 months ago

A 22-million-year-old petrified mangrove forest found in the Panama Canal

A team of environmental and natural scientists from Universidad EAFIT in Colombia, the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama, and Boise State University in the U.S. has found evidence of an ancient petrified mangrove forest on an island in the Panama Canal. For their … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 10 months ago

Scientists tame chaotic protein fueling 75% of cancers

MYC is the shapeless protein responsible for making the majority of human cancer cases worse. UC Riverside researchers have found a way to rein it in, offering hope for a new era of treatments. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 10 months ago

Mammoth rocket stage for Blue Origin New Glenn goes for sideways ride on Space Coast

A first stage of Blue Origin's massive New Glenn rocket became king of the road for a day making a trip from the factory to its launch complex on Wednesday. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 10 months ago

Protecting Alaska's wilderness and the Indigenous way of life is critical to a green future, says advocate

"Alaska is America's natural resource warehouse." That is what Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy told then-President Donald Trump in 2018. But our home is far more than storage for the next fad of consumer desires in the Lower 48 states. In Alaska, we are facing an onslaught of propo … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 10 months ago

Transparent brain implant can read deep neural activity from the surface

Researchers at the University of California San Diego have developed a neural implant that provides information about activity deep inside the brain while sitting on its surface. The implant is made up of a thin, transparent and flexible polymer strip that is packed with a dense … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 10 months ago

Ancient cities provide key datasets for urban planning, policy and predictions in the Anthropocene

Cities play a key role in climate change and biodiversity and are one of the most recognizable features of the Anthropocene. They also accelerate innovation and shape social networks, while perpetuating and intensifying inequalities. Today over half of all humanity lives in citie … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 10 months ago

First prehistoric person with Turner syndrome identified from ancient DNA

Researchers at the Francis Crick Institute, working with University of Oxford, University of York and Oxford Archaeology, have developed a new technique to measure the number of chromosomes in ancient genomes more precisely, using it to identify the first prehistoric person with … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 10 months ago

Top ten plant and fungal species named new to science in 2023

Scientists from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew together with international partners present their annual pick of the top 10 plants and fungi described as new to science in 2023. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 10 months ago

Research team reports observing vibrational spectra of a single protein with infrared nanospectroscopy

An interdisciplinary research team, led by Assistant Prof. Jun Nishida and Associate Prof. Takashi Kumagai at the Institute for Molecular Science, has successfully observed vibrational spectra of single proteins, consisting of approximately 500 amino acid residues, using advanced … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 10 months ago

Joking apart: What men and women find funny

Men rate visual jokes more highly than women do, whereas women prefer jokes that involve political commentary or the dynamics of close relationships, a new study of print cartoons dating from 1930-2010 finds. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 10 months ago

'Carbon vault' peat suffers greatly from drought, finds study

Peatlands are affected more by drought than expected. This is concerning, as these ecosystems are an important ally in the fight against climate change. Following long periods of drought, peat is able to absorb little to no extra carbon (CO2). Increasing biodiversity also does li … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 10 months ago

Participation in careers programs found to increase engagement with vocational services

A new study published in the Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation evaluates the impact of Vermont's Linking Learning to Careers (LLC) program on service usage patterns and outcomes of participating high school students with disabilities, compared to a control group. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 10 months ago

Old stars may be the best places to search for life

Once upon a cosmic time, scientists assumed that stars apply an eternal magnetic brake, causing an endless slowdown of their rotation. With new observations and sophisticated methods, they have now peeked into a star's magnetic secrets and found that they are not what they expect … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 10 months ago

Researchers find a red knot's character is formed in first year of life

In any group of red knots, respective individuals exhibit a remarkable array of distinct character types. Birds with an exploratory character are motivated to investigate their environment and readily explore unfamiliar areas. Meanwhile, birds with inactive character types are co … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 10 months ago

Nafion byproduct 2 found in blood of well users near Fayetteville, N.C.

Researchers from the GenX Exposure Study detected PFAS originating from a fluorochemical manufacturing plant—including Nafion byproduct 2 and GenX—in nearby private wells in Bladen and Cumberland Counties, N.C. PFAS refers to a group of chemicals called per and poly-fluoroalkyl s … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 10 months ago

Study uncovers low-temperature deformation mechanism of pure titanium

Titanium (Ti), often hailed as the wonder metal for its remarkable properties, has many applications in aerospace, marine, and biomedicine industries. Known for their low density, high strength, high ductility, great corrosion resistance, and excellent biocompatibility, Ti and it … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 10 months ago

Extreme heat wave in East Antarctica driven by record-breaking 'atmospheric river,' analysis finds

Scientists have identified the intricate meteorological drivers that led to an intense heat wave across East Antarctica in from 15-19 March 2022. The heat wave, which affected an area of the size of India (3.3 million km2), was driven by the most intense 'atmospheric river' ever … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 10 months ago

Researchers explore the impact of microplastics and toxin exposure on goldfish

The presence of plastics in our oceans and waterbodies is one of the most significant threats to marine ecosystems. In 2022, plastic production exceeded 400 million tons globally, which continues to rise. The presence of microplastics, ranging in size from 100 nanometers to 5 mil … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 10 months ago

Unveiling the reproductive secrets of red-swamp crayfish

Procambarus clarkii is a crustacean species native to American freshwater bodies. Brought to Japan in the 1920s as a feed for frogs, this crustacean has slowly taken over the Japanese freshwaters by predation and propagation. In fact, in 2023, the red-swamp crayfish was designate … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 10 months ago

Webb discovers dusty 'cat's tail' in Beta Pictoris System

Beta Pictoris, a young planetary system located just 63 light-years away, continues to intrigue scientists even after decades of in-depth study. It possesses the first dust disk imaged around another star—a disk of debris produced by collisions between asteroids, comets, and plan … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 10 months ago

Finding a home for the wandering mushrooms—phylogenetic and taxonomic updates of Agaricales

Many edible, medicinal, and poisonous mushrooms that we are familiar with belong to the order Agaricales, which is a group of fungi with important economic and ecological value. Understanding the phylogenetic relationships of Agaricales can help us to know their evolutionary hist … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 10 months ago

'Stellar paternity tests' match orphaned stars to their Milky Way origins

In the chaotic environment of open star clusters, strong gravitational interactions between bodies can launch individual stars far outside the cluster, even outside our galaxy, the Milky Way. Now, for the first time researchers have mapped several of those stars, which exist outs … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 10 months ago

Record heat in 2023 worsened global droughts, floods and wildfires

Record heat across the world profoundly impacted the global water cycle in 2023, contributing to severe storms, floods, megadroughts and bushfires, new research from The Australian National University (ANU) shows. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 10 months ago

Podcasts and compulsory attendance found to improve student learning

Lectures continue to dominate university teaching, but especially when it comes to big introductory courses, more group work and alternative assignments, such as making podcasts, can have a positive effect. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 10 months ago

European insects spread across the world. Was it because settlers carried plants?

Insects are among the most prolific and successful invaders of new habitats, but not all regions are equal in the numbers of insects that have spread beyond their borders. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 10 months ago

Minority candidates—including women and LGBTQ2S+—in Canadian federal elections are positioned to be sacrificial lambs

A new study from researchers at the University of Ottawa's School of Political Studies paints a stark picture for minority candidates' success in Canada's federal elections, with the Liberal Party and Conservative Party particularly guilty of positioning their minority candidates … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 10 months ago

Purdue forestry professor cultivates cyberinfrastructure for collaborative forestry research

While most scientific research fields maintain open-access data policies, access to forestry data remains limited. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 10 months ago

Scaling up urban agriculture: Research team outlines roadmap

Urban agriculture has the potential to decentralize food supplies, provide environmental benefits like wildlife habitat, and mitigate environmental footprints, but researchers have identified knowledge gaps regarding both the benefits and risks of urban agriculture and the social … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 10 months ago

Unique permanent coastal observation detects minimal changes

A team of researchers from TU Delft has succeeded in long-term mapping of beach topography to within a few centimeters. The unique dataset provides insights into coastal changes for every hour, for three years. This data is important for dune maintenance and to keep the hinterlan … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 10 months ago

'Self-eating' rocket could help UK take a big bite of space industry

New developments on a nearly century-old concept for a "self-eating" rocket engine capable of flight beyond the Earth's atmosphere could help the U.K. take a bigger bite of the space industry. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 10 months ago

Study views the city as a multi-layered system in cultural heritage management

The intense changes in our modern society and the associated challenges are constantly increasing, not least due to the meta-crisis of climate change. Yet our approach to cultural heritage is still strongly influenced by the narrative of preservation. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 10 months ago

Need for speed: How hummingbirds switch mental gears in flight

Hummingbirds use two distinct sensory strategies to control their flight, depending on whether they're hovering or in forward motion, according to new research by University of British Columbia (UBC) zoologists. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 10 months ago

Study finds high levels of job satisfaction among copy editors, little negative effects from pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted jobs across the workforce, including the editorial sector. But a new study from the University of Kansas found it did not significantly affect how copy editors, proofreaders, and fact-checkers felt about their work and that those working in the pro … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 10 months ago

New research shows value of simultaneous local, global action to help save coral reefs

Rising temperatures from climate change pose new threats to coral reefs worldwide, but a new study from a Florida Tech lab has found that managing conditions at the local level—such as reducing pollution and macroalgae—can help coral reefs recover after disturbances. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 10 months ago

Ensuring nutritious and high-quality potatoes are available during the winter season and all year round

Scientists at the USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) use innovative technology to study the lifecycle of potatoes (including development, production, and postharvest storage), ensuring a high-quality supply year-round for snack food processing facilities, restaurants, and … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 10 months ago

Researchers look at thermal stabilization in photonic packages

Photonics offers various advantages, including enablement of high-speed and low-loss communication by leveraging light properties in optical data communication, biomedical applications, automotive technology, and artificial intelligence domains. These advantages are realized thro … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 10 months ago

Researchers report successful synthesis of specific chiral molecules using rearrangements of simple hydrocarbons

In nature, organic molecules are either left- or right-handed, but synthesizing molecules with a specific "handedness" in a lab is hard to do. Make a drug or enzyme with the wrong "handedness," and it just won't work. Now chemists at the University of California, Davis, are getti … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 10 months ago

Q&A: Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 passengers likely would have died if blowout occurred above 40,000 feet, says physicist

If the Alaska Airlines plane that lost a portion of its fuselage while ascending after takeoff Friday had been flying at normal cruising altitude, its passengers and crew would probably have died from the depressurization event, according to a Northeastern expert. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 10 months ago