Hessian remains unearthed at Revolutionary War battle site

Researchers believe they have uncovered in a mass grave in New Jersey the remains of as many as 12 Hessian soldiers who fought during the Revolutionary War, officials announced Tuesday. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 1 year ago

Vaquita porpoises escape extinction longer than expected

Projections previously indicated that the vaquita could be extinct by now but, while they remain the world's most endangered marine mammal, the new research shows the few survivors are reproducing, and may have developed ways to avoid the gillnets that have otherwise decimated th … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 1 year ago

Researchers identify the high-efficiency hacks cannabis cells use to make cannabinoids

For the first time, plant biologists have defined the high-efficiency "hacks" that cannabis cells use to make cannabinoids (THC/CBD). Although many biotechnology companies are currently trying to engineer THC/CBD outside the plant in yeast or cell cultures, it is largely unknown … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 1 year ago

Researchers discover one of the largest known bacteria-to-animal gene transfers inside a fruit fly

A fruit fly genome is not a just made up of fruit fly DNA—at least for one fruit fly species. New research from the University of Maryland School of Medicine's (UMSOM) Institute for Genome Sciences (IGS) shows that one fruit fly species contains whole genomes of a kind of bacteri … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 1 year ago

Computer modelling aims to inform restoration, conservation of coral reefs

A UBC Okanagan research team has created a computer modeling program to help scientists predict the effect of climate damage and eventual restoration plans on coral reefs around the globe. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 1 year ago

Nanoscale observations simplify how scientists describe earthquake movement

Using single calcite crystals with varying surface roughness allows engineers to simplify the complex physics that describes fault movement. In a new study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, researchers show how this simplification may lead to better earthquake pre … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 1 year ago

Developing a new approach for building quantum computers

Quantum computing, though still in its early days, has the potential to dramatically increase processing power by harnessing the strange behavior of particles at the smallest scales. Some research groups have already reported performing calculations that would take a traditional … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 1 year ago

Earlier wheat planting will boost yields in eastern India

Adjusting the sowing dates for wheat in eastern India will increase untapped potential production by 69%, new research shows, helping to ensure food security and farm profitability as the planet warms. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 1 year ago

Flood risk is rising across the St. Louis region. Who will solve the problem?

The region's sewers, creeks and storm drains were no match for last week's record-shattering rainfall—a downpour remarkable not just for its unprecedented total, but also for its intensity. Pouring water sprawled over creek banks, across roads, and into homes and vehicles, strand … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 1 year ago

How a mollusk found in the Florida Keys can put you in jail

Florida's marine life attracts people from all over the world—but what happens if someone gets too comfortable with the state's natural wonders? | Continue reading


@phys.org | 1 year ago

Researchers create biosensor by turning spider silk into optical fiber

Researchers have harnessed the light-guiding properties of spider silk to develop a sensor that can detect and measure small changes in the refractive index of a biological solution, including glucose and other types of sugar solutions. The new light-based sensor might one day be … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 1 year ago

Bacteria use genetic switch to defend death by metals

Griffith University researchers have discovered a genetic switch in a common bacterium that helps defend itself against the human body's natural immune system. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 1 year ago

Analysis of molecular processes in living cells with sub-10 nm spatial resolution

Researchers at the University of Würzburg have developed "photoswitching fingerprint analysis"—a unique technology that for the first time allows the analysis of molecular processes and the regulation of individual proteins in living cells with sub-10 nm spatial resolution. Its a … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 1 year ago

Scientists refine the equations for mechanical stiffness to apply to plant cell walls based on elastic shell theory

Scientists from Nara Institute of Science and Technology (NAIST) have used elastic shell theory to describe how the stiffness of plant cell walls depends on their elasticity and internal turgor pressure. By utilizing atomic force microscopy (AFM) combined with finite element comp … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 1 year ago

Agri-environment measures boost wildlife populations in long-term farm study

Agri-environment schemes can significantly increase local bird and butterfly populations without damaging food production, a long-term research project has found. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 1 year ago

Experiments show bottle-nosed dolphins likely have episodic memory recall

A team of researchers at the University of Cambridge, working with colleagues from the University of Turin and Zoomarine Italia, has found evidence of bottle-nosed dolphins having episodic memory recall. In their paper published in the journal Current Biology, the group outlines … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 1 year ago

Love Island: The psychological challenges contestants, and viewers, could face after the show is over

The finale of ITV's Love Island was watched by millions of fans, many commenting live on social media as Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu and Davide Sanclimenti were awarded the £50,000 prize. The four couples who made the final will now leave the Majorca villa where they've kissed, cried and … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 1 year ago

Novel non-contact oxygen concentration measurement technique developed

Oxygen plays a key role in various industrial processes, including combustion and energy conversion, which are involved in important fields such as fuel cells, automotive engines, and gas turbines. Thus, a real-time, accurate measurement of oxygen concentration is crucial for the … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 1 year ago

Students from poorer regions rate Sustainable Development Goals as more important than those from richer regions do

In 2015, the member states of the United Nations adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The central element is the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These include "Zero Hunger", "Clean Water", "Responsible Consumption" and "Life Below Water". The SDGs relate … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 1 year ago

Using light to restore cell function

New research from the University of Cincinnati shows early indications that light can be used as a treatment for certain diseases, including cancer. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 1 year ago

Tarsiers push virtuoso singing to their physiological limits

Opera arias are typically rich in coloratura, for example fast, high notes that stretch over a wide frequency range. Coloratura aren't just beautiful to listen to: they are also designed to allow the best singers to show off their virtuosity. Now, researchers from Sam Ratulangi U … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 1 year ago

In DNA, scientists find solution to building superconductor that could transform technology

Scientists at the University of Virginia School of Medicine and their collaborators have used DNA to overcome a nearly insurmountable obstacle to engineer materials that would revolutionize electronics. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 1 year ago

Wildfires disproportionately affect the poor

With fires raging from California to Alaska, the 2022 wildfire season is off to a violent start. It's an ominous sign of what promises to be another record-breaking fire season in the U.S. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 1 year ago

New 'lab on a chip' may accelerate carbon storage efforts

Scientists at Stanford University have developed a new solution for the challenge of making sure that when carbon dioxide (CO2) is injected underground, it actually stays put. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 1 year ago

Study reveals key genes involved in production of industrial enzymes and biomass recycling

Researchers at the Institute of Modern Physics (IMP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), have made progress in the study of heavy ion mutagenesis breeding and the cellulase synthetic mechanism of enzyme-producing strains. The results have been published in Biotechnology for … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 1 year ago

Tepary beans offer producers a low-input, climate-resilient legume alternative

Tepary beans are among the most drought-tolerant legume crops in the world, but at one time, they were almost an endangered species in the U.S. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 1 year ago

Study tracks plant pathogens in leafhoppers from natural areas

Phytoplasmas are bacteria that can invade the vascular tissues of plants, causing many different crop diseases. While most studies of phytoplasmas begin by examining plants showing disease symptoms, a new analysis focuses on the tiny insects that carry the infectious bacteria fro … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 1 year ago

Manipulating chromosomes in living cells reveals that they are fluid

For the first time, scientists from CNRS, Institut Curie and Sorbonne Université have been able to act physically on chromosomes in living cells. By subjecting the chromosomes to different forces using magnets, they discovered that chromosomes are in fact very fluid—almost liquid … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 1 year ago

Researchers team up with the Glenlivet distillery to protect whisky production

Researchers from the University of Aberdeen and James Hutton Institute have worked with The Glenlivet distillery to introduce environmentally sustainable solutions at Chivas Brothers' Speyside distillery to address water scarcity and protect whisky production. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 1 year ago

Researchers design the cheapest and most efficient squid aquaculture system to date

A squid is a type of cephalopod that has an elongated body, eight arms and two tentacles. Globally, there are at least 300 species of squid distributed across the world's oceans. They're also a healthy food source as they're packed with protein, thus contributing to high-quality … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 1 year ago

Self-employed among hardest hit by pandemic

Self-employed workers in the U.K. were among the hardest hit by the pandemic and their incomes and businesses have still not recovered. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 1 year ago

Suspended sediment reduced by rapid revegetation after Fukushima decontamination

The effects of increased sediment load in rivers during the recovery phase after a nuclear accident are a key consideration in decontamination efforts. Researchers from Japan have discovered that with some planning, unsustainable effects from these efforts could be mitigated. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 1 year ago

Women are turning the tide on climate policy worldwide, and may launch a new era for Australia

When the new federal parliament opened last week, a record number of female politicians took their seats: 38% in the House of Representatives and 57% in the Senate. This changing of the guard, with women at the forefront, brings an opportunity to accelerate Australia's efforts on … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 1 year ago

Researchers measure a signature of superconducting interference at the atomic scale

Superconductors, materials that can conduct electricity with no resistance at low temperatures, have many interesting and advantageous properties. In recent years, physicists and computer scientists have been investigating their potential for different applications, including qua … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 1 year ago

Light as a tool for the synthesis of complex molecules

Chemists at the University of Münster have developed a novel and straightforward way to produce complex organic molecules. Mild reaction conditions, simple operation, scalability and the use of an inexpensive and commercially available photosensitizer make the method interesting … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 1 year ago

New research reveals that wildfires can influence El Niño

Wildfire is a phenomenon that has affected pretty much every vegetated environment on Earth for millions of years. However, during the past few decades, the planet has been experiencing extraordinary wildfire activity, with widespread devastation in diverse places such as the Med … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 1 year ago

Consumers are likely to be susceptible to slick graphic design of trading platforms

In today's digital society, online investment trading tools have become commonplace. So are user design elements like flashing graphs, zero commission trading, and notifications on mobile devices. But preliminary findings from a new study out of the Lally School of Management at … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 1 year ago

Rotary motor reveals how microbial metabolites modulate bacterial energetics

Dr. Pushkar Lele and a team of researchers from Texas A&M University conducted a study to see how indole—an organic compound and a significant component of the bacterial exometabolome—impacts the energy levels and protein function in bacteria. Indole can promote antibiotic resist … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 1 year ago

Newts unleashed: Limb muscle regeneration needs metamorphosis and body growth

Unknown to passersby, a modest little creature with amazing abilities lives and breeds in the forests and paddy fields of Japan. Now, researchers from Japan have discovered how these amphibians' superpowers are unleashed. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 1 year ago

Helping cells become better protein factories could improve gene therapies and other treatments

The cells in your body are not all the same. Each of your organs has cells with very different functions. For example, liver cells are top-notch secretors, as their job requires them to make and export many of the proteins in your blood. By contrast, muscle cells are tasked with … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 1 year ago

Natural disaster losses hit $72 bn in first half 2022: Swiss Re

Total economic losses caused by natural disasters hit an estimated $72 billion in the first half of 2022, fuelled by storms and floods, Swiss reinsurance giant Swiss Re estimated Tuesday. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 1 year ago

Supernovae and progenitors may have contributed more dust to the solar nebula than thought

A team of researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, working with a colleague from Université Paris-Saclay, has found evidence that suggests supernovae and their progenitors may have contributed more dust to the solar nebula than previously thought. In their paper pub … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 1 year ago

Consortium investigates new ways of reducing arsenic in copper concentrates

As the world's largest copper exporter, Chile is encountering a growing number of sulfur-based ore layers containing toxic arsenic in its copper mines. Conventional strategies for separating and landfilling arsenic are proving limited in this area. The German-Chilean project team … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 1 year ago

Water in atmosphere from Tonga eruption may weaken ozone layer

A team of researchers at the California Institute of Technology's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, working with a colleague from the University of Edinburgh, has found evidence suggesting that the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai eruption earlier this year may have pushed so much water into t … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 1 year ago

It's raining PFAS: Even in Antarctica and on the Tibetan Plateau, rainwater is unsafe to drink

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are man-made hazardous chemicals that are spread globally in the atmosphere and as a result they can be found in the rainwater and snow in even the most remote locations on Earth. During the last 20 years, guideline values for PFAS in dr … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 1 year ago

New nanoparticle-based material could detect antibiotics in water

An international team of researchers has developed a new type of strong and elastic two-dimensional (2D) membrane. The invention could prove useful, for instance, in detecting remnants of antibiotics from water. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 1 year ago

Researchers discover hundreds of new ant species in Northern Australia's tropics

Charles Darwin University (CDU) researchers have discovered thousands of new ant species in the monsoonal tropics, showing ant populations in Northern Australia are some of the world's most diverse. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 1 year ago

Controlling soil splash erosion may benefit sustainable development of rubber plantation

Soil erosion often results in the degradation of ecosystem services and functions throughout the world. Splash erosion is the initial stage of water erosion and directly contributes to the detachment of soil particles on sloping land. As splash erosion is widespread under the int … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 1 year ago