Improve recycling compliance by using this technique in public service announcements

A specific messaging strategy used in a public service announcement (PSA) video can effectively encourage New Yorkers who struggle with recycling compliance to properly separate their trash from recycling, according to the results of a University at Buffalo study. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 2 years ago

Humans are guilty of breaking an oceanic law of nature: study

A new international study carried out by the Institute of Environmental Science and Technology of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (ICTA-UAB) has examined the distribution of biomass across all life in the oceans, from bacteria to whales. Their quantification of human impact … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 2 years ago

SpaceX aims for night crew launch; ailing astronaut now OK

SpaceX counted down Wednesday toward a nighttime launch of four astronauts who have been grounded for nearly two weeks by weather and medical delays. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 2 years ago

Methane's short lifespan presents golden opportunity to quickly address climate change

Sébastien Biraud is a Berkeley Lab scientist leading an effort to identify and mitigate some of the largest emitters of methane in California's Southern San Joaquin Valley. Methane is a short-lived air pollutant and greenhouse gas capable of warming the atmosphere about 80 times … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 2 years ago

Student's research upends understanding of upper atmospheric wind

Space physicist Mark Conde had been seeing something curious in his atmospheric research data since the 1990s. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 2 years ago

Competing quantum interactions enable single molecules to stand up

Nanoscale machinery has many uses, including drug delivery, single-atom transistor technology, or memory storage. However, the machinery must be assembled at the nanoscale, which is a considerable challenge for researchers. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 2 years ago

Researchers puncture explanation for largest increase of biodiversity in Earth's history

In a geological period 469 million years ago known as the Ordovicium Period, Earth's seas were inhabited by animals like trilobites (reminiscent of pillbugs), conodonts (eel-like vertebrates) and brachiopods (animals with two-part shells reminiscent of seashells). | Continue reading


@phys.org | 2 years ago

'Tug of war' between cells: What happens when crucial connections are missing

The ability of cells to move together in harmony is crucial for numerous biological processes in our body, for example wound healing, or the healthy development of an organism. This movement is made possible by the connections between individual cells. These connections, in turn, … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 2 years ago

Female bushbabies are more stressed, may be more vulnerable to changing environment

A new study has explored the yearly routine of a small primate called the thick-tailed greater galago (Otolemur crassicaudatus), discovering that females may be under a lot more stress than males. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 2 years ago

New space telescope to peer back at the universe's first galaxies

On Dec. 18, NASA is set to launch its next flagship mission into space. The spacecraft, called the James Webb Space Telescope, brings a lot of risks: Its roughly 270-square-foot mirror, which will collect light streaming in from the far reaches of space, will launch folded up ins … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 2 years ago

Researchers may have unlocked function of mysterious structure found on neurons

For 30 years, mysterious clusters of proteins found on the cell body of neurons in the hippocampus, a part of the brain, both intrigued and baffled James Trimmer. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 2 years ago

What would expanding the EU's emissions trading system mean for consumers and climate goals?

The European Union's Emissions Trading System (ETS) is one of the world's largest carbon markets. A new paper, published today in the journal Economics of Energy & Environmental Policy, considers the benefits, costs, and policy design options of making it even bigger. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 2 years ago

Catching the fog as it rolls in for more fresh water

In the Namib desert—one of the driest places in the world—a tiny species of beetle climbs the dunes, leans its body toward the wind, and catches the only source of water it can: passing droplets of fog. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 2 years ago

Deep-frying sounds reveal oil temperature and the path to a perfect snack

Tempura, schnitzel, samosas, french fries, a deep-fried stick of butter at the county fair—who doesn't love food crisped up in sizzling oil? | Continue reading


@phys.org | 2 years ago

Capturing the impact of human sewage on Earth's coastal ecosystems

A first-of-its-kind, high-resolution mapping analysis estimates the amounts of nitrogen and pathogens released into coastal ecosystems from human wastewater sources around the world. Cascade Tuholske (now affiliated with the Columbia Climate School) and colleagues at the Universi … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 2 years ago

Traditional restaurants displaying a year of establishments are more preferred in Japan

Japanese customers have higher expectations of restaurants selling traditional foods more when they display an older year of establishment. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 2 years ago

New research helps explain the genetic basis for why we look the way we do

Which genes control the defining features that make us look as we do? And how do they make it happen? | Continue reading


@phys.org | 2 years ago

Introduced birds are not replacing roles of human-caused extinct species: study

Human-caused bird extinctions are driving losses of functional diversity on islands worldwide, and the gaps they leave behind are not being filled by introduced (alien) species, finds a new study led by UCL and University of Gothenburg researchers. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 2 years ago

Uncovering racial disparities in nonfatal police shootings

An analysis of data from four U.S. states suggests that Black people may be more likely than white people to be nonfatally shot and injured by police in these states, and these disparities are greater than seen for fatal police shootings. Justin Nix of the University of Nebraska … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 2 years ago

Mosaic brain evolution in guppies helps to explain vertebrate cognitive evolution

Researchers at Stockholm University have provided the first experimental evidence that brain regions can evolve independently of each other during cognitive evolution. This so called mosaic brain evolution was verified empirically in an artificial selection experiment with guppie … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 2 years ago

How does homeschooling affect adolescents' character, health and well-being?

Compared to peers at public schools, adolescents who are homeschooled are more likely to report greater character strengths and fewer risky health behaviors later in life, but are less likely to attain a college degree, according to a new study published this week in the open-acc … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 2 years ago

SpaceX launching four astronauts to ISS

After a series of delays, SpaceX is set to launch four astronauts to the International Space Station on Wednesday night on the "Crew-3" mission. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 2 years ago

Uncovering the optimization secrets of fish schools

Nature documentaries have long exploited the elegant swerves of massive schools of fish. Fish team up to more easily cut through the water and protect themselves from predators. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 2 years ago

New tests track sources of lead contamination in urban soils and assess its risks

Duke University scientists have developed a suite of isotope-based tests that can be used to identify the origin of lead contamination in urban soils and assess the risk it poses to children who inhale or ingest contaminated dirt or dust. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 2 years ago

Nuclear radiation used to transmit digital data wirelessly

Engineers have successfully transferred digitally encoded information wirelessly using nuclear radiation instead of conventional technology. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 2 years ago

'Tuition myopia' may negatively impact students' financial future, study finds

Choosing more expensive colleges may seem like an unwise financial decision considering a large student debt burden after graduation. However, new research led by the Indiana University Kelley School of Business demonstrates that avoiding such colleges can lead to bigger financia … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 2 years ago

A climate policy framework to deal with existential climate risk

As the impacts of climate change become more severe and limits to adaptation draw near, vulnerable communities will need different kinds of finance to build resilience and transform how they protect themselves. Work by IIASA researchers has culminated in a new policy brief, which … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 2 years ago

Study uncovers mechanisms of drug side effects

Researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine have discovered how drugs can affect various membrane-spanning proteins in addition to their intended target, potentially causing unwanted side effects. The results illuminate one of the central problems of drug discovery and point to new str … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 2 years ago

Unraveling the eclipses of millisecond pulsars in a compact binary

A group of scientists working at the National Centre for Radio Astrophysics (NCRA), Pune have for the first time unraveled the eclipse mechanisms for the millisecond pulsars in compact binary systems using the upgraded Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (uGMRT). Eclipses in millisec … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 2 years ago

New method to detect Tatooine-like planets validated

A new technique developed in part by University of Hawaiʻi astronomer Nader Haghighipour has allowed scientists to quickly detect a transiting planet with two suns. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 2 years ago

New ways for dynamical prediction of extreme heat waves

Over the past decade, several extreme heat waves and heat domes have had a catastrophic impact on society and the biosphere. In 2021, all regions of the northern hemisphere have been affected. In late June and July, we saw simultaneous extreme heat waves in the Pacific Northwest, … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 2 years ago

The future of face masks

Building better air filters could help head off the next pandemic. At the 74th Annual Meeting of the APS Division of Fluid Dynamics, scientists will present the latest results on how future face masks may work, what happens when masks get wet, and why improper mask usage can some … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 2 years ago

How to COVID-proof the grocery line, classroom, and orchestra

Despite effective vaccines, it has become clear that SARS-CoV-2 will not fully disappear anytime soon. At the 74th Annual Meeting of the APS Division of Fluid Dynamics, physicists and engineers will present innovative ways to avoid clouds of coronavirus whether waiting in line, g … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 2 years ago

Extracting high-quality magnesium sulphate from seawater desalination brine

Given that mining to extract high-grade mineral ores is wastefully energy intensive, exhaustible, and bad for the environment, scientists have been scouting for alternatives. A group of Korean researchers, led by Professor Myoung-Jin Kim, from Korea Maritime and Ocean University, … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 2 years ago

Image: Hubble surveys a snowman sculpted from gas and dust

The Snowman Nebula is an emission nebula that resides in the constellation Puppis in the southern sky, about 6,000 light-years away from Earth. Emission nebulae are diffuse clouds of gas that have become so charged by the energy of nearby massive stars that they glow with their o … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 2 years ago

Citizen scientists find 10,000 new variable stars

Volunteer citizen scientists parsing data from a network of telescopes around the world this year identified 10,000 new variable stars in the Milky Way, according to a recent paper. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 2 years ago

Using blocks dropped from Perseverance and measured by InSight to learn more about Martian surface

An international team of space researchers has learned more about the density of the Martian surface by analyzing data from the Mars InSight lander that was received during Perseverance's descent. In their paper published in the journal Nature Astronomy, the group describes their … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 2 years ago

Apple chips moisture analysis made easy with near-infrared spectroscopy

Dried snack foods such as apple chips are a convenient alternative to fresh fruit, providing longer shelf life and easier storage. Consumers increasingly demand product variety, so companies coat such snack foods with fruit and vegetable powders to enhance taste and sensory appea … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 2 years ago

COP26 draft urges boost to emissions cutting goals by 2022

A draft UN climate summit text Wednesday urged countries to boost their emissions cutting goals by 2022—three years earlier than planned—as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson dashed back to Glasgow to check the pulse of negotiations. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 2 years ago

Efforts to cut car, plane and ship emissions get small boost

Several countries and companies announced plans Wednesday to stop selling cars that run on gasoline or diesel over the next two decades, as part of efforts to clamp down on a significant source of planet-warming emissions. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 2 years ago

Draft deal at UN climate talks calls for end to coal use

Governments are considering calling for a global end to coal use, according to a draft released Wednesday of the final document expected at the U.N. climate talks. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 2 years ago

Research sheds more light on the properties of the ultra-luminous X-ray pulsar NGC 7793 P13

Using data from various spacecraft, astronomers have investigated an ultra-luminous X-ray pulsar known as NGC 7793 P13. The new study, published November 1 on the arXiv pre-print server, yields essential information regarding timing and spectral properties of this source. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 2 years ago

Simultaneous TES readout at level of Athena-like telescopes

Scientists at SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research have simultaneously read out the signal of 37 TES pixels at a resolution of 2.2 eV for X-rays (6 keV). It is the first time that a simultaneous readout fulfills the requirements for future space telescopes at the level o … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 2 years ago

The role of animal pheromones in regulating fat burning and longevity

Pheromones are potent molecules that mediate communications between animals and even between humans. Usually, a sender animal synthesizes and excretes pheromones to the environment; pheromones are detected by a receiver animal and elicit dramatic changes in the development, growt … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 2 years ago

Emission reductions from pandemic had unexpected effects on the atmosphere

Earth's atmosphere reacted in surprising ways to the lowering of emissions during the pandemic, showing how closely climate warming and air pollution are linked. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 2 years ago

NASA's Roman mission will empower a new era of cosmological discovery

A team of scientists has forecast the scientific impact of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope's High Latitude Wide Area Survey on critical questions in cosmology. This observation program will consist of both imaging, which reveals the locations, shapes, sizes, and colors of o … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 2 years ago

Climate change may be shifting and lengthening El Niño, causing rainy winters in California

The nature of El Niño—a warming of tropical waters in the Pacific Ocean that can lead to heavier-than-usual rain and snowfall in California during the state's winter wet season—has changed in recent years. | Continue reading


@phys.org | 2 years ago

Back-to-back hurricanes expected to increase in the Gulf Coast

Over the past four decades, the time between tropical storms making landfall in the Gulf Coast has been getting shorter. By the end of the century, Louisiana and Florida could be twice as likely to experience two tropical storms that make landfall within nine days of each other, … | Continue reading


@phys.org | 2 years ago