English

phys.org

Thursday, Mar 28

15

Study unveils a spontaneous toroidal polar topology in the helielectric nematic state

phys.org

Magnetic and electric dipoles, objects with two oppositely charged ends, have a similar symmetrical structure. One might thus assume that they exhibit similar internal structures and physical states.

Three new millisecond pulsars detected with MeerKAT

phys.org

Using the MeerKAT radio telescope in South Africa, an international team of astronomers has detected three new millisecond pulsars in the globular cluster Messier 62 (also known as NGC 6266). The finding was detailed in a research paper…

13

Fukushima fallout transport longevity revealed by North Pacific ocean circulation patterns

phys.org

Fukushima is now notorious for the nuclear disaster that took place in March 2011, the second worst of its kind after the Chernobyl catastrophe of 1986. An earthquake-triggered tsunami off the Japanese coast damaged backup generators at…

12

A method to compute the Rényi entanglement entropy in auxiliary-field quantum Monte Carlo simulations

phys.org

Entanglement is a widely studied quantum physics phenomenon, in which two particles become linked in such a way that the state of one affects the state of another, irrespective of the distance between them. When studying systems comprised…

Wednesday, Mar 27

16

Sounds emanating from coral reefs found to change as the moon rises and sets

phys.org

A pair of underwater researchers at the U.S. Navy's Naval Undersea Warfare Center, working with a colleague from the Advanced Research Projects Agency–Energy, also in the U.S., has found that sounds emanating from coral reefs change as the…

New design for a small, highly sensitive gravimeter that can operate stably at room temperature

phys.org

A team of physicists and engineers affiliated with several institutions in China has developed a new kind of small, highly sensitive gravimeter that can operate stably at room temperature. In their project, reported in the journal Physical…

12

Mighty microbes: Soil microorganisms are combating desertification

phys.org

Desertification is a significant problem for arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid regions of Earth, whereby grasslands and shrublands become a comparatively barren desert as vegetation disappears over time. This poses an extreme hazard to…

Tuesday, Mar 26

16

Male and female crab spiders found to 'cooperate' to mimic a flower to fool prey and predators

phys.org

A pair of environmental scientists at Yunnan University, in China, has found an instance of a pair of spiders, one male, the other female, working together to create the image of a flower, thereby fooling both prey and predators.

15

Survey study shows workers with more flexibility and job security have better mental health

phys.org

A team of community health specialists at the Boston University School of Public Health, working with a psychiatrist from Brown University, has found evidence that suggests workers who have more job flexibility and security tend to have…

New nearby mini-Neptune exoplanet discovered

phys.org

An international team of astronomers reports the discovery of a new mini-Neptune exoplanet orbiting a nearby star. The newfound alien world, designated TOI-4438 b is about 2.5 times larger than the Earth. The finding was detailed in a…

14

Using mode-locked lasers to realize and study non-Hermitian topological physics

phys.org

Mode-locked lasers are advanced lasers that produce very short pulses of light, with durations ranging from femtoseconds to picoseconds. These lasers are widely used to study ultrafast and nonlinear optical phenomena, but they have also…

12

Invasive Pacific oyster proliferation during Blob marine heat wave portends similar events as seas warm

phys.org

Pacific oysters, non-native to the United States but farmed in the U.S. for aquaculture, are an invasive species. During the Pacific Blob heat wave in the mid-2010s, as sea temperatures in Washington state's Puget Sound rose to 3°C above…

Monday, Mar 25

16

Dig site findings suggests ancient artists may have been inspired by preserved dinosaur footprints

phys.org

A team of archaeologists and paleontologists affiliated with several institutions in Brazil has found evidence that ancient artists living in what is now Brazil may have created petroglyphs that were inspired by preserved dinosaur…

15

Rainforest response to deglaciation impacted by Australian Indigenous populations, study finds

phys.org

Australia's Indigenous populations have played an important role in modifying the continent's landscape over millennia, particularly by using fire to create open spaces for daily activities. This continued until they left the area in…

Hot post-asymptotic giant branch star discovered in globular cluster ESO 37-1

phys.org

Astronomers have discovered a new post-asymptotic giant branch (PAGB) star in a Galactic globular cluster known as ESO 37-1 (or E3 for short) and derived its fundamental parameters. The finding is reported in a research paper published…

14

Breaking the ice: Molecular insights into saltwater droplet freezing

phys.org

In a new study, researchers have observed the freezing of saltwater droplets at a molecular level, offering new insights for de-icing and anti-icing technologies. Contrary to conventional wisdom, these droplets don't conform to the typical…

Sunday, Mar 24

Beyond cloning: Harnessing the power of virtual quantum broadcasting

phys.org

In a new study, scientists propose the concept of "virtual quantum broadcasting," which provides a workaround to the longstanding no-cloning theorem, thereby offering new possibilities for the transmission of quantum information.

Saturday, Mar 23

Saturday Citations: An anemic galaxy and a black hole with no influence. Also: A really cute bug

phys.org

If you missed some of our top stories this week, we have you covered. From an underachieving black hole to a new species of fluffy beetle, you can see it all here.

13

Research team proposes a novel type of acoustic crystal with smooth, continuous changes in elastic properties

phys.org

In dim light a cat sees much better than you do, as do dogs and nocturnal animals. That's because the structure of a cat's eye has a tapetum lucidum, a mirror-like layer immediately behind the retina. Light entering the eye that is not…

Friday, Mar 22

16

Researchers explain the dissimilar smells of babies and teenagers

phys.org

A team of aroma chemists at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, working with psychologist colleagues from the Technical University of Dresden, has uncovered the reasons for the dissimilar smells between babies and teenagers.…

Using Twitter/X to promote research findings found to have little impact on number of citations

phys.org

A team of researchers with varied backgrounds has found that using X (formerly Twitter) as a means to increase citations on research papers has little impact. In their study, published on the open-access site PLOS ONE, the group compared…

15

Unintentional generation of PCBs may be producing more of the chemicals than before ban

phys.org

A trio of researchers at Chemistry Matters Inc., in Canada, has found evidence suggesting that more polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are being generated today than before they were banned.

13

Study outlines spectroscopic signatures of fractionalization in octupolar quantum spin ice

phys.org

Quantum spin liquids are fascinating quantum systems that have recently attracted significant research attention. These systems are characterized by a strong competition between interactions, which prevents the establishment of a long…

Thursday, Mar 21

15

Plant material on obsidian blades on Rapa Nui suggests settlers there visited South America and returned

phys.org

A team of archaeologists affiliated with several institutions in Chile reports evidence that early settlers on the island of Rapa Nui sailed to South America, interacted with people living there and then returned. In their study, published…

An approach to design high-power lithium sulfur batteries

phys.org

Lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries are a promising alternative to lithium–ion batteries (LiBs), the most common rechargeable battery technology. As sulfur is abundant on Earth, these batteries could be cheaper and more environmentally…

Four new DAQ white dwarfs discovered

phys.org

Astronomers from the University of Oklahoma and their colleagues report the detection of four white dwarf stars of a recently discovered rare DAQ spectral subclass. The newfound white dwarfs are slightly more massive than the sun. The…

12

Astronomers explore stellar populations of an extremely metal-poor dwarf galaxy

phys.org

Using the James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers have conducted near- and mid-infrared observations of an extremely metal-poor blue compact dwarf galaxy known as I Zwicky 18. Results of the observational campaign, presented in a paper…

Wednesday, Mar 20

17

Researchers explore how beluga whale melon changes shape during social interaction

phys.org

A trio of animal science researchers at the University of Rhode Island, in the U.S., has identified five major shapes displayed by the beluga whale melon. For their study published in the journal Animal Cognition, Justin Richard, Isabelle…

Researchers find evidence of 68 'forever chemicals' in food packaging around the world

phys.org

A team of environmental scientists with the Food Packaging Forum Foundation, based in Zürich, has found evidence of 68 "forever chemicals" in food packaging used around the world. For their study, published in the journal Environmental…

15

Astronomers discover a rare eclipsing X-ray binary

phys.org

An international team of astronomers reports the detection of a rare eclipsing Be/X-ray binary system as part of the Swift Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) Survey (S-CUBED). The finding was detailed in a research paper published March 12 on…