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03

Comet 3I/ATLAS displays greenish hue in new Gemini North telescope images

phys.org

Gemini North captured new images of Comet 3I/ATLAS after it reemerged from behind the sun on its path out of the solar system. The data were collected during a Shadow the Scientists session—a unique outreach initiative that invites…

01

Feedback loops from oil fields accelerate Arctic warming and other atmospheric changes, study shows

phys.org

The climate is changing and nowhere is it changing faster than at Earth's poles. Researchers at Penn State have painted a comprehensive picture of the chemical processes taking place in the Arctic and found that there are multiple,…

Friday, Dec 12

22

Roundworms discovered in Great Salt Lake are new to science

phys.org

Nematodes discovered in the Great Salt Lake belong to at least one species that is new to science, and possibly two. A University of Utah research team has published a new paper characterizing the tiny roundworm. The team gave it a name…

18

Hidden patterns of isolation and segregation found in all American cities

phys.org

A comprehensive analysis of 383 U.S. cities reveals a striking pattern: most have rings of isolation in suburban areas and segregated pockets near the urban core, that are shaped by race, wealth, and proximity to downtown, finds a new…

17

Ancient undersea wall dating to 5,800 BC discovered off French coast

phys.org

Divers have discovered a long-submerged wall some 7,000 years old under the sea off western France, scientists said Thursday.

Laughing about science more important than ever: Ig Nobel founder

phys.org

With science increasingly coming under attack, using humor as a way to get people interested in scientific research is more important than ever, the founder of the satirical Ig Nobel prizes said.

03

Polar bears may be adapting to survive warmer climates, says study

phys.org

New research reveals a link between rising temperatures and changes in polar bear DNA, which may be helping them adapt and survive in increasingly challenging environments.

Thursday, Dec 11

00

Researchers discover new protein-RNA interaction with potential to treat tissue scarring

phys.org

A research team at Florida State University's Institute of Molecular Biophysics and Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry has discovered how a protein found in the human body interacts with RNA in a way that could lead to new treatments…

Friday, Dec 5

22

Alkaline-loving microbes could help safeguard nuclear waste buried deep underground for thousands of years

phys.org

Billions of alkaline-loving microbes could offer a new way to protect nuclear waste buried deep underground. This approach overcomes the limitations of current cement barriers, which can crack or break down over time.

21

Microplastics in oceans may distort carbon cycle understanding

phys.org

The carbon cycle in our oceans is critical to the balance of life in ocean waters and for reducing carbon in the atmosphere, a significant process to curbing climate change or global warming.

17

Extremely rare 'dinosaur mummy' makes its way to Minnesota for study

phys.org

The fossil called "Medusa" could be a dinosaur mummy—the remains of an Edmontosaurus about 66 million years old that researchers believe contains a significant amount of skin and tendon tissue.

03

Penguins likely starved to death en masse: Populations off South Africa may have fallen 95% in just 8 years

phys.org

Penguins living off the coast of South Africa have likely starved to death en masse during their molting season as a result of collapsing food supplies.

Thursday, Dec 4

23

A new look at TRAPPIST-1e, an Earth-sized, habitable-zone exoplanet

phys.org

Of the seven Earth-sized worlds orbiting the red dwarf star TRAPPIST-1, one planet in particular has attracted the attention of scientists. This planet orbits the star within the "Goldilocks zone"—a distance where water on its surface is…

Astrophysicists test a new piece of the sky to probe dark matter and dark energy

phys.org

In the leading model of cosmology, most of the universe is invisible: a combined 95% is made of dark matter and dark energy. Exactly what these dark components are remains a mystery, but they have a tremendous impact on our universe, with…

16

Glaciers speed up and slow down at predictable times according to the first global map of ice movement

phys.org

The speed at which glaciers move changes predictably each year, according to the first-ever global map of how glacier and ice sheet speeds vary with the seasons. Knowing this yearly rhythm could help us better predict sea-level rise driven…

Earlier ultra-relativistic freeze-out could revive a decades-old theory for dark matter

phys.org

A new theory for the origins of dark matter suggests that fast-moving, neutrino-like dark particles could have decoupled from Standard Model particles far earlier than previous theories had suggested.

Wednesday, Dec 3

17

Free climbers discover remnants of ancient sea turtle stampede in Italy

phys.org

Rocks have been found to hold many traces of Earth's ancient history, but usually geologists have to seek them out. Every once in a while, however, these imprints of times past are found by unsuspecting visitors. This occurred in 2019,…

16

First evidence of lost-wax casting for silver in Bronze Age Western Europe uncovered

phys.org

In a recent study, Dr. Linda Boutoille uncovered the first evidence of lost-wax casting of silver objects in Bronze Age Iberia and, to date, Western Europe. Published in the Oxford Journal of Archaeology, the study examines an unusual…

Tuesday, Dec 2

15

Chesapeake Bay's storm surge tides can be 47% higher than the open ocean

phys.org

When hurricanes or strong storms sweep up the United States' East Coast and meet the shores of the country's largest estuary, Chesapeake Bay, the familiar pattern of storm activity gets a little more complicated. A new study, published in…

Monday, Dec 1

17

New discoveries reveal Tell Abraq's role in ancient Persian Gulf trade

phys.org

If there were a place that could be called the archaeological almanac of Saudi Arabian culture, it would be Tell Abraq, located on the west coast of the United Arab Emirates. This area contains traces of every cultural phase of southeast…

Saturday, Nov 29

16

Asteroid loaded with amino acids offers new clues about the origin of life on Earth

phys.org

One of the most elegant theories about the origins of life on our planet is that it was kick-started by a delivery from outer space. This idea suggests that prebiotic molecules—the building blocks of life—were transported here by asteroids…

Friday, Nov 28

20

New species of begonia found in Guangxi, China

phys.org

The mega genus Begonia (Begoniaceae) is widely distributed in tropical and subtropical areas. It is one of the largest plant genera in the world with over 2,100 species. In China, the number of Begonia species has increased to 304 …

19

Rare high-resolution observations of a flare-prolific solar active region

phys.org

Scientists have captured an exceptionally rare, high-resolution view of an active region that produced two powerful X-class solar flares—an achievement rarely possible from Earth. Using the GREGOR solar telescope in Tenerife, researchers…

Tiny reconfigurable robots can help manage carbon dioxide levels in confined spaces

phys.org

Vehicles and buildings designed to enable survival in extreme environments, such as spacecraft, submarines and sealed shelters, heavily rely on systems for the management of carbon dioxide (CO2). These are technologies that can remove and…

18

Studies show how the giant statues on Rapa Nui were made and moved—and what caused the island's deforestation

phys.org

Rapa Nui, also known as Easter Island, is often portrayed in popular culture as an enigma. The rationale is clear: The tiny, remote island in the Pacific features nearly 1,000 enormous statues—the moai. The magnitude and number of these…

Domestic cats came from North Africa to Europe only 2,000 years ago, DNA evidence suggests

phys.org

Despite the ubiquity of cats in modern homes, we still don't know many details about the timing and routes of early cat domestication and dispersal into Europe and beyond, aside from the common association of cats with ancient Egyptian…

Death toll from floods and landslides on Indonesia's Sumatra island rises to 164

phys.org

The death toll from flash floods and landslides on Indonesia's Sumatra island rose to 164 on Friday with 79 people missing, authorities said, as rescue workers found their efforts hampered by damaged bridges and roads and a lack of heavy…

Common gut bacteria identified as cause of pig ear necrosis

phys.org

It's a problem that's made its way through pig farms around the world for decades, with no clear cause or solution. But new research from the University of Saskatchewan (USask) has identified the cause of pig ear necrosis, a painful and…

The largest ice desert has the fewest ice nuclei worldwide

phys.org

There are fewer ice nuclei in the air above the large ice surfaces of Antarctica than anywhere else in the world. This is the conclusion reached by an international research team led by the Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research …

Rare stone tool cache found in Australian outback tells story of trade and ingenuity

phys.org

About 170 years ago, a large bundle of stone tools was deliberately buried close to a waterhole in the remote Australian outback. Who buried them and for what purpose? Why were they never retrieved?