https://phys.org/ en-us Phys.org internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Physics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine. Gently holding a blackcap warbler in his palm, ornithologist Christos Barboutis blew on its feathers to reveal the size of its belly: a good indicator of how far the bird can migrate. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-remote-greek-island-migratory-birds.html Ecology Fri, 27 Sep 2024 04:27:09 EDT news646630022 While violence prevention education has increased in U.S. schools, only one in 10 schools today require violence prevention discussions in class, according to research presented during the American Academy of Pediatrics 2024 National Conference & Exhibition at the Orange County Convention Center. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-anti-bullying-sexual-resources-schools.html Education Fri, 27 Sep 2024 00:00:01 EDT news646555422 A team of Chinese scientists has studied the first lunar farside samples brought back by the Chang'e-6 mission. The findings mark a significant milestone in lunar exploration science and technical exploration capability. The study was published in National Science Review on Sept. 16. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-lunar-farside-samples-mission.html Planetary Sciences Thu, 26 Sep 2024 17:08:51 EDT news646589328 Mysterious craters that first appeared in the Siberian permafrost a decade ago were caused by climate change-driven pressure changes that explosively released methane frozen underground, a new study reports. The research offers a fresh take on the origins of the craters first sighted on Russia's Yamal Peninsula in 2014. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-explanation-siberia-permafrost-craters.html Environment Thu, 26 Sep 2024 17:03:58 EDT news646589030 Most Americans can expect wetter winters in the future due to global warming, according to a new study led by a University of Illinois Chicago scientist. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-climate-wetter-winters.html Earth Sciences Environment Thu, 26 Sep 2024 17:03:49 EDT news646589025 Christian de Caestecker, a Ph.D. student in the lab of Ian Macara, Louise B. McGavock Professor and chair of the Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, has proposed and validated a mechanism that addresses a decades-old mystery surrounding epithelial cells. de Caestecker's research, published in Nature Cell Biology, sheds light on the process by which epithelial cells, polarized cells that face the outside world, sort and deliver the specialized proteins they need at each cell's top (outermost) surface. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-decades-protein-mystery.html Cell & Microbiology Molecular & Computational biology Thu, 26 Sep 2024 17:01:02 EDT news646588861 The global demand for sustainable energy sources has intensified the search for environmentally friendly alternatives to fossil fuels. Biomass waste, a byproduct of various industrial processes, presents an untapped potential for the production of biofuels and bio-additives. However, the conversion of biomass into useful chemicals has been hindered by inefficiencies in existing catalytic processes. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-advancing-green-chemistry-tandem-catalyst.html Biochemistry Analytical Chemistry Thu, 26 Sep 2024 16:48:02 EDT news646588081 As global warming continues, convective weather events are becoming more frequent. The early stage of these storms, known as convective initiation (CI), can be monitored using geostationary satellites. However, detecting CI accurately remains a challenge. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-satellite-fusion-early-convective-clouds.html Environment Thu, 26 Sep 2024 16:38:30 EDT news646587506 The Delaware River Basin, a coastal watershed in the Mid-Atlantic region, has a long history of severe flooding with significant socioeconomic impacts. Recent research uses a process-based modeling approach to analyze hydrometeorological (like rainfall, snowmelt, and soil moisture) conditions during flood events over the past 40 years, revealing the spatial variability of flood mechanisms across the region. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-future-climate-shift-generating-mechanisms.html Environment Thu, 26 Sep 2024 16:37:06 EDT news646587423 A new study conducted by a team of researchers from Arizona State University, University of Washington and the University of Texas at Austin reveals that extreme heat significantly alters how people go about their daily lives, influencing everything from time spent at home to transportation choices. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-extreme-impacts-daily-routines-patterns.html Environment Thu, 26 Sep 2024 16:31:17 EDT news646587069 Each year, about 2.2 million bone-grafting procedures are performed worldwide, the gold standard of care being autografting, which uses the patient's own bone for tooth implantation and to repair and reconstruct parts of the mouth, face and skull. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-bone-grafts-nanofibrous-scaffolds-main.html Bio & Medicine Thu, 26 Sep 2024 16:30:03 EDT news646587001 What do Venice, Jakarta, Manilla and Bangkok have in common? They are or were sinking cities. Wageningen researcher Philip Minderhoud studies the causes of subsidence in these cities. Groundwater extraction plays an important part in all cases. The good news is that this can be avoided. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-city.html Earth Sciences Environment Thu, 26 Sep 2024 16:26:04 EDT news646586761 Bacteria that live in soil and help roots fix nitrogen can boost certain plants' capacity to reproduce, according to an article published in the American Journal of Botany describing a study of this mechanism in Chamaecrista latistipula, a legume belonging to the Fabaceae family, which includes beans and peas. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-presence-bacteria-soil-pollinators.html Plants & Animals Ecology Thu, 26 Sep 2024 16:22:04 EDT news646586522 The "omics" technologies—genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics—are at the forefront of discovery in modern plant science and systems biology. In contrast to the rather static genome, however, the metabolome and the products measured in it are very dynamic. In science, metabolome refers to the totality of all small molecules, also known as metabolites, in a biological cell, tissue or organism. Their concentration generally fluctuates greatly, both spatially and temporally. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-method-enables-noninvasive-magnetic-resonance.html Plants & Animals Biotechnology Thu, 26 Sep 2024 16:13:50 EDT news646586023 In an advance for agricultural waste management, scientists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences have devised a method to convert Caragana korshinskii Kom. waste, a common forestry byproduct in China, into a potential ruminant feed. The research, published in the Journal of Bioresources and Bioproducts, details a two-stage bioaugmentation process that significantly improves the nutritional value and safety of CKK waste. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-caragana-nutritious-ruminant.html Cell & Microbiology Agriculture Thu, 26 Sep 2024 16:09:40 EDT news646585777 In a significant breakthrough for the cosmetics industry, researchers have developed a new type of sunscreen using lignin, a naturally abundant polymer, and titanium dioxide (TiO2). The study, led by Yarong Li and Zhiguang Tang, was published in the Journal of Bioresources and Bioproducts and details the innovative use of a dual-modified lignin sub-microsphere to enhance the SPF and improve the color of sunscreens. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-lignin-based-sunscreen-natural-high.html Polymers Analytical Chemistry Thu, 26 Sep 2024 16:09:39 EDT news646585773 The global transition towards sustainability has sparked significant interest in bio-based materials and energy-efficient technologies. Among these, cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), derived from renewable resources, have shown great potential for use in composites, biomedical materials, and packaging. However, a major challenge in CNC production is the energy-intensive drying process, which often requires removing large amounts of water from low-concentration suspensions. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-ultrasound-technology-drying-renewable-cellulose.html Nanomaterials Thu, 26 Sep 2024 16:09:31 EDT news646585769 Solar wind is a never-ending stream of charged particles coming from the sun. Rather than a constant breeze, this wind is rather gusty. As solar wind particles travel through space, they interact with the sun's variable magnetic field, creating chaotic and fluctuating motion known as turbulence. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-turbulent-solar-sun-corona.html Astronomy Thu, 26 Sep 2024 16:05:12 EDT news646585508 Researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), in collaboration with the Georgia Institute of Technology, have made a significant breakthrough in understanding the impact of carbon dioxide (CO2) on the stability of amine-functionalized porous solid materials, a crucial component in direct air capture (DAC) carbon-capture technologies. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-lifetime-key-carbon-capture-materials.html Analytical Chemistry Materials Science Thu, 26 Sep 2024 15:50:03 EDT news646584602 Hydrilla verticillate (hydrilla), one of North America's most invasive species, has been found for the first time in Canada. Dr. Rebecca Rooney, a biology professor, and members of her Waterloo Wetland Laboratory were surveying a secluded section of the Hillman Marsh Conservation Area in Leamington, Ontario, when they found the unexpected species. Upon review, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry confirmed their findings. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-team-invasive-hydrilla-canada.html Plants & Animals Ecology Thu, 26 Sep 2024 15:48:03 EDT news646584481 Combining two techniques, analytical chemists at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory have become the first to detect fluorine and different isotopes of uranium in a single particle at the same time. Because fluorine is essential for converting uranium into a form suitable for enrichment, spotting both elements together may help inspectors of the International Atomic Energy Agency, or IAEA, determine the intended use of a nuclear material. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-simultaneous-uranium-isotopes-fluorine-advances.html Analytical Chemistry Thu, 26 Sep 2024 15:46:04 EDT news646584361 Millennial Black women feel they have autonomy and flexibility in navigating beauty standards in their personal lives, according to a new qualitative study. But at work, they feel compelled to adapt to a more restrictive beauty standard. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-millennial-black-women-style.html Social Sciences Thu, 26 Sep 2024 15:41:03 EDT news646584061 Orchids, with their captivating beauty, have become a multi-billion-dollar industry. Unfortunately, many species are on the brink of extinction, particularly in Vietnam, due to unsustainable wild harvesting and minimal enforcement of laws restricting it. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-fresh-curb-illegal-orchid-trafficking.html Plants & Animals Ecology Thu, 26 Sep 2024 15:34:03 EDT news646583641 Polymetallic nodules are potato-sized formations on the ocean floor that are rich in minerals such as nickel, cobalt, and manganese. Their concentration of rare, economically important minerals has made the nodules the focus of controversial deep-sea mining enterprises. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-unexpected-role-magnetic-microbes-deep.html Earth Sciences Thu, 26 Sep 2024 15:28:03 EDT news646583282 The reason we call dark matter dark isn't that it's some shadowy material. It's because dark matter doesn't interact with light. The difference is subtle, but important. Regular matter can be dark because it absorbs light. It's why, for example, we can see the shadow of molecular clouds against the scattered stars of the Milky Way. This is possible because light and matter have a way to connect. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-dark-slight-interaction-regular.html Astronomy Thu, 26 Sep 2024 15:10:05 EDT news646582201 On Sept. 9 and 10, scientists and engineers tested NASA's LEMS (Lunar Environment Monitoring Station) instrument suite in a "sandbox" of simulated moon regolith at the Florida Space Institute's Exolith Lab at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-nasa-artemis-science-instrument-moon.html Space Exploration Thu, 26 Sep 2024 15:01:13 EDT news646581669 New models developed by University of Georgia researchers may help guide the fight against rust disease, according to a new study. The paper is published in the journal Forest Ecology and Management. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-hazard-rust-disease-loblolly-trees.html Ecology Thu, 26 Sep 2024 14:56:04 EDT news646581362 The number of educational opportunities that children accrue at home, in early education and care, at school, in afterschool programs, and in their communities as they grow up are strongly linked to their educational attainment and earnings in early adulthood, according to new research. The results indicate that the large opportunity gaps between low- and high-income households from birth through the end of high school largely explain differences in educational and income achievement between students from different backgrounds. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-strong-link-childhood-opportunities-young.html Economics & Business Education Thu, 26 Sep 2024 14:47:52 EDT news646580863 In a surprise finding, astronomers using the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope have discovered that the blowtorch-like jet from a supermassive black hole at the core of a huge galaxy seems to cause stars to erupt along its trajectory. The stars, called novae, are not caught inside the jet, but are apparently in a dangerous neighborhood nearby. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-hubble-black-hole-stellar-eruptions.html Astronomy Thu, 26 Sep 2024 14:47:20 EDT news646580833 The Family Research Council is a conservative advocacy group with a "biblical worldview." While it has a church ministries department that works with churches from several evangelical Christian denominations that share its perspectives, it does not represent a single denomination. Although its activities are primarily focused on policy, advocacy, government lobbying and public communication, the Internal Revenue Service granted the council's application to be treated as "an association of churches" in 2020. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-churches-real-irs.html Economics & Business Political science Thu, 26 Sep 2024 14:47:09 EDT news646580821