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. 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 In the realm of lighting and temperature measurement, advancements in material science are paving the way for significant improvements in technology and safety. Traditional methods, which combine yellow phosphors with blue chips in LEDs, have limitations such as inadequate red light components that affect color rendering and potential hazards from blue light exposure. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-multifunctional-phosphor-white-optical-thermometry.html Optics & Photonics Fri, 13 Sep 2024 13:42:02 EDT news645453721 The striking red-flesh trait in apples appeals to breeders and consumers alike, offering visual appeal and potential health advantages due to high anthocyanin content. However, the genetic complexity behind this trait remains underexplored, as most studies focus narrowly on total anthocyanin levels. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-genetic-secrets-red-flesh-apples.html Molecular & Computational biology Agriculture Thu, 12 Sep 2024 12:39:05 EDT news645363542 Aotearoa New Zealand's flightless parrot, the kākāpō, evolved two different color types to potentially help them avoid detection by a now-extinct apex predator, Lara Urban at Helmholtz AI, Germany and colleagues from the Aotearoa New Zealand Department of Conservation and the Māori iwi Ngāi Tahu, report in the open-access journal PLOS Biology. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-zealand-kkp-feather-evade-predatory.html Plants & Animals Evolution Tue, 10 Sep 2024 14:00:01 EDT news645175742 Lakes provide drinking water, food, recreation and mental health benefits to people who use them or live nearby. Regular monitoring of water quality is essential to collect information to track lake health. Without this information, people who use the lakes may be at a higher risk if water quality is poor. Furthermore, some people—based on their race or ethnicity—may be at greater risk than others. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-lakes-communities-quality.html Environment Mon, 09 Sep 2024 15:39:41 EDT news645115177 The Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) Collaboration has conducted test observations achieving the highest resolution ever obtained from the surface of the Earth, by detecting light from the centers of distant galaxies at a frequency of around 345 GHz. https://phys.org/news/2024-08-event-horizon-telescope-highest-resolution.html Astronomy Tue, 27 Aug 2024 09:00:02 EDT news643906022 Primate ornamentation plays a crucial role in communication not only within social groups but also between them, according to a new study. The research, published in Evolution Letters, reveals that the males of species with overlapping home ranges often display vibrant colors or elaborate features, traits that may help reduce intergroup aggression by enabling quick assessment of potential rivals. https://phys.org/news/2024-08-traits-primates-ease-tensions-groups.html Evolution Ecology Fri, 23 Aug 2024 09:15:03 EDT news643623301 Imagine having to do your job, but not being able to visually process the data right in front of you. Nearly 8% of genetic males and 0.5% of genetic females have some form of Color Vision Deficiency (CVD), or the decreased ability to discern between particular colors. CVD is commonly referred to as color blindness. https://phys.org/news/2024-08-visionary-approach-team-accessible-colorblind.html Environment Fri, 16 Aug 2024 10:33:57 EDT news643023234 Remote-sensing images of Mars contain rich information about its surface morphology, topography, and geological structure. These data are fundamental for scientific research and exploration missions of Mars. Prior to China's first Mars exploration mission, data from six advanced optical imaging systems of different missions in the Martian orbit was used to generate Mars global/near-global image datasets with spatial resolutions better than 1 km. https://phys.org/news/2024-08-team-pixel-global-image-dataset.html Planetary Sciences Thu, 15 Aug 2024 16:14:02 EDT news642957241 This Dec. 27, 2023 image of the São Francisco River in southeast Brazil showcases the range of vibrant colors in the area including blues, reds, greens, and yellows. Much of the unvegetated land, such as unplanted fields and unpaved roads, appears in bright shades of red and yellow. This coloration comes from the underlying clays and soils of Brazil's state of Minas Gerais. https://phys.org/news/2024-08-nasa-image-reveals-palette-brazil.html Earth Sciences Thu, 15 Aug 2024 15:53:02 EDT news642955981 The gender firestorm that has erupted at the Paris Olympics surrounding Algerian boxer Imane Khelif only highlights the challenges all women athletes face, according to a University of South Australia academic. https://phys.org/news/2024-08-toxic-olympics-gender-debate-emphasizes.html Social Sciences Fri, 09 Aug 2024 05:45:36 EDT news642401132 Fur is a defining characteristic of mammals, coming in a wide variety of colors and patterns—thanks to a world-first study, we now know which genes make a marsupial's coat black or gray. https://phys.org/news/2024-08-gene-responsible-marsupial-fur.html Plants & Animals Molecular & Computational biology Tue, 06 Aug 2024 09:31:57 EDT news642155512 Auroras are natural luminous phenomena caused by the interaction of electrons falling from the sky and the upper atmosphere. Most of the observed light consists of emission lines of neutral or ionized nitrogen and oxygen atoms and molecular emission bands, and the color is determined by the transition energy levels, molecular vibrations and rotations. https://phys.org/news/2024-08-full-d-spectral-image-aurora.html Planetary Sciences Fri, 02 Aug 2024 08:55:27 EDT news641807721 The color palette of the birds you see out your window depends on where you live. If you're far from the Equator, most birds tend to have drab colors, but the closer you are to the tropics, you'll probably see more and more colorful feathers. https://phys.org/news/2024-07-scientists-figure-birds-tropics.html Evolution Ecology Fri, 26 Jul 2024 05:00:02 EDT news641114762 America's demand for products delivered to the doorstep has led to a dramatic increase in e-commerce and the warehousing industry. A first-of-a-kind study now shows that people living in communities located next to these large warehouses are exposed to 20% more of a traffic-related air pollutant that can lead to asthma and other life-threatening health conditions. https://phys.org/news/2024-07-warehousing-industry-health-pollutants-people.html Environment Wed, 24 Jul 2024 05:00:01 EDT news640963502 On a muggy July evening, Delaware state biologist Jason Davis is doing what kids have done for ages: Trying to catch a firefly. It's nowhere near as easy as the summer evenings of his own childhood, with only a few in this large wetland between a bay and the Atlantic Ocean. https://phys.org/news/2024-07-flickering-summer-fireflies-important-small.html Ecology Wed, 24 Jul 2024 04:10:01 EDT news641012908 Pineapple peel coloration, especially the red hue, significantly enhances its commercial and aesthetic value. However, the genetic mechanisms driving this trait are not well understood, complicating breeding efforts for red-skinned varieties. https://phys.org/news/2024-07-scientists-uncover-molecular-mechanism-pineapple.html Molecular & Computational biology Agriculture Thu, 18 Jul 2024 13:13:03 EDT news640527181 A Ludwig Maximilian University (LMU) team has furnished a model for revealing what the color of a galaxy tells about its distance, to be used for measuring cosmic structures. https://phys.org/news/2024-07-cosmic-reveals-galaxy-distance.html Astronomy Mon, 15 Jul 2024 11:23:04 EDT news640261381 Prof. Jiang Changlong's research team from the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has developed a highly sensitive ratiometric fluorescent probe that can detect heavy metal trivalent chromium (Cr3+) in the environment. https://phys.org/news/2024-07-portable-fluorescence-sensors-enable-heavy.html Analytical Chemistry Thu, 11 Jul 2024 13:48:03 EDT news639924482 An international team of researchers of the Cluster of Excellence "Balance of the Microverse" at the University of Jena has investigated the mechanism that makes some types of bacteria reflect light without using pigments. The researchers were interested in the genes responsible and discovered important ecological connections. Their findings appear in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. https://phys.org/news/2024-07-bacterial-glitter-possibilities-sustainable-technologies.html Cell & Microbiology Biotechnology Mon, 08 Jul 2024 15:54:43 EDT news639672879 In a study published in iScience, researchers at Queen Mary University of London have taken major steps in better understanding some key questions about learning and intelligence. Led by Dr. Elisabetta Versace, the team used chicks to try and answer some key unsolved questions related to intelligence (be it biological or artificial). https://phys.org/news/2024-07-mother-hen-impacts-chick-efficiency.html Plants & Animals Molecular & Computational biology Mon, 08 Jul 2024 11:49:02 EDT news639658141 Researchers have discovered the unique nanostructures responsible for the electric blue spots of the bluespotted ribbontail ray (Taeniura lymma), with possible applications for developing chemical-free coloration. The team is also conducting ongoing research into the equally enigmatic blue coloration of the blue shark (Prionace glauca). https://phys.org/news/2024-07-blue-mysterious-ribbontail-ray-electric.html Nanomaterials Thu, 04 Jul 2024 09:00:01 EDT news639240721 The cosmos seems to come alive with a crackling explosion of pyrotechnics in this new image from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope. Taken with Webb's MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument), this fiery hourglass marks the scene of a very young object in the process of becoming a star. A central protostar grows in the neck of the hourglass, accumulating material from a thin protoplanetary disk, seen edge-on as a dark line. https://phys.org/news/2024-07-nasa-webb-captures-celestial-fireworks.html Astronomy Tue, 02 Jul 2024 11:46:14 EDT news639139056 Fruits of Solanum plants, a group in the nightshade family, are incredibly diverse, ranging from sizable red tomatoes and purple eggplants to the poisonous green berries on potato plants. A new and improved family tree of this group, produced by an international team led by researchers at Penn State, helps explain the striking diversity of fruit colors and sizes and how they might have evolved. https://phys.org/news/2024-06-tomato-potato-family-tree-fruit.html Evolution Agriculture Fri, 21 Jun 2024 08:36:04 EDT news638177761 The quantum internet would be a lot easier to build if we could use existing telecommunications technologies and infrastructure. Over the past few years, researchers have discovered defects in silicon—a ubiquitous semiconductor material—that could be used to send and store quantum information over widely used telecommunications wavelengths. Could these defects in silicon be the best choice among all the promising candidates to host qubits for quantum communications? https://phys.org/news/2024-06-platform-probe-qubits-silicon-quantum.html Optics & Photonics Quantum Physics Wed, 19 Jun 2024 11:23:03 EDT news638014981 Roughly one in four U.S. households have soil exceeding the new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's lead screening levels of 200 parts per million (ppm), halved from the previous level of 400 ppm, a new study found. For households with exposure from multiple sources, the EPA lowered the guidance to 100 ppm; nearly 40% of households exceed that level, the study also found. https://phys.org/news/2024-06-residential-yards-exceeds-epa-soil.html Earth Sciences Environment Tue, 18 Jun 2024 16:37:40 EDT news637947458 Public water wells in communities of color might be disproportionately polluted by pesticides contaminated with harmful per and polyfluoroalkyl substances, according to a new study led by a team of researchers from UC Berkeley School of Public Health. https://phys.org/news/2024-06-chemicals-threat-rural-predominantly-latinx.html Environment Fri, 14 Jun 2024 12:45:53 EDT news637587947 During the 2022 school year, schools banned books more often than ever before in United States history. Katie Spoon, Isabelle Langrock, and colleagues analyzed data from PEN America on 2,532 book bans that occurred during the year, in combination with county-level administrative data, book sales data, and a novel crowd-sourced dataset of author demographic information. https://phys.org/news/2024-06-political-action-evidence-schools.html Education Political science Wed, 12 Jun 2024 13:12:03 EDT news637416722 Quantum computers have the potential to solve complex problems in human health, drug discovery, and artificial intelligence millions of times faster than some of the world's fastest supercomputers. A network of quantum computers could advance these discoveries even faster. But before that can happen, the computer industry will need a reliable way to string together billions of qubits—or quantum bits—with atomic precision. https://phys.org/news/2024-06-technique-quantum-future.html Quantum Physics Tue, 11 Jun 2024 11:38:03 EDT news637324681 Similar to how a radio antenna plucks a broadcast from the air and concentrates the energy into a song, individual atoms can collect and concentrate the energy of light into a strong, localized signal that researchers can use to study the fundamental building blocks of matter. https://phys.org/news/2024-06-quantum-optical-antennas-powerful-atomic.html Optics & Photonics Quantum Physics Mon, 10 Jun 2024 13:33:04 EDT news637245181