A surprising way to trap a microparticle
When physicists recently steered a tiny microparticle toward a cylindrical obstacle, they expected one of two outcomes to occur. The particle would either collide into the obstacle or sail around it. The particle, however, did neither......»»
Ice ages were not as dry as we thought, according to surprising new Australian cave study
During ice ages, dry, frozen terrain extended over much of northern Europe, Asia and North America. Many plants and animals retreated from these desolate, harsh landscapes and sought refuge in pockets of more hospitable territory......»»
Finding the best predictor for a galaxy"s metallic content
A team of astronomers has found that the total mass of stars in a galaxy is not a good predictor of the galaxy's abundance of heavier elements, a surprising result according to previous studies. Instead, the gravitational potential of a galaxy is a m.....»»
The surprising secrets of extreme snowfall events in Utah"s central Wasatch
Major snowstorms in Utah's Wasatch Mountains are both a blessing and a curse. They deliver much-needed moisture that supplies water to the state's biggest metropolitan area and fluffy light snow to support the world's finest powder skiing......»»
Smells like evolution: Fruit flies reveal surprises in chemical sensing
A new study in Nature Communications unveils the hidden world of sensory evolution in fruit flies. By delving into the genes and cells behind their delicate noses and tongues, researchers have discovered surprising secrets about how these tiny insect.....»»
The surprising reason insects circle lights at night: They lose track of the sky
It's an observation as old as humans gathering around campfires: Light at night can draw an erratically circling crowd of insects. In art, music and literature, this spectacle is an enduring metaphor for dangerous but irresistible attractions. And wa.....»»
High harmonic spectroscopy retrieves electronic structure of high-pressure superconductors
High pressure has revealed surprising physics and created novel states in condensed matter. Exciting examples include near room temperature superconductivity (Tc > 200 K) in high-pressure hydrides such as H3S and LaH10......»»
A Trojan approach to guide and trap light beams via Lagrange points
Reliably guiding and capturing optical waves is central to the functioning of various contemporary technologies, including communication and information processing systems. The most conventional approach to guide light waves leverages the total inter.....»»
Endangered seabird shows surprising individual flexibility to adapt to climate change
How individual animals respond to climate change is key to whether populations will persist or go extinct. Many species are shifting their ranges as the environment warms, but up to now the mechanisms underlying this have been unclear. For Europe's m.....»»
Physicists identify a surprising phenomenon of aging in materials over time
Physicists in Darmstadt are investigating aging processes in materials. For the first time, they have measured the ticking of an internal clock in glass. When evaluating the data, they discovered a surprising phenomenon......»»
Astrophysical jet caught in a "speed trap"
The science fiction author Arthur C. Clarke selected his own seven wonders of the world in a BBC television series in 1997. The only astronomical object he included was SS 433. It had attracted attention already in the late 1970s due to its X-ray emi.....»»
Cells" electric fields keep nanoparticles at bay, scientists confirm
The humble membranes that enclose our cells have a surprising superpower: They can push away nano-sized molecules that happen to approach them. A team including scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has figured out w.....»»
Nvidia RTX 4070 Ti Super review: the awkward middle child
The RTX 4070 Ti Super delivers on Nvidia's promises, but it still falls into the same segmentation trap as the original version......»»
Peregrine Ion Trap Mass Spectrometer returns to Earth after eventful mission
The Peregrine Ion Trap Mass Spectrometer (PITMS) has returned to Earth after an eventful ten days in space, burning up on re-entry over the Pacific Ocean......»»
This one surprising laptop could actually challenge the MacBook Pro
The 14-inch MacBook Pro has lacked a serious rival for a while, but it may have just found one in the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14. Here’s why I’m excited about it......»»
China"s medieval Tang dynasty had a surprising level of social mobility, new study finds
In studying social mobility in today's industrialized nations, researchers typically rely on data from the World Economic Forum or, in the United States, the General Social Survey. But examining the same phenomena from past centuries is a more daunti.....»»
"Magic trap" preserves quantum coherence in ultracold molecules longer than expected
Quantum technologies bring the promise of faster computing, enhanced drug development and new sensing applications. However, quantum behaviors are difficult to study experimentally since most systems can only sustain quantum effects for a short time......»»
10 surprising facts about Star Wars you didn’t know
These are facts about Star Wars that even fans may not know......»»
Surprising trend in global fishing industries: Study finds decline in catch per fisher since the 1990s
A new study, titled "Diminishing Returns in Labour in the Global Marine Food System" and recently published in Nature Sustainability, uncovers significant challenges concerning labor in marine food production systems. Led by researchers from the Univ.....»»
I tested Nvidia’s RTX 4070 Super against the RX 7800 XT — and it’s shockingly close
Nvidia's new RTX 4070 Super was meant to dethrone AMD's RX 7800 XT, but it's surprising how similar the two GPUs really are......»»
The Surprising Things That Helped Make 2023 the Hottest Year Ever
The numbers are in: 2023’s global temperatures not only soared, but smashed the previous record set in 2016. This year could be even hotter......»»