AI predicts the influence of microplastics on soil properties
Plastic waste and its buildup in nature has become a major environmental concern in recent times. While plastic pollution in the oceans is undoubtedly a problem, the presence of plastics in soils around the world is also known to cause severe environ.....»»
Gravitational waves unveil previously unseen properties of neutron stars
A better understanding of the inner workings of neutron stars will lead to a greater knowledge of the dynamics that underpin the workings of the universe and also could help drive future technology, said the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign ph.....»»
How fish guts might play a role in future skin care products
There are some pretty strange ingredients in cosmetics and skin care products. One example is snail mucin—also known as snail slime—which is used for its moisturizing and antioxidant properties. But researchers reporting in ACS Omega might have f.....»»
3D imaging allows researchers to observe degradation of micro- and nanoplastics with unprecedented detail
In a global first, University of Waterloo researchers have used 3D imaging technology to understand the fine details of microplastics, paving the way for more effective methods of plastic waste recycling......»»
Composite plastic degrades easily with bacteria, offers environmental benefits
Billions of tons of plastic waste clutter our world. Most of it has accumulated on the ground and in the oceans or disintegrated into tiny particles known as microplastics that pollute the air and the water, penetrating vegetation and the bloodstream.....»»
Adding an alternating magnetic field to layers of twisted graphene creates even more exotic properties
Magnetic fields can engineer flat bands in twisted graphene layers to create a new playground for exotic physics, RIKEN physicists have shown......»»
Soil pollution surpasses climate change as top threat to underground biodiversity, study finds
Earthworms, insects and mites are all at risk from soil pollution, and scientists are worried that we know very little about the damage it's causing......»»
Soil treated with organic fertilizers stores more carbon, study finds
With carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere increasing in recent decades, there is a growing urgency to find strategies for capturing and holding carbon......»»
Combining aesthetics with fire-resistance for improved wood protection
Wood is a popular material for construction and furniture making due to its availability, easy processing, and strong mechanical properties. However, its flammability poses significant risks, particularly in historical buildings......»»
STEM afterschool programs" benefits extend to friend groups
Research has established that youth participation in science-focused afterschool clubs leads to a higher science identity—or seeing oneself as a science kind of person or as a scientist—and that peers exert influence over interests, even in acade.....»»
Study: Giant ultrafast dichroism and birefringence with active nonlocal metasurfaces
The fine and efficient control of the properties of light at ultrafast speed down to the picosecond timescale is a challenging task, crucial for many scientific applications and technologies. For instance, in free-space optical links, manipulating on.....»»
Tropical forests face increased soil carbon loss due to climate change
Tropical forests account for more than 50% of the global terrestrial carbon sink, but climate change threatens to alter the carbon balance of these ecosystems......»»
Chinese influence campaigns targeted US voters, research finds
Chinese backed campaigns pushed propaganda and spam content on social media.....»»
The right to be wrong: How context or human rationality may influence our decisions
Conventionally, decision-making is portrayed as a rational process: individuals calculate potential risks and aim to maximize benefits. Yet, our brains do not always endorse rational action, particularly when an immediate response is required. Someti.....»»
Healthy soils are good for your gut, brain and well-being, researcher says
Often overlooked, soil is one of our planet's largest living ecosystems and the foundation of our lives. It provides 95% of our food, supports global biodiversity and helps balance the climate by storing atmospheric carbon......»»
Double-peaked supernovae offer clues to pre-supernova outbursts
New research helps in understanding the evolution and final stages of massive stars, the role of binary interactions, and the mechanisms behind mass loss, which ultimately affect the properties of the resulting supernova and its remnant. This work al.....»»
Novel probiotics identified in traditional Brazilian cheeses
Research conducted at the Center for Dairy Technology (Tecnolat) in Campinas, São Paulo state, Brazil, has identified lactic acid bacteria (LAB) that have probiotic properties and are beneficial to human health in samples of traditional Brazilian ch.....»»
Nanoplastics put stress on trees and impair photosynthesis
It is well known that more and more plastic waste is ending up in soil and bodies of water. Researchers are particularly concerned about tiny micro- and nano-sized particles. It remains unclear how and to what extent they are able to enter living org.....»»
What"s in the foods we eat? Researchers develop a food microbiome database
Microbes are part of the food we eat and can influence our own microbiome, but we know very little about the microbes in our foods. Now, researchers have developed a database of the "food microbiome" by sequencing the metagenomes of 2,533 different f.....»»
Nanotubes boost: Liquid-phase synthesis unlocks efficient production
Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) are known for their remarkable properties, which make them essential in many advanced technologies. Yet, creating these nanotubes efficiently and on a large scale has been a persistent challenge......»»
Physicists ease path to entanglement for quantum sensing
Nothing in science can be achieved or understood without measurement. Today, thanks to advances in quantum sensing, scientists can measure things that were once impossible to even imagine: vibrations of atoms, properties of individual photons, fluctu.....»»