Light pollution is disrupting the seasonal rhythms of plants and trees
Nighttime light intensity lengthens pollen season in US cities. Enlarge (credit: Noam Cohen/EyeEm/Getty) City lights that blaze all night are profoundly disrupting urban plants’ phenology—shifting when their buds open in t.....»»
Powerful and compact optical frequency combs provide unique opportunities
Remember those big, clunky machines needed for super precise light measurements? Those days are fading thanks to tiny devices called microcombs. These chips can do the same job, but on a much smaller scale, opening doors for new applications......»»
Intra-molecular distances in biomolecules measured optically with Ångström precision
A team led by physicists Steffen Sahl and Stefan Hell at the Max Planck Institute (MPI) for Multidisciplinary Sciences in Göttingen and the MPI for Medical Research in Heidelberg has succeeded in measuring distances within biomolecules using a light.....»»
Scientists use light to visualize magnetic domains in quantum materials
When something draws us in like a magnet, we take a closer look. When magnets draw in physicists, they take a quantum look. Scientists from Osaka Metropolitan University and the University of Tokyo have successfully used light to visualize tiny magne.....»»
A quantum material could be the future of high-energy X-ray imaging and particle detection
Scintillators are detectors that make high-energy X-rays or particles visible through flashes of light to form an image. Their many applications include particle physics, medical imaging, X-ray security and more......»»
Why Hurricane Milton Turned the Sky Purple
The strange, apocalyptic skies during the storm reveal how light behaves in the atmosphere when it’s filled with an unusual amount of water vapor, dust, and debris......»»
New plant-based glitter shows no harm to soil organisms
Plastic pollution is everywhere. Each year, over 368 million metric tons of plastics are produced with over 13 million metric tons of it ending up in the soil where it can be toxic to wildlife......»»
Up in smoke: DIY tech to combat wildfires
As wildfires become a more frequent and dangerous part of life, especially in the Pacific Northwest, finding solutions that everyone can use is more important than ever. By June 2024, the Pacific Northwest had already seen more trees burn than in all.....»»
Landscape effects of hunter-gatherer practices reshape idea of agriculture
Some of the wild plants that grow across the Australian landscape may not be so wild, according to new research led by Penn State scientists......»»
Geologist helps track lead pollution in a Tibetan glacier, revealing global impact of human activities
A collaborative research team involving Texas A&M University geologist Dr. Franco Marcantonio has examined the source of lead contamination in a Tibetan glacier, concluding that human activities have introduced the pollutant metal into some of the mo.....»»
Researchers develop technique that enables breeding of genetically identical hybrid plants
When different varieties of one plant species are crossed with each other, their hybrid offspring are often more robust and grow more quickly than their parents. However, in the next generation, this effect disappears again......»»
Chery begins producing cars in Russian plants vacated by Western rivals
Chery's car sales in Russia are growing fast, data shows, and Chinese brands account for over half of Russia's new-vehicle deliveries......»»
European forest plants are migrating westwards: Research suggests nitrogen is the main cause
New research reveals nitrogen pollution, and to a lesser extent climate change, unexpectedly as the key driver behind surprising westward shifts in the distribution of plants......»»
Novel visible light communication encryption technology uses chiral nanoparticles
A research team has developed a novel visible light communication encryption technology with high security using chiral nanoparticles......»»
World"s highest-voltage gun accelerates electrons from zero to 80% the speed of light
Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory have designed and tested the world's highest voltage polarized electron gun, a key piece of technology needed for building the world's first fully polarized Electron-I.....»»
Fall is here: Why do some trees lose their leaves while others stay green?
The autumn has arrived and northeastern North America's forests will soon grace us with a breathtaking palette of reds, yellows and golds. These vivid colors will then fade, giving way to bare branches, as the fallen leaves blanket the forest floor,.....»»
Scientists explore whether smaller chromosomes lead to more segregation errors during egg cell division
Three RIKEN researchers have shed light on the cellular mechanisms underlying chromosomal abnormalities that can cause miscarriages and congenital disorders such as Down syndrome......»»
Unveiling a new technique for preparing ionic liquid-based membranes for mixture separation
Separating mixtures into their constituent substances is essential in many fields. For example, mixture separation plays a key role in the petrochemical industry, as well as in chemical purification and synthesis plants. Moreover, separating mixtures.....»»
One dead as storm Kirk tears through Spain, Portugal, France
The remnants of Hurricane Kirk swept into western Europe Wednesday, tearing up trees in Portugal and Spain before dumping heavy rains on France that left at least one dead......»»
Hybrid fiber pump combiner could advance mid-IR laser systems
In the last two decades, the rapid advancement in applications such as environmental monitoring, medical diagnostics, and global positioning has intensified the focus on developing novel mid-IR light sources. Fiber-based mid-IR lasers, which operate.....»»
Scientist raises questions about Al Gore-founded global climate pollution database
New research from NAU found that a global database produced by the Climate TRACE consortium, co-founded by former Vice President Al Gore, is underestimating greenhouse gas emissions at power plants by an average of 50%......»»