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43 articles from PhysOrg

Scientists name new frog-legged beetle fossil for Sir David Attenborough

A new frog-legged beetle species, Pulchritudo attenboroughi, or Attenborough's Beauty, was announced today in the scientific journal Papers in Palaeontology. Frank Krell, Denver Museum of Nature & Science Senior Curator of Entomology, and Francesco Vitali, National Museum of Natural History of Luxembourg Invertebrate Zoology Collections Curator, worked together to identify this new species.

Small fungus formulations could make big difference to protect moose from winter ticks

In the battle to save moose from winter ticks, fungi on small grains of millet could be the ultimate weapon. Morris Animal Foundation-funded researchers at the University of Vermont recently produced granular formulations of insect-killing fungi and successfully tested their efficacy against winter tick larvae under laboratory conditions. The team reported their findings in Biocontrol Science and...

Defunding the police: Calls not easily transferable to other sectors without significant expenditures, adjustments

Following the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer in May of 2020, many have argued for defunding the police. But these appeals have not been guided by research into the scale or nature of issues that police handle. A new study analyzed millions of 911 calls for service across nine U.S. police agencies to determine how defunding the police might be handled.

Novel molecular imaging technique casts complex coordination molecules in a new light

High-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy can be used to determine complex conformational structures of both crystalline and amorphous polynuclear non-planar coordination molecules, as shown by scientists from Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech). Using iridium as a tracer metal, they were successful in determining the different conformations of a highly...

'Seeing' single cells with sound

If you are a researcher who wants to see how just a few cells in an organism are behaving, it is no simple task. The human body contains approximately 37 trillion cells; the fruit fly flitting around the overripe bananas on your counter might have 50,000 cells. Even Caenorhabditis elegans, a tiny worm commonly used in biological research, can have as many as 3,000 cells. So, how do you monitor a...

Accelerated radiocesium leaching from forest floor litter by heavy rainfall

Radioactive materials including 137Cs (cesium-137, half-life: 30.1 years) were released into the environment following the accident at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. It has been about 10 years since the accident, but 137Cs remains in the environment, especially in forests. Many researchers have been studying the dynamics and transport processes of radioactive materials in the environment....

Germanium-lead perovskite LEDs: A new way to reduce toxicity

Metal-halide perovskites are a new class of semiconductor materials for LED display and solar-energy harvesting. However, the best-performing devices are often made from lead (Pb)-based perovskites, whose toxicity may cause potential environmental concerns. To resolve the toxicity problem, an effective method has been the use of tin (Sn) as a partial or full replacement of lead in the perovskite...

Emergent magnetic monopoles controlled at room temperature

Three dimensional (3D) nano-networks promise a new era in modern solid state physics with numerous applications in photonics, bio-medicine, and spintronics. The realization of 3D magnetic nano-architectures could enable ultra-fast and low-energy data storage devices. Due to competing magnetic interactions in these systems, magnetic charges or magnetic monopoles can emerge, which can be utilized as...

Urbanization magnified nighttime heat waves in China

Extreme temperature events will likely increase and cause severe damage to human society and natural ecosystem under climate change and urbanization. Compared to daytime, nighttime heat waves reduce people's ability to cool off and prevent the human body from recovery after daytime heat exposure, and therefore increasing risks of heat related illness and mortality. 

New aroid species found in Myanmar

Typhonium is the largest genus in the aroid family (Araceae). It comprises of about 100 species of tuberous perennial herbs, and is most often found in wooded areas. 12 species in the genus Typhonium have been found in Myanmar.

Environmental impact of bottled water up to 3,500 times higher than tap water

What is the best option for individual water consumption if we take into account both health and environmental impacts? The answer to that question, according to a new study led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), a center supported by the "la Caixa" Foundation, is that, at least in the city of Barcelona, tap water is the option that offers more overall benefits.