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41 articles from PhysOrg

Planetary radar observes 1,000th near-earth asteroid since 1968

On Aug. 14, 2021, a small near-Earth asteroid (NEA) designated 2021 PJ1 passed our planet at a distance of over 1 million miles (about 1.7 million kilometers). Between 65 and 100 feet (20 and 30 meters) wide, the recently discovered asteroid wasn't a threat to Earth. But this asteroid's approach was historic, marking the 1,000th NEA to be observed by planetary radar in just over 50 years.

Validation of asset based lending by grazing cattle using AI

A joint project team in Japan have started field testing for Asset-Based Lending (ABL) applicability at Kuroshima Sakura Farm in Kuroshima island, Okinawa prefecture, which is known for the world-famous "Wagyu" cattle industry. The ABL approach employs cattle behavior monitoring system "PETER" developed by the project team aimed for labor-saving grazing management using edge-AI and LPWA (Low...

Examining the link between body image and income

What started as a casual dinner conversation between two very different researchers in 2016—one a data scientist and engineer, the other an expert in economic models—has since turned into a journal article quantifying the effects of the "beauty premium," the notion that those who are more physically attractive tend to have a greater income.

Enhanced ambient ammonia photosynthesis using nanosheets with light-switchable oxygen vacancies

Researchers have presented a strategy for simultaneously introducing light-switchable oxygen vacancy and doping Mo into Bi5O7Br nanosheets for efficient photocatalytic N2 fixation. The modified photocatalyst has achieved elevated N2 fixation photoactivities by virtue of the optimized conduction band position, enhanced light availability, improved N2 adsorption and charge carrier separation.

The first cells might have used temperature to divide

A simple mechanism could underlie the growth and self-replication of protocells—putative ancestors of modern living cells—suggests a study publishing September 3 in Biophysical Journal. Protocells are vesicles bounded by a membrane bilayer and are potentially similar to the first unicellular common ancestor (FUCA). On the basis of relatively simple mathematical principles, the proposed model...

Light reveals the origin of a grain of sand

A grain of sand buried for an extended period of time in earthworks or on the bottom of the ocean, accumulate a luminescence signal. Scientists use this signal to determine how long a particular grain of sand has been buried. With a new, highly sensitive camera, they can photograph these signals with pinpoint accuracy. In fact, they are even trying to determine where the grain of sand comes from...

With no tourist handouts, hungry Bali monkeys raid homes

Deprived of their preferred food source—the bananas, peanuts and other goodies brought in by tourists now kept away by the coronavirus—hungry monkeys on the resort island of Bali have taken to raiding villagers' homes in their search for something tasty.

Tapping into magnets to clamp down on noise in quantum information

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has recently funded both DOE's Argonne National Laboratory and the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana (UIUC) in a new project related to quantum information science. The Argonne team will bring to the project its expertise in coupling superconducting and magnetic systems. The UIUC team will contribute its world-class capabilities for developing new magnetic...

Developing multifunctional composite materials for aerospace applications

Materials for aerospace applications face many challenges. The structure of an aircraft must be light yet strong. Structural components such as the wings or fuselage must resist damage while at the same time in some areas be able to handle high temperatures from engine exhaust. An aircraft's electronic components must also be shielded from electrical surges due to lightning strikes or other...

Tougher and lighter dental implant crowns can be made of cellulose-based nanocomposites

Nature provides unique insights into design strategies evolved by living organisms to construct robust materials. In this case, the research group was able to create a new impact-resistant material inspired by the dactyl club of the mantis shrimp. The new material could be used in applications that require withstanding repetitive high strain-rate impacts while maintaining structural integrity. The...

Video analysis reveals aspects of posture that lead to success in judo throws

Scientists from the Faculty of Engineering, Information, and Systems at the University of Tsukuba analyzed video from top-level judo matches to systematically determine the aspects of posture, just before executing a throw, that lead to success. This work may help in quantitative measurements of other biomechanical processes, as well as improving coaching methods.

Holding stellar nurseries in your hands

Astronomers can't touch the stars they study, but astrophysicist Nia Imara is using 3-dimensional models that fit in the palm of her hand to unravel the structural complexities of stellar nurseries, the vast clouds of gas and dust where star formation occurs.