feed info

75 articles from PhysOrg

Exposed! International Space Station tests organisms, materials in space

Space may look empty, but it contains extreme temperatures, high levels of background radiation, micrometeoroids, and the unfiltered glare of the sun. In addition, materials and equipment on the outside of the International Space Station are exposed to atomic oxygen (AO) and other charged particles as it orbits the Earth at the very edge of our atmosphere. Only the hardiest materials, equipment,...

CT scanner captures entire wooly mammoth tusk

For the first time, researchers successfully captured CT images of an entire wooly mammoth tusk, according to a new "Images in Radiology" article published in the journal Radiology. Researchers were able to do a full scan of the tusk in its entirety—or in toto—using a newer clinical CT scanner. The new technology allows for large-scale imaging without having to do multiple partial scans.

Banana peels make sugar cookies better for you

Banana peels aren't always destined for the trash or compost anymore. They're making their way onto people's plates, replacing pork in "pulled peel" sandwiches and getting fried up into "bacon." And now, researchers reporting in ACS Food Science & Technology show that incorporating banana peel flour into sugar cookie batter makes the treats more healthful. In taste tests, cookies enriched with...

Sweet success: New enzymatic biosystem harvests the potential of the sugar maltose

Microorganism-free enzyme-based reaction systems are now used for the production of hydrogen, bioelectricity, and useful biochemicals. In these biosystems, raw materials called substrates are broken down by a series of enzymes (i.e., biological catalysts) to obtain the desired end-product. In several cases, the substrates are carbohydrates such as sucrose, cellulose, or starch. In the first step...

Mountain events could improve safety with ultra-high resolution weather models

In late May of 2021, 172 runners set out to tackle a 100-kilometer (62-mile) ultramarathon in northwestern China. By midday, as the runners made their way through a rugged, high-elevation part of the course, temperatures plunged, strong winds whipped around the hillslopes and freezing rain and hail pummeled the runners. By the next day, the death toll from the sudden storm had risen to 21.

Discovery of non-conventional peptides in Vitis vinifera L. through peptidogenomics

Although some researchers have identified peptides through multiple methods, as in Arabidopsis and maize, the biological functions of most non-conventional peptides (NCPs) remain to be demonstrated. NCPs function by modulating larger regulatory proteins, and their functions can therefore be predicted from the proteins on which they act. In addition, the functions of NCPs can also be predicted by...

Tracing ancient lineages of pseudoscorpions in the tropical forests of Western India

The tropical forests of the Western Ghats, a vast mountain range in Western India, are home to many diverse species, especially endemic ones. In a recent study, published in the journal Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, researchers at the LIB have for the first time analyzed the distribution of pseudoscorpions (an arachnid group) in this region in the light of geo-climatic fluctuations and...

Hearing loss in dogs associated with dementia

A new study from North Carolina State University explores the connection between hearing loss and dementia in geriatric dogs. The work could aid in both treatment of aging dogs and in understanding the relationship between sensory loss and cognitive function in dogs.

France readies rescue of beluga astray in Seine

French marine experts will attempt Tuesday to rescue a beluga whale that swam up the Seine river and return it to the sea, officials said, a complex and risky operation for an animal already sick and malnourished.

In control of chaos to engineer high-entropy ceramics

Nature strives for chaos. That's a nice, comforting phrase when yet another coffee cup has toppled over the computer keyboard and you imagine you could wish the sugary, milky brew back into the coffee cup—where it had been just seconds before. But wishing won't work. Because, as mentioned, nature strives for chaos.

Tracking marine plastic drift from space

Every 60 seconds the equivalent of a truckload of plastic enters the global ocean. Where does it end up? Right now, researchers simply don't know. But in a bid to help find out, an ESA-led project developed floating transmitters whose passage can be tracked over time, helping in turn to guide a sophisticated software model of marine plastic litter accumulation.

What's the future of drones in counterterrorism operations and the Ukraine war?

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign political science professor Nicholas Grossman is the author of "Drones and Terrorism: Asymmetric Warfare and the Threat to Global Security" and specializes in international relations. Grossman spoke with News Bureau business and law editor Phil Ciciora about the implications of the U.S. killing former al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahri by drone in Afghanistan.