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81 articles from PhysOrg

Why don't students stick with STEM degrees?

The number of jobs requiring expertise in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields has risen by 34% over the past decade, leaving employers scrambling to recruit graduates with the required skills. But training the workforce of tomorrow isn't easy: research shows that fewer than 40% of students who begin a STEM program ultimately graduate with a degree in their chosen field,...

Program teaches US Air Force personnel the fundamentals of AI

A new academic program developed at MIT aims to teach U.S. Air and Space Forces personnel to understand and utilize artificial intelligence technologies. In a recent study which the program researchers recently shared at the IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference, the program researchers found that this approach was effective and well-received by employees with diverse backgrounds and professional...

Mapping out key sources of emissions for climate change mitigation

Different regions of the world and different sectors of activity emit various amounts of greenhouse gases and other air pollutants affecting climate change. Knowing the details of these contributions can help policymakers decide where to focus their efforts to meet their targets regarding the Paris Agreement. This treaty, signed in 2015, set goals to limit global warming well below 2°C and pursue...

New map of 'stopover hotspots' provides insights for conservation of eastern US migratory landbirds

Every autumn, billions of birds migrate across the eastern U.S. en route to their wintering sites. As the birds undertake their journeys, however, they are faced with increasing threats, including habitat loss, storms, feral cats and other predators, pesticides, collisions with buildings, and climate change. Not only are individual species impacted by these threats, but so is the migratory...

Study: Deal Lake caught in seasonal cycle of harmful algal blooms

April showers bring July harmful algal blooms (HAB) in New Jersey's largest coastal lake. A Monmouth University-led study published in the journal Urban Naturalist finds that Deal Lake is locked in a seasonal cycle that sees the system loaded with nutrients in the cold winter and early spring months, fueling bursts of cyanobacteria growth in the summer and early fall.

Now on the molecular scale: Electric motors

Electric vehicles, powered by macroscopic electric motors, are increasingly prevalent on our streets and highways. These quiet and eco-friendly machines got their start nearly 200 years ago when physicists took the first tiny steps to bring electric motors into the world.

Researchers explore quantum effects of light on the creation of Rydberg states in hydrogen molecules

Rydberg atoms and molecules are characterized by having one or more electrons in highly excited bound states. Such atoms and molecules are said to be in "Rydberg states" and are also called "hollow" atoms and molecules. Rydberg states are useful for studying various phenomena arising in intense light–matter interaction that involve electronic excitation with an intense laser pulse via optical...

Examining how sunlight breaks down plastics on ocean's surface

UV light from the sun slowly breaks down plastics on the ocean's surfaces. Floating microplastic is broken down into ever smaller, invisible nanoplastic particles that spread across the entire water column, but also to compounds that can then be completely broken down by bacteria.

Studying polymer gels through the lens of mechanochemistry and solvent swelling

Polymer gels have become a staple technology in various fields, ranging from optics and drug delivery to carbon capture and batteries. However, there are still many open questions about gels and their network structure, and this has prevented scientists from linking their remarkable macroscopic properties to specific molecular mechanisms.

New Webb image reveals dusty disk like never seen before

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has imaged the inner workings of a dusty disk surrounding a nearby red dwarf star. These observations represent the first time the previously known disk has been imaged at these infrared wavelengths of light. They also provide clues to the composition of the disk.

James Webb Space Telescope confirms its first exoplanet

Researchers have confirmed the presence of an exoplanet, a planet that orbits another star, using the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope for the first time. Formally classified as LHS 475 b, the planet is almost exactly the same size as our own, clocking in at 99% of Earth's diameter.

Successful biosynthesis of the precursors of powerful anticancer drug vinblastine in yeast

Humanity's fight against cancer is expected to continue for years to come. Scientists across the globe are constantly inventing novel synthetic methods for the rapid and efficient production of anticancer therapeutics. However, the chemical synthesis of one such powerful anticancer drug—vinblastine—poses major challenges, owing to its complex three-dimensional structure. Vinblastine is a...