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278,946 articles from PhysOrg
From a devastating earthquake, a blueprint for recovery
In 2009, a massive earthquake struck L'Aquila, Italy, a town two hours north of Rome where generations of families have lived for thousands of years. The quake devastated the community so much that its citizens have not been able to return; anyone crossing into the city must wear protective gear and be accompanied by emergency personnel.
Graphene researchers create 'superheated' water that can corrode diamonds
A team of researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) led by Professor Loh Kian Ping, Head of the Department of Chemistry at the NUS Faculty of Science, has successfully altered the properties of water, making it corrosive enough to etch diamonds. This was achieved by attaching a layer of graphene on diamond and heated to high temperatures. Water molecules trapped between them...
Gun retailers take a hard line on illegal firearm sales, survey finds
A scientific survey of more than 9,700 gun retailers in the U.S. has found that gun buyers frequently try to make illegal purchases and that gun retailers take a dim view of fellow sellers who engage in illegal activity—regardless of whether they are actively breaking the law or simply looking the other way.
Hide and seek with a quantum compass
How would you look for something that can be in two 'places' at once? The answer, according to Oxford University research into a quantum phenomenon called superposition, seems to be to ask where it isn't rather than where it is.
Japan, US hold space cooperation talks
Japan and the United States held talks Monday on wide-ranging cooperation in space, including the satellite monitoring of ships, a joint statement said.
Manure spills: Detailing the damage, finding a fix
A manure spill that reaches a nearby creek or river can create a serious environmental hazard because it significantly boosts phosphorus loads in the water. Now scientists at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and their research partners have determined how channel sediments capture and release manure phosphorus, and have identified strategies for reducing phosphorus loads from manure...
Mathematicians calculate chances of actually discovering King Richard III were less than 1%
Mathematics students at the University of Leicester have calculated that archaeologists had less than a 1 percent chance of finding King Richard III when they began their historic search.
New study reveals scale of persistent illegal tiger trade
Parts of more than 1400 Tigers have been seized across Asia in the past 13 years, according to TRAFFIC's latest analysis of confiscations, which includes new data for 2010-2012.
Orange flour for gluten-free bread
During the processing of fruit and vegetables one third is discarded as 'waste'. The waste or by-product can be described as the core, pips and peel of the fruit or vegetable. This waste can be costly for the manufacturer to dispose of and it may also have hazardous effects on the environment.
Pensioners to go to Mars: Why the old ones are the best
Tourist "astronaut" millionaire Dennis Tito wants to send an "older couple" to Mars. Would this be a stunt by an enthusiast or a meaningful breakthrough in space exploration?
Plastic wrapped Shuttle Atlantis slated for grand public unveiling in June
Imagine visiting Star Fleet headquarters in the 23nd Century and being engulfed by a holodeck journey to a 21st century NASA Space Shuttle; complete with a full sized Hubble Space Telescope – perhaps the important science instrument ever constructed and an outstanding legacy of the Space Shuttle Program.
Re-examination indicating large blade technology in China appears earlier than previously thought
The blade technology is no longer accepted as a marker of modern humans, while the presence of different varieties of systematic blade production in transitional and Initial Upper Paleolithic industries remains a topic of considerable scientific interest. Dr. GAO Xing, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP), Chinese Academy of Sciences, and his team re-examine the...
Researchers solve riddle of what has been holding two unlikely materials together
For years, researchers have developed thin films of bismuth telluride (Bi2Te3) – which converts heat into electricity or electricity to cooling – on top of gallium arsenide (GaAs) to create cooling devices for electronics. But while they knew it could be done, it was not clear how – because the atomic structures of those unlikely pair of materials do not appear to be compatible. Now...
Small differences in how a technology is defined can make a big difference in how the public feels about it
(Phys.org) —Even small tweaks in how scientists describe scientific breakthroughs can significantly change how the public perceives their work, a new study indicates. Researchers found that showing individuals different definitions of nanotechnology led to differences in how strongly the subjects supported this emerging area of science and in their motivation to learn more about it.
Solar wind energy source discovered
Using data from an aging NASA spacecraft, researchers have found signs of an energy source in the solar wind that has caught the attention of fusion researchers. NASA will be able to test the theory later this decade when it sends a new probe into the sun for a closer look.
Study finds iron from glacial melting could help reduce global warming
(Phys.org) —A team of researchers from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in the US has found significant amounts of particulate iron in runoff from glacial melting in Greenland. In their paper published in Nature Geoscience, the team notes that such iron could possibly spur the growth of algae, which absorb carbon dioxide.
Taiwan's Foxconn to recruit 5,000 local technicians
Taiwan's tech giant Foxconn will hire 5,000 technicians locally this year, many of them to work on factory robots to build its gadgets, officials said Monday, in a sign the firm is refocusing operations to its home island.
Temperature changes effect growth of dengue mosquito
(Phys.org) —A significant field discovery analyzing how natural temperature fluctuations affect the growth rate of the dengue mosquito could lead to crucial control-and-prevention strategies, according to newly published research from Thomas Scott's Mosquito Research Laboratory and the Center for Vectorborne Diseases (CVEC), University of California, Davis.
Water supply and demand: Scenarios to project global demand water use over the 21st century
Water is an essential resource. Future demands for drinking water, energy production, and manufacturing prompted researchers working at the Joint Global Change Research Institute (JGCRI) and University of Alberta to develop global domestic water use projections through the 21st century. They linked water price information through the Global Change Assessment Model (GCAM), an integrated model of...
Building a better battery
A new battery technology provides double the energy storage at lower cost than the batteries that are used in handheld electronics, electric vehicles, aerospace and defence.
Graduates find mixed results in labour market
New research on the absorption of recent graduates into the labour market has revealed wide differences in how readily graduates from various fields of study and university groups find jobs to match their level of education.
Math model reveals insight into how first life forms were 'born'
An international team of physicists have revealed insights into how the very first life-forms made the jump from the non-living to the living world, by mathematically modelling biological states using energy waves called solitons.
Practicing medicine at the nanoscale: New approaches to drug delivery offer hope for new, more targeted treatments
Modern medicine is largely based on treating patients with "small-molecule" drugs, which include pain relievers like aspirin and antibiotics such as penicillin.
Scientists concerned for Dunedin's Yellow-eyed Penguin population
University of Otago researchers from the Department of Zoology have expressed serious concerns for the future of the Dunedin Yellow-eyed Penguin population.
Wealth makes no difference to teaching financial skills, research finds
Research has found wealthy people often fail to formally pass on financial literacy skills to the next generation. This is despite the fact that many have concerns about the ability of their intended heirs to manage their inheritance well.