Powerful new particle accelerator a step closer with muon-marshalling technology
New experimental results show particles called muons can be corralled into beams suitable for high-energy collisions, paving the way for new physics.
TECH DEIYO
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Physicists develop new theory describing the energy landscape formed when quantum particles gather together
An international team of physicists has proven new theorems in quantum mechanics that describe the ‘energy landscapes’ of collections of quantum particles. Their work addresses decades-old questions, opening up new routes to make computer simulation of materials much more accurate.…
Designing safer opioids
Opioid medications offer people relief from debilitating pain, but these drugs come with dangers: the risk for addiction, miserable withdrawal symptoms and the potential for fatal overdose. Researchers have now identified a strategy to design safer opioids. They showed that…
Although tiny, peatland microorganisms have a big impact on climate
Polyphenols are generally toxic to microorganisms. In peatlands, scientists thought microorganisms avoided this toxicity by degrading polyphenols using an oxygen-dependent enzyme, and thus that low-oxygen conditions inhibit microbes’ carbon cycling. However, a new study found that Arctic peatland microorganisms used…
Sea ice’s cooling power is waning faster than its area of extent
As sea ice disappears and grows less reflective, the Arctic has lost around a quarter of its cooling power since 1980, and the world has lost up to 15%, according to new research.
The most endangered fish are the least studied
The most threatened reef fishes are also the most overlooked by scientists and the general public. Scientists measured the level of human interest in 2,408 species of marine reef fish and found that the attention of the scientific community is…
Ancient viruses fuel modern-day cancers
The human genome is filled with flecks of DNA left behind by viruses that infected primate ancestors tens of millions of years ago. Scientists used to think they were harmless, but new research shows that, when reawakened, they help cancer…
Reef pest feasts on ‘sea sawdust’
Researchers have uncovered an under the sea phenomenon where coral-destroying crown-of-thorns starfish larvae have been feasting on blue-green algae bacteria known as ‘sea sawdust’.
Diatom surprise could rewrite the global carbon cycle
When it comes to diatoms that live in the ocean, new research suggests that photosynthesis is not the only strategy for accumulating carbon. Instead, these single-celled plankton are also building biomass by feeding directly on organic carbon in wide swaths…
Discovery of a hybrid lineage offers clues to how trees adapt to climate change
The discovery of a hybrid population of poplar trees in western Wyoming has provided insight into how natural hybridization informs the evolution of many plant species, according to researchers. They also said their discovery suggests that genetic exchange between species…
