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Categories: Ecology: Nature, Physics: General
Published Island-inhabiting giants, dwarfs more vulnerable to extinction
(via sciencedaily.com) Island-dwelling mammal species often expand or contract in size, becoming giant or dwarf versions of their mainland counterparts. A new Science study from a global team shows that those giants and dwarfs have faced extreme risk of extinction -- an existential threat exacerbated by the arrival of humans.
Published Ringing an electronic wave: Elusive massive phason observed in a charge density wave
(via sciencedaily.com) Researchers have detected the existence of a charge density wave of electrons that acquires mass as it interacts with the background lattice ions of the material over long distances.
Published In the world's smallest ball game, scientists throw and catch single atoms using light
(via sciencedaily.com) Researchers show that individual atoms can be caught and thrown using light. This is the first time an atom has been released from a trap -- or thrown -- and then caught by another trap. This technology could be used in quantum computing applications.
Published 3D battery imaging reveals the secret real-time life of lithium metal cells
(via sciencedaily.com) Innovative battery researchers have cracked the code to creating real-time 3D images of the promising but temperamental lithium metal battery as it cycles. A team has succeeded in observing how the lithium metal in the cell behaves as it charges and discharges. The new method may contribute to batteries with higher capacity and increased safety in our future cars and devices.
Published Hitting nuclei with light may create fluid primordial matter
(via sciencedaily.com) A new analysis supports the idea that photons colliding with heavy ions create a fluid of 'strongly interacting' particles. The results indicate that photon-heavy ion collisions can create a strongly interacting fluid that responds to the initial collision geometry and that these collisions can form a quark-gluon plasma. These findings will help guide future experiments at the planned Electron-Ion Collider.
Published New kind of transistor could shrink communications devices on smartphones
(via sciencedaily.com) One month after announcing a ferroelectric semiconductor at the nanoscale thinness required for modern computing components, a team has now demonstrated a reconfigurable transistor using that material. Their work paves the way for single amplifiers that can do the work of multiple conventional amplifiers, among other possibilities.
Published A surprising way to trap a microparticle
(via sciencedaily.com) New study finds obstacles can trap rolling microparticles in fluid. Through simulations and experiments, physicists attribute the trapping effect to stagnant pockets of fluid, created by hydrodynamics. Random motions of the molecules within the fluid then 'kick' the microroller into a stagnant pocket, effectively trapping it.
Published eDNA holds the key to safeguarding pollinators amid global declines
(via sciencedaily.com) Researchers have uncovered new evidence of western pygmy possums interacting with native flowers, providing an eDNA study to simultaneously detect mammal, insect and bird DNA on flowers.
Published Researchers take a step towards turning interactions that normally ruin quantum information into a way of protecting it
(via sciencedaily.com) A new method for predicting the behavior of quantum devices provides a crucial tool for real-world applications of quantum technology.
Published Viable superconducting material created, say researchers
(via sciencedaily.com) Researchers report the creation of a superconducting material at both a temperature and pressure low enough for practical applications. In a new paper, the researchers describe a nitrogen-doped lutetium hydride that exhibits superconductivity at 69 degrees Fahrenheit and 10 kilobars (145,000 pounds per square inch, or psi) of pressure.
Published Major North American oil source yields clues to one of earth's deadliest mass extinctions
(via sciencedaily.com) Geologists studying the Bakken Shale Formation discovered a critical kill mechanism behind a series of extinctions some 350 million years ago.
Published To help dry forests, fire needs to be just the right intensity, and happen more than once
(via sciencedaily.com) Research into the ability of a wildfire to improve the health of a forest uncovered a Goldilocks effect -- unless a blaze falls in a narrow severity range, neither too hot nor too cold, it isn't very good at helping forest landscapes return to their historical, more fire-tolerant conditions.
Published Plant roots fuel tropical soil animal communities
(via sciencedaily.com) A research team has shed new light on the importance of plant roots for below-ground life, particularly in the tropics. Millions of small creatures toiling in a single hectare of soil including earthworms, springtails, mites, insects, and other arthropods are crucial for decomposition and soil health. For a long time, it was believed that leaf litter is the primary resource for these animals. However, this recent study is the first to provide proof that resources derived from plant roots drive soil animal communities in the tropics.
Published An internal thermometer tells the seeds when to germinate
(via sciencedaily.com) Germination is a crucial stage in the life of a plant as it will leave the stage of seed resistant to various environmental constraints (climatic conditions, absence of nutritive elements, etc.) to become a seedling much more vulnerable. The survival of the young plant depends on the timing of this transition. It is therefore essential that this stage be finely controlled. Botanists have now discovered the internal thermometer of seeds that can delay or even block germination if temperatures are too high for the future seedling. This work could help optimize plant growth in a context of global warming.
Published Graphene quantum dots show promise as novel magnetic field sensors
(via sciencedaily.com) Trapped electrons traveling in circular loops at extreme speeds inside graphene quantum dots are highly sensitive to external magnetic fields and could be used as novel magnetic field sensors with unique capabilities, according to a new study.
Published Two-dimensional quantum freeze
(via sciencedaily.com) Researchers have succeeded in simultaneously cooling the motion of a tiny glass sphere in two dimensions to the quantum ground-state. This represents a crucial step towards a 3D ground-state cooling of a massive object and opens up new opportunities for the design of ultra-sensitive sensors.
Published An innovative twist on quantum bits: Tubular nanomaterial of carbon makes ideal home for spinning quantum bits
(via sciencedaily.com) Scientists develop method for chemically modifying nanoscale tubes of carbon atoms, so they can host spinning electrons to serve as stable quantum bits in quantum technologies.
Published Scientists use satellites to track earth 'greening' amid climate change
(via sciencedaily.com) Researchers found changes in 'greening,' or the amount of leaves plants are able to produce, will play a significant role in how much carbon dioxide plants capture and store.
Published Destroying the superconductivity in a kagome metal
(via sciencedaily.com) A recent study has uncovered a distinct disorder-driven superconductor-insulator transition. This first electric control of superconductivity and quantum Hall effect in a candidate material for future low-energy electronics has promise to reduce the rising, unsustainable energy cost of computing.
Published Case study of rare, endangered tortoise highlights conservation priorities for present, future World Wildlife Days
(via sciencedaily.com) Though wildlife trafficking has been effectively disrupted since the first World Wildlife Day -- established 50 years ago today via the 1973 Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) of Wild Fauna and Flora -- a newly published case study on one of the world's rarest tortoise species, the ploughshare tortoise, highlights how much room for improvement still exists.