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Scientists observe Einstein's gravity in the quantum world

An international team including Nobel Prize-winning physicist Professor Sir Roger Penrose has observed a long-predicted effect of gravity on a falling quantum object for the first time. The result shows that a fundamental principle at the heart of Einstein's theory of gravity

Sorry, this neutrino laser won't work, physicists say

Neutrinos are pervasive yet intangible particles that permeate the universe, streaming through whole planets, stars and our bodies by the trillions each second. The elementary particles are often described as "ghostly" for their near-zero mass and elusive nature, as they have

How can we improve school attendance?

Poor school attendance can negatively affect young people's behavior and future health. It is a growing public health concern because rates of persistent school absence have risen considerably and remained high in some parts of the country since the COVID-19 pandemic.

How cells teach themselves to move together

Scientists have long wondered how cells organized into sheets begin to move together to form organs, especially when the sheets form closed, sphere-like surfaces and tissues with no edges to direct motion. Researchers at the University of Chicago and UC San Diego used a

Tracking emperor penguins from space

For the first time, geographers from Durham University have used freely available satellite radar images to track emperor penguins through the polar winter—giving a year-round view of their movements. Monitoring the endangered birds through Antarctica's dark months is important

New clustering method uncovers hidden regularities in data

One dataset, one model? This approach does not always produce the most useful insights, as a dataset often contains many different relationships. To better understand them, researchers at the Paluno Research Institute in the Faculty of Computer Science at the University of

Wind damage can trigger years of forest vulnerability

Windstorms are among the most important natural disturbances in Northern Europe, where they cause extensive tree mortality, timber losses and long-lasting changes in forest structure. Large-scale windstorm damage has increased across Central and Northern European forests in

Money problems may age your brain faster

Persistent financial hardship in early and middle adulthood was linked to poorer thinking skills by the 50s and more signs of brain aging later in life. Researchers say years of chronic stress and financial worry may gradually take a toll on the brain.

Genome Duplication Is a Radical Evolutionary Gamble

By doubling their entire genome, organisms can evolve extremely rapidly — or they can lose it all. New studies reveal how to survive the high-risk, high-reward evolutionary event. The post Genome Duplication Is a Radical Evolutionary Gamble first appeared on Quanta Magazine

Bio-based plastic turns into fertilizer after use

Plastic waste is one of the world's fastest-growing environmental problems. According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development's Global Plastics Outlook: Policy Scenarios to 2060 report, global plastic use is projected to nearly triple from 460 million