Boosted soil bacterium shows promise for sustainable bioplastic production

The soil bacterium Cupriavidus necator has attracted the attention of researchers and industry for decades. This is partly because, through biochemical reactions, the bacterium converts the renewable raw materials formic acid and carbon dioxide (CO2) into valuable products such as bioplastics. source...

Katy Perry and Gayle King Will Fly to Space on Blue Origin Rocket

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Katy Perry and Gayle King are headed to space with Jeff Bezos’ fiancee Lauren Sanchez and three other women. Bezos’ rocket company Blue Origin announced the all-female celebrity crew on Thursday. Sanchez, a helicopter pilot and former TV journalist, picked the...

Graphene's quantum spin injection promises energy-efficient spintronics

Researchers at the National Graphene Institute at the University of Manchester have achieved a significant milestone in the field of quantum electronics with their latest study on spin injection in graphene. The paper, published recently in Communications Materials, outlines advancements in...

Solar system's journey through Orion complex 14 million years ago may have altered Earth's climate

An international research team led by the University of Vienna has discovered that the solar system traversed the Orion star-forming complex, a component of the Radcliffe Wave galactic structure, approximately 14 million years ago. This journey through a dense region of space could have compressed...

Want to Live Long? Lifestyle Matters More Than Genes

It’s impossible to predict when you’re going to die. But if you’re aiming for a long and healthy life, it pays to worry less about your genes—which you can’t change anyway—and more about your lifestyle and surroundings. That’s the conclusion of a new study in Nature Medicine that takes...

Three Years on, Justice for Ukraine Is the Bedrock of Any Durable Peace

On Easter Sunday in 2022, a missile strike shattered a quiet town in Ukraine, Donetsk region. In the aftermath, Oksana, 40, was left clinging to life, her husband and young son killed in an instant. The following January, in Dnipro, a 23-year-old named Anastasia lost her parents in...

New York-Delhi Flight Diverted To Rome Over "Security Threat": Report

An American Airlines flight from New York to New Delhi was diverted to Rome due to a "possible security issue", news agency Reuters reported. source https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/new-york-delhi-flight-diverted-to-rome-over-security-threat-report-77782...

Watch: Kohli's 'Calm Down' Gesture After India's Domination vs Pak Viral

With question marks over his form and arch-rivals Pakistan in front of him, Virat Kohli stepped up once again to slam his 51st ODI century to help India (244/4 in 42.3 overs) defeat Pakistan (241) by... source https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/virat-kohlis-calm-down-gesture-on-51st-odi-ton...

India "Have An Upper Hand": Syed Kirmani Ahead Of Pakistan CT 2025 Clash

Ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy clash between arch-rivals India and Pakistan, former Indian cricketer Syed Kirmani said that Men in Blue have an upper hand. source https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/india-have-an-upper-hand-syed-kirmani-ahead-of-pakistan-champions-trophy-clash-77712...

Judge Largely Blocks Trump’s Executive Orders Ending Federal Support for DEI Programs

WASHINGTON — A federal judge on Friday largely blocked sweeping executive orders from President Donald Trump that seek to end government support for programs promoting diversity, equity and inclusion. U.S. District Judge Adam Abelson in Baltimore granted a preliminary injunction blocking...

The Healthiest Way to Clean Your House

The pandemic inspired new vigilance about germs, including more frequent and thorough house cleaning—changes that stuck with many of us years later. But while cleanliness is a virtue, germ fixation is not. Cleaning your house too thoroughly, or with the wrong kinds of products, can...

Scientists decode the DNA of one of America's most iconic trees, the white oak

Highly valued economically, ecologically and culturally, the white oak (Quercus alba) is a keystone forest species and is one of the most abundant trees across much of eastern North America. It also faces declining seedling recruitment in many parts of its range. source https://phys.org/...

Re-(de)fined level of detail for urban elements: Integrating geometric and attribute data

Does scale matter when communicating spatial data and design? Absolutely—but there's more to it than just a ratio between map distance and real-world distance. source https://phys.org/news/2025-02-urban-elements-geometric-attribute.ht...

Simulations show complex rainfall patterns over tropical mountains with dual peaks

A high-density rain gauge observational network in Taiwan reveals that multiple precipitation peaks exist over the mountainous island during summer afternoon convection. This contrasts with previous studies that identified only a single peak, suggesting that more complex physical processes...

Devastating storms define Appalachia's 2024 climate

After a year of weather extremes that brought everything from deadly floods to bitter cold, experts at East Tennessee State University have released a detailed analysis of the region's 2024 weather patterns. source https://phys.org/news/2025-02-devastating-storms-appalachia-climate.ht...

The beauty standard is intensifying. At what cost?

The internet is abuzz with talk of beauty and the lengths we'll go to achieve it. From Lindsay Lohan's recent transformation to Donatella Versace's "new look", those of us plugged in online can't help but gab over the rise of better, less detectable and more precise plastic surgery. source...

Dangers of 'Jekyll and Hyde leadership': Why making amends after workplace abuse can hurt more than it helps

A glance at the day's headlines reveals a universal truth: Leadership matters. source https://phys.org/news/2025-02-dangers-jekyll-hyde-leadership-amends.ht...

Massive Fire at Pennsylvania Aerospace Manufacturer Prompts Shelter-in-Place Order

JENKINTOWN, Pa. — Schools were closed and residents were ordered to shelter-in-place Tuesday after a large fire broke out at an aerospace manufacturer’s facility in a town north of Philadelphia, officials said. The fire broke out at SPS Technologies in Jenkintown around 9:30 p.m. Monday...

Congress, not the president, decides on spending—a constitutional law professor explains the 'power of the purse'

Because of the Trump administration's efforts to cut staff and spending, Congress' "power of the purse" has been in the news lately. Many of these actions have been challenged in court. source https://phys.org/news/2025-02-congress-constitutional-law-professor-power.ht...

Apple Cider Vinegar: How social media gave rise to fraudulent wellness influencers

The new Netflix series "Apple Cider Vinegar" tells the story of wellness influencer Belle Gibson, who built a loyal following on social media by documenting her cancer journey online. But in 2015, Gibson was exposed as a fraud. She never had cancer, and lied about donating funds to charities...

EU Leaders Hold Emergency Talks, Fearing That Trump Has Abandoned Allies

European leaders gathered in Paris Monday for emergency talks on how to react to the U.S. diplomatic blitz on Ukraine, which has thrown a once-solid alliance into turmoil and left the Europeans questioning the reliability of their key transatlantic partner. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] Shortly...

Assam Orders Probe Against Pak National "Linked" To Congress MP's Wife

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday ordered the registration of a case against a Pakistani national, who is believed to have links with Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi's wife. source https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/assam-himanta-biswa-sarma-orders-probe-against-pakistani-national...

CBSE Board Exam 2025: Students Express Mixed Reactions

On the first day, Class 10 students appeared for their English exam, which included the English (Communicative) and English (Language and Literature) papers. source https://www.ndtv.com/education/cbse-board-exam-2025-students-express-mixed-reactions-77194...

Earth is already shooting through the 1.5°C global warming limit, two major studies show

Earth is crossing the threshold of 1.5°C of global warming, according to two major global studies which together suggest the planet's climate has likely entered a frightening new phase. source https://phys.org/news/2025-02-earth-15c-global-limit-major.ht...

Scientists reveal microbiome–host co-oscillation patterns in goat from birth to puberty

A new study led by Prof. Tan Zhiliang from the Institute of Subtropical Agriculture of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has unveiled intricate coordination mechanisms between ruminal mucosal microbiota and host epithelial cells across developmental stages. source https://phys.org/news/202...

The 20 Best Cheesy Rom-Coms on Netflix

If you like your romantic comedies like you like your pizza—that is, extra cheesy—then this is the list for you. Just like the mildly addictive dairy product, the best cheesy rom-coms on Netflix are hard to resist. They are the kinds of movies that will surely brighten up your day,...

Trump’s Dismantling of USAID is Anarchy Masquerading as Efficiency

Nothing about Donald Trump’s hasty and illegal attempted dismantling of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)—and with it, the decapitation of American power—is remotely efficient. Just this week, USAID’s now-former Inspector General found that there is currently...

SPHEREx space telescope will seek life's ingredients

Where is all the water that may form oceans on distant planets and moons? The SPHEREx astrophysics mission will search the galaxy and take stock. source https://phys.org/news/2025-02-spherex-space-telescope-life-ingredients.ht...

Lake Victoria is turning green. Examining the deadly bacteria behind it

Lakes, natural and man-made, provide water, food and habitats for wildlife, and also support local economies. Around the world, though, there's a growing threat to lakes: toxic bacteria which turn the water green. source https://phys.org/news/2025-02-lake-victoria-green-deadly-bacteria.h...

Even as polarization surges, Americans believe they live in a compassionate country

Compassion comes easily to me. source https://phys.org/news/2025-02-polarization-surges-americans-compassionate-country.ht...

Reliable AI: System assists with making nanoparticle measurements to speed up research

Nanoparticle researchers spend most of their time on one thing: counting and measuring nanoparticles. Each step of the way, they have to check their results. They usually do this by analyzing microscopic images of hundreds of nanoparticles packed tightly together. Counting and measuring them...

Cold temperatures promote spread of a bird pink eye pathogen at winter feeders

A pathogen for bird pink eye remains viable on bird feeders in winter conditions much longer than in summer conditions without losing any of its severity, according to a recent study. source https://phys.org/news/2025-02-cold-temperatures-bird-pink-eye.ht...

Golf courses can be safe havens for wildlife and beacons of biodiversity

Golf courses are sometimes seen as harmful to the environment. According to the popular notion, the grass soaks up too much water, is cut too short and sprayed with dangerous chemicals. But in reality, golf courses can act as safe havens for native wildlife, especially in cities. source ...

Most retirees who rent live in poverty—here's how boosting rent assistance could help lift them out of it

Most Australians can look forward to a comfortable retirement. More than three in four retirees own their own home, most report feeling comfortable financially, and few suffer financial stress. source https://phys.org/news/2025-02-retirees-rent-poverty-boosting.ht...

What Trump’s Steel and Aluminum Tariffs Are and How They Would Work

President Donald Trump announced on Air Force One Sunday that he would impose a 25% tariff on steel and aluminum imports, the latest move as part of the ongoing trade war between the U.S. and its allies. Tariffs refer to taxes that are placed on imported goods, or products that come...