https://phys.org/ en-us Latest news from Chinese Academy of Sciences In recent years, there has been a growing interest in developing mode-localized sensors that focus on the strength of their signals for better sensitivity. https://techxplore.com/news/2024-02-noise-analysis-resolution.html Engineering Electronics & Semiconductors Fri, 02 Feb 2024 13:20:59 EST news626102455 Lotus is one of the top 10 traditional flowers in China with high ornamental value. Flowering behavior in lotus marks the transition from vegetative to reproductive growth, and flowering time is also an important determinant of its market value. https://phys.org/news/2024-02-reveals-genes-lotus.html Plants & Animals Molecular & Computational biology Fri, 02 Feb 2024 11:42:03 EST news626096521 Ammonia is essential for food and future energy supply. In the industry, it is mainly produced by the Haber-Bosch process, which operates at high temperatures and pressures. Due to the high energy consumption and carbon emissions of ammonia industry, it is important to develop alternative materials and approaches for efficient N2 reduction to ammonia driven by renewable energy. https://phys.org/news/2024-02-photo-driven-nitrogen-fixation-ammonia.html Analytical Chemistry Materials Science Fri, 02 Feb 2024 09:33:21 EST news626088798 High pressure has revealed surprising physics and created novel states in condensed matter. Exciting examples include near room temperature superconductivity (Tc > 200 K) in high-pressure hydrides such as H3S and LaH10. https://phys.org/news/2024-02-high-harmonic-spectroscopy-electronic-pressure.html Condensed Matter Superconductivity Fri, 02 Feb 2024 09:33:17 EST news626088791 In a study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on Jan. 30, a research team reports a new understanding of how light affects plant growth. https://phys.org/news/2024-02-role-transcriptional-splicing-response.html Plants & Animals Molecular & Computational biology Fri, 02 Feb 2024 09:21:03 EST news626088061 In a study published in the journal Microsystems & Nanoengineering, researchers from Northwestern Polytechnical University (NPU) have unveiled a breakthrough in the detection of hydrogen peroxide H2O2, a vital biomarker in biological processes, with the development of dual-functional portable sensors based on Pt-Ni hydrogels. https://phys.org/news/2024-02-portable-sensors-hydrogen-peroxide.html Polymers Analytical Chemistry Thu, 01 Feb 2024 15:56:38 EST news626025396 A study published in Science reports a comprehensive database of single-neuron projectomes consisting of over 10,000 mouse hippocampal neurons, thus revealing the spatial connectivity patterns of mouse hippocampal neurons at the mesoscopic level. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-02-brain-patterns-neurons-mouse-hippocampus.html Neuroscience Thu, 01 Feb 2024 14:00:01 EST news626002758 In a recent study published in the journal Environmental Science and Ecotechnology, reveals crucial insights into the impact of reduced building occupancy on water quality. https://phys.org/news/2024-02-pandemic-lockdowns-quality-revealing-usage.html Environment Thu, 01 Feb 2024 13:52:06 EST news626017925 A recent study published in the journal Environmental Science and Ecotechnology explores the largely unknown metabolic capabilities of unclassified microbial species in extreme environments, particularly hypersaline lakes, and their potential applications in biotechnology, medicine, and environmental remediation. https://phys.org/news/2024-02-exploring-unseen-microbial-earth-saltiest.html Ecology Cell & Microbiology Thu, 01 Feb 2024 13:52:02 EST news626017921 Land use/land cover (LULC) is a major shaper of the ecological environment. Using remote sensing technology to dynamically monitor LULC and quantitatively extract LULC change information is an important study for coping with global climate change and maintaining the energy balance of the Earth system. https://techxplore.com/news/2024-02-approach-classification-accuracy-remote-image.html Machine learning & AI Thu, 01 Feb 2024 11:34:32 EST news626009669 In recent years, optical vortices have attracted extensive attention in laser advanced manufacturing because of their annual intensity distribution and orbital angular momentum. https://phys.org/news/2024-02-generating-powerful-optical-vortices-thin.html Optics & Photonics Thu, 01 Feb 2024 11:34:03 EST news626009641 Researchers have developed an innovative heat-driven thermoacoustic refrigerator (HDTR) with a novel bypass configuration that significantly improves the efficiency of this technology. https://techxplore.com/news/2024-02-highly-efficient-driven-thermoacoustic-refrigerator.html Engineering Energy & Green Tech Thu, 01 Feb 2024 11:00:02 EST news626003050 A team led by Prof. Wu Zhongshuai has developed novel 2D atomically thin (001)-oriented single-crystalline LiCoO2 nanosheets with longer Li+ intercalation distance and (001) planes dominated surface for high-performance battery-supercapacitor hybrid devices. This study was published in ACS Energy Letters. https://techxplore.com/news/2024-02-2d-crystalline-licoo-nanosheets-high.html Energy & Green Tech Thu, 01 Feb 2024 10:39:10 EST news626006349 A research team led by Prof. Li Yue from the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has introduced a self-confined solid-state dewetting mechanism. This innovation significantly reduces the reliance on complex nanofabrication techniques, paving the way for efficient wafer-scale patterning of non-closely packed (NCP) gold nanoparticle arrays. https://phys.org/news/2024-02-wafer-scale-patterning-gold-nanoparticle.html Nanomaterials Thu, 01 Feb 2024 10:24:03 EST news626005441 Photocatalytic water splitting using semiconductors is regarded as a promising technique for producing hydrogen fuel from solar energy. The oxygen evolution half reaction has proven to be the bottleneck for photocatalytic overall water splitting owing to the high energy barrier and the sluggish kinetics. It is a big challenge to develop efficient photocatalysts for the advancement of water oxidation. https://phys.org/news/2024-01-anchoring-sites-bipyridine-based-covalent.html Analytical Chemistry Materials Science Wed, 31 Jan 2024 13:31:03 EST news625930261 The α particle, also known as helium-4, consists of two protons and two neutrons. Although it is one of the most extensively studied atomic nuclei, the precise nature of its excited states remains unclear. https://phys.org/news/2024-01-core-gamow-shell-state-particle.html General Physics Wed, 31 Jan 2024 10:36:02 EST news625919761 In a study published in PNAS, researchers analyzed 151 ecosystems across six continents, delved into the intricate coexistence network among diverse species including bacteria, fungi, protists, and invertebrates, and for the first time, linked biotic coexistence relationships with global biodiversity maintenance, which offers insights into the understanding of soil biodiversity and its ecological networks. https://phys.org/news/2024-01-positive-associations-revealed-key-driver.html Ecology Wed, 31 Jan 2024 09:33:57 EST news625916033 The world experienced an unprecedented heat wave in 2022, and this long duration and extreme heat wave event aroused widespread concern. Heat wave events have a huge impact on the global melting of glaciers. https://phys.org/news/2024-01-global-summer-mountain-glaciers-china.html Earth Sciences Environment Tue, 30 Jan 2024 15:52:03 EST news625852322 Plant removal experiments are recognized as effective methods for understanding ecosystem functions of plant species under vegetation change scenarios. To minimize disturbance, the most prominent method of plant removal is to repeatedly cut off the aboveground parts of plants and leave roots in the soil. However, how the remaining roots affect soil organisms remains to be investigated. https://phys.org/news/2024-01-roots-legacy-effect-soil-nematode.html Ecology Tue, 30 Jan 2024 14:40:02 EST news625848001 The photocatalytic water oxidation process plays a vital role in attaining efficient solar-to-chemical process by enabling photocatalytic water splitting and CO2/N2 fixation. However, the lack of well-designed photocatalysts to overcome the sluggish kinetics of water oxidation has impeded the ongoing research. Therefore, it is important to develop an efficient water oxidation photocatalyst. https://phys.org/news/2024-01-high-photocatalytic-oxidation-ultrathin-covalent.html Nanomaterials Tue, 30 Jan 2024 12:17:02 EST news625839421 A team of researchers has jointly launched the ALMA Survey of Star formation and Evolution of Massive Protoclusters with Blue-profiles (ASSEMBLE) project. They revealed the growth in mass and density of cluster members, along with increasing proximity and mass segregation as the clusters evolve, and proposed a comprehensive formation and evolution scenario for these massive protoclusters. https://phys.org/news/2024-01-alma-reveal-dynamic-view-massive.html Astronomy Tue, 30 Jan 2024 12:12:04 EST news625839122 Optical fiber, as the basic carrier of modern high-speed and high-capacity communication, is the key to the interconnection of the world. With the rapid development of the communications industry in recent decades, ordinary single-mode optical fiber can no longer meet the special needs of various industrial applications, so a series of optical fibers with complex internal structures, such as polarization-maintaining fibers, multi-core fibers and photonic crystal fibers, and other specialty optical fibers came into being in the civil and military fields are indispensable. https://phys.org/news/2024-01-bessel-based-side-view-core.html Optics & Photonics Mon, 29 Jan 2024 16:15:03 EST news625767301 Leptomischus is a genus of plants in the family Rubiaceae, which is most abundant in the tropics and includes many economically important members used for purposes such as medicine, horticulture, and food production. Leptomischus is a typically Asian genus found only in Myanmar (one species), India (three species), Vietnam (five species), and China (five species). However, it is a poorly known and small genus, with only 10 species currently recognized. https://phys.org/news/2024-01-rubiaceae-species-yunnan-china.html Plants & Animals Mon, 29 Jan 2024 12:09:02 EST news625752541 The speed of light can be intentionally reduced in various media. Various techniques have been developed over the years to slow down light, including electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT), Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC), photonic crystals, and stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS). https://phys.org/news/2024-01-metasurfaces-loss.html Nanophysics Nanomaterials Mon, 29 Jan 2024 10:27:46 EST news625746464 Researchers led by Prof. Wang Rujing from the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences developed a simple and effective multi-scale feature modulation network for underwater image enhancement. https://techxplore.com/news/2024-01-multiscale-feature-modulation-network-advanced.html Computer Sciences Machine learning & AI Fri, 26 Jan 2024 11:03:02 EST news625489381 The deterioration of global ecosystems and environmental problems, such as global climate warming, extreme weather events, and severe pollution threaten the human environment. Implementing pro-environmental behaviors is one of the effective ways to solve environmental problems. How to promote behavioral change and implement more pro-environmental behaviors through family education has become a social research focus. https://phys.org/news/2024-01-parentchild-interaction-pro-environmental-behavior.html Social Sciences Fri, 26 Jan 2024 11:01:03 EST news625489261 With the rapid development of genome synthesis and editing technologies, droplet-based single-cell phenotype screening has become increasingly important. However, precise and high-throughput distribution of target droplets into specific macroscopic media for downstream multi-omics analysis remains a technical challenge. https://phys.org/news/2024-01-scientists-high-precision-droplet-platform.html Cell & Microbiology Biotechnology Fri, 26 Jan 2024 11:00:04 EST news625489202 Scientists led by Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) have developed and simulated a new energy-efficient way to generate highly focused and finely controlled X-rays that are up to a thousand times more intense than those from traditional methods. The findings are published in the journal Light: Science & Applications. https://phys.org/news/2024-01-team-generate-powerful-focused-rays.html Optics & Photonics Thu, 25 Jan 2024 12:53:22 EST news625409599 Leaf nutrient resorption and drought resistance are critical for plant growth and survival. However, our understanding of the relationship between leaf nutrient resorption and plant drought resistance remains limited. https://phys.org/news/2024-01-nutrient-resorption-drought-resistance-traits.html Plants & Animals Ecology Thu, 25 Jan 2024 12:44:22 EST news625409060 Sensing technology, integral to environmental monitoring, data acquisition, and precision data processing, is evolving rapidly. Researchers are at the forefront of developing swift, accessible, and cost-effective sensors. Among these innovations, cholesteric liquid crystals (CLCs) in stimulus-responsive photonic crystals exhibit exceptional promise. https://phys.org/news/2024-01-geometric-phase-encoded-liquid-crystal.html Optics & Photonics Thu, 25 Jan 2024 12:41:04 EST news625408861