Canaries lava peninsula doubles in size as wind change raises risk

Lava from the erupting volcano on La Palma in Spain's Canary Islands that began cascading into the ocean two days ago has already covered an area bigger than 25 football pitches, with concerns rising over worsening air quality in nearby residential areas, experts said on Thursday.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-canaries-lava-peninsula-size.html

EXPLAINER: Fountaining Hawaii lava creates molten rock lake

Kilauea, one of the most active volcanos on Earth, began erupting on Hawaii's Big Island Wednesday. The eruption is not in an area with homes and is entirely contained within Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-fountaining-hawaii-lava-molten-lake.html

Blue Origin accused of 'toxic' work culture, compromising safety

A group of current and former Blue Origin employees on Thursday accused Jeff Bezos' space company of having a "toxic" work culture with rampant sexual harassment and a pattern of decision-making that prioritized speedy rocket development over safety.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-09-blue-accused-toxic-culture-compromising.html

A kagome lattice superconductor reveals a 'cascade' of quantum electron states

Researchers have discovered a complex landscape of electronic states that can co-exist on a kagome lattice, resembling those in high-temperature superconductors, a team of Boston College physicists reports in an advance electronic publication of the journal Nature.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-kagome-lattice-superconductor-reveals-cascade.html

Salt stress alters legume responses to symbiotic rhizobacteria by modulating gene expression

Crop legumes are an integral part of sustainable agriculture, as several of these species represent an important protein source for both human and animal populations. Legumes engage in a unique and beneficial interaction with a group of soil bacteria, collectively called rhizobia. Rhizobium-legume symbioses lead to the development of new plant organs on the roots called nodules, which host rhizobia. Competent rhizobia within these nodules use a process called nitrogen fixation to convert atmospheric nitrogen, which cannot be used by the plant, into ammonium, which can be used as a nitrogen source. This is a highly valuable process as nitrogen is limited in agricultural systems.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-salt-stress-legume-responses-symbiotic.html

Canaries lava peninsula doubles in size as wind change raises risk

Lava from the erupting volcano on La Palma in Spain's Canary Islands that began cascading into the ocean two days ago has already covered an area bigger than 25 football pitches, with concerns rising over worsening air quality in nearby residential areas, experts said on Thursday.

EXPLAINER: Fountaining Hawaii lava creates molten rock lake

Kilauea, one of the most active volcanos on Earth, began erupting on Hawaii's Big Island Wednesday. The eruption is not in an area with homes and is entirely contained within Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

A kagome lattice superconductor reveals a 'cascade' of quantum electron states

Researchers have discovered a complex landscape of electronic states that can co-exist on a kagome lattice, resembling those in high-temperature superconductors, a team of Boston College physicists reports in an advance electronic publication of the journal Nature.

Salt stress alters legume responses to symbiotic rhizobacteria by modulating gene expression

Crop legumes are an integral part of sustainable agriculture, as several of these species represent an important protein source for both human and animal populations. Legumes engage in a unique and beneficial interaction with a group of soil bacteria, collectively called rhizobia. Rhizobium-legume symbioses lead to the development of new plant organs on the roots called nodules, which host rhizobia. Competent rhizobia within these nodules use a process called nitrogen fixation to convert atmospheric nitrogen, which cannot be used by the plant, into ammonium, which can be used as a nitrogen source. This is a highly valuable process as nitrogen is limited in agricultural systems.

Scientists use nuclear physics to probe Floridan Aquifer threatened by climate change

As rising sea levels threaten coastal areas, scientists are using an emerging nuclear dating technique to track the ins and outs of water flow.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-scientists-nuclear-physics-probe-floridan.html

Brands can boost their own reputations and sales by praising rivals

Whether they're beefing on billboards or sparring on social media, big brands are known for taking jabs at their competitors (see the famous "Get a Mac" ads or "the chicken sandwich wars").

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-brands-boost-reputations-sales-rivals.html

Using dunes to interpret wind on Mars

Dunes develop when wind-blown sand organizes into patterns, most often in deserts and arid or semi-arid parts of the world. Every continent on Earth has dune fields, but dunes and dune-like sand patterns are also found across the solar system: On Mars, Venus, Titan, Comet 67P, and Pluto. On Earth, weather stations measure the wind speed and direction, allowing us to predict and understand airflow in the atmosphere.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-dunes-mars.html

Study: Just 1 of 5 people with disabilities works from home; millions still do not have the option

Working from home could revolutionize job opportunities for people with mobility impairments, chronic medical conditions, and other disabilities, but a towering obstacle still stands in the way more than 18 months into the pandemic. A report by the Rutgers Program for Disability Research finds a disproportionate number of people with disabilities work in places like factories, restaurants, and retail stores, where remote work is typically not an option.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-people-disabilities-home-millions-option.html

Linker histones tune the length and shape of chromosomes

Human life hinges on the ability of our cells to cram six feet of DNA into a 10-micron nucleus—equivalent to fitting a mile of string inside one green pea. But stuffing genes into cramped quarters is only half the battle. The DNA must also remain organized, carefully coiled into loops that ensure the information remains readily accessible and not a tangled mess.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-linker-histones-tune-length-chromosomes.html

Scientists use nuclear physics to probe Floridan Aquifer threatened by climate change

As rising sea levels threaten coastal areas, scientists are using an emerging nuclear dating technique to track the ins and outs of water flow.

Brands can boost their own reputations and sales by praising rivals

Whether they're beefing on billboards or sparring on social media, big brands are known for taking jabs at their competitors (see the famous "Get a Mac" ads or "the chicken sandwich wars").

Using dunes to interpret wind on Mars

Dunes develop when wind-blown sand organizes into patterns, most often in deserts and arid or semi-arid parts of the world. Every continent on Earth has dune fields, but dunes and dune-like sand patterns are also found across the solar system: On Mars, Venus, Titan, Comet 67P, and Pluto. On Earth, weather stations measure the wind speed and direction, allowing us to predict and understand airflow in the atmosphere.

Study: Just 1 of 5 people with disabilities works from home; millions still do not have the option

Working from home could revolutionize job opportunities for people with mobility impairments, chronic medical conditions, and other disabilities, but a towering obstacle still stands in the way more than 18 months into the pandemic. A report by the Rutgers Program for Disability Research finds a disproportionate number of people with disabilities work in places like factories, restaurants, and retail stores, where remote work is typically not an option.

Linker histones tune the length and shape of chromosomes

Human life hinges on the ability of our cells to cram six feet of DNA into a 10-micron nucleus—equivalent to fitting a mile of string inside one green pea. But stuffing genes into cramped quarters is only half the battle. The DNA must also remain organized, carefully coiled into loops that ensure the information remains readily accessible and not a tangled mess.

Microorganism that remediates cadmium-contaminated soil

In recent years, phytoremediation (the utilization of plants, animals and microorganism to take up or immobilize hazardous substances from contaminated soils) has been widely applied to the remediation of Cadmium (Cd) contaminated soil. It's essential to screen natural microbes that being capable to concentrate hazardous substances during the development of phytoremediation technology.

How does positive cloud-to-ground lightning strike so far away from its origin?

A bolt of cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning forms if a lightning leader develops out of the cloud and reaches the ground. Positive CG (+CG) lightning is formed by a downward positive leader and transfers positive charge into the ground.

Koala genome data released in push to protect vulnerable species

Scientists at the University of Sydney's Australasian Wildlife Genomics Group have loaded the entire genomes of 116 koalas to the public domain to accelerate vital genomic research to support the threatened species.

New method to deliver therapeutic drugs using elongated nanocrystals

Monash University researchers have used advanced techniques at ANSTO to investigate the production of new, elongated polymer nanocapsules with a high payload of drug nanocrystals to potentially increase drug targetability, and also decrease dosage frequency and side effects.

New fish species discovered after years of scientific studies

Scientists identify and name new fish species around the globe practically every week. Some turn up in unlikely places, and others display unusual characteristics and behaviors. But it's rare for an unidentified and unnamed fish to have played an important role in scientific research for several years before being officially identified and named.

A microscopic worm may shed light on how we perceive gravity

While humans rely on gravity for balance and orientation, the mechanisms by which we actually sense this fundamental force are largely unknown. Odder still, the model organism C. elegans, a microscopic worm, can also sense the direction of gravity, even though there is no known ecological reason for it to do so.

Critical groundwater supplies may never recover from drought

Along with hurricanes and wildfires, there's another important, but seldom-discussed effect of climate change—toxic water and sinking land made worse by groundwater drought.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-critical-groundwater-recover-drought.html

Critical groundwater supplies may never recover from drought

Along with hurricanes and wildfires, there's another important, but seldom-discussed effect of climate change—toxic water and sinking land made worse by groundwater drought.

Coral microbiome is key to surviving climate change, new study finds

The microbiomes of corals—which comprise bacteria, fungi and viruses—play an important role in the ability of corals to tolerate rising ocean temperatures, according to new research led by Penn State. The team also identified several genes within certain corals and the symbiotic photosynthetic algae that live inside their tissues that may play a role in their response to heat stress. The findings could inform current coral reef conservation efforts, for example, by highlighting the potential benefits of amending coral reefs with microbes found to bolster corals' heat-stress responses.

CNN blocks access to its Facebook page in Australia

CNN has blocked access to its Facebook page in Australia after a court ruled media companies were liable for defamatory user comments on their stories.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-09-cnn-blocks-access-facebook-page.html

Coral microbiome is key to surviving climate change, new study finds

The microbiomes of corals—which comprise bacteria, fungi and viruses—play an important role in the ability of corals to tolerate rising ocean temperatures, according to new research led by Penn State. The team also identified several genes within certain corals and the symbiotic photosynthetic algae that live inside their tissues that may play a role in their response to heat stress. The findings could inform current coral reef conservation efforts, for example, by highlighting the potential benefits of amending coral reefs with microbes found to bolster corals' heat-stress responses.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-coral-microbiome-key-surviving-climate.html

In the face of neurotechnology advances, Chile passes 'neuro rights' law

Chilean lawmakers on Wednesday approved a law establishing the rights to personal identity, free will and mental privacy, becoming the first country in the world to legislate on neurotechnology that can manipulate one's mind.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-09-neurotechnology-advances-chile-neuro-rights.html

'Belly of the beast': From 13, kids treated as adults online

Facebook drew outrage for its now paused plans for an Instagram app for kids aged 12 and under. But 13-year-olds are already welcome on social media with few protections and sometimes tragic effects, experts and parents said.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-09-belly-beast-kids-adults-online.html

Australia's Daintree rainforest returned to Indigenous owners

Australia's Daintree rainforest has been returned to its Indigenous owners as the government begins to cede control of the world's oldest tropical forest.

Why climate change is making it harder to chase fall foliage

Droughts that cause leaves to turn brown and wither before they can reach peak color. Heat waves prompting leaves to fall before autumn even arrives. Extreme weather events like hurricanes that strip trees of their leaves altogether.

Virgin Galactic says FAA has cleared it for further flights

Virgin Galactic said Wednesday that the Federal Aviation Administration has cleared it to resume launches after an investigation into why its spaceship veered off course while descending during a July flight with founder Richard Branson aboard.

Australia's Daintree rainforest returned to Indigenous owners

Australia's Daintree rainforest has been returned to its Indigenous owners as the government begins to cede control of the world's oldest tropical forest.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-australia-daintree-rainforest-indigenous-owners.html

Why climate change is making it harder to chase fall foliage

Droughts that cause leaves to turn brown and wither before they can reach peak color. Heat waves prompting leaves to fall before autumn even arrives. Extreme weather events like hurricanes that strip trees of their leaves altogether.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-climate-harder-fall-foliage.html

Virgin Galactic says FAA has cleared it for further flights

Virgin Galactic said Wednesday that the Federal Aviation Administration has cleared it to resume launches after an investigation into why its spaceship veered off course while descending during a July flight with founder Richard Branson aboard.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-virgin-galactic-faa-flights.html

Foes united vs Facebook over Instagram's effect on teens

Political adversaries in Congress are united in outrage against Facebook for privately compiling information that its Instagram photo-sharing service appears to grievously harm some teens, especially girls, while publicly downplaying the popular platform's negative impact.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-09-foes-facebook-instagram-effect-teens.html

Visa and Apple Pay vulnerabilities leaves iPhone users open to payment fraud

Vulnerabilities in Apple Pay and Visa could enable hackers to bypass an iPhone's Apple Pay lock screen and perform contactless payments, according to research by the University of Birmingham and University of Surrey.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-09-visa-apple-vulnerabilities-iphone-users.html

Canaries volcano lava reaches sea, raising toxic gas fears

Lava from an erupting volcano in the Canary Islands has reached the ocean, volcanologists said, raising fears of toxic gases being released as the magma hits the seawater.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-canaries-volcano-lava-sea-toxic.html

From mines to COVID: Cambodia dogs train to sniff out virus

Cambodian anti-landmine authorities are training dogs to sniff out COVID-19, hoping the sharp-nosed canines normally used to detect underground explosives can keep the virus on a tight leash.

Two new species of large predatory dinosaur discovered on Isle of Wight

A new study led by palaeontologists at the University of Southampton suggests that bones found on the Isle of Wight belong to two new species of spinosaurid, a group of predatory theropod dinosaurs closely related to the giant Spinosaurus. Their unusual, crocodile-like skulls helped the group expand their diets, allowing them hunt prey on both land and in the water.

US, EU seek to boost cooperation through tech

US and EU officials will hold two days of high-level meetings in Pittsburgh this week in an effort to repair relations damaged under the administration of Donald Trump and boost cooperation on technology issues.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-09-eu-boost-cooperation-tech.html

US bans swimming with Hawaii's nocturnal spinner dolphins

U.S. regulators on Tuesday banned swimming with Hawaii's spinner dolphins to protect the nocturnal animals from people seeking close encounters with the playful species.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-hawaii-nocturnal-spinner-dolphins.html

US says ivory-billed woodpecker, 22 other species extinct

Death's come knocking a last time for the splendid ivory-billed woodpecker and 22 more birds, fish and other species: The U.S. government is declaring them extinct.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-ivory-billed-woodpecker-species-extinct.html

Social inclusion of women by male colleagues in STEM fields can improve their workplace experience

Organizations working to meaningfully improve diversity and inclusion in STEM may be missing a crucial consideration, new research suggests.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-social-inclusion-women-male-colleagues.html

Cruise ships must be effectively regulated to minimise serious environment and health impact

The cruise ship industry should be subject to global monitoring and effective legislation because of its continuous increasing impact on both the environment and human health and wellbeing, according to new research.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-cruise-ships-effectively-minimise-environment.html

NASA's Lucy mission to probe Jupiter's mysterious Trojan asteroids

NASA is poised to send its first spacecraft to study Jupiter's Trojan asteroids to glean new insights into the solar system's formation 4.5 billion years ago, the space agency said Tuesday.

New lizard species discovered in Peru

Scientists have discovered a new lizard species in Peru, the national conservation agency said Tuesday.

Canaries volcano lava reaches sea, raising toxic gas fears

Lava from an erupting volcano in the Canary Islands has reached the ocean, volcanologists said, raising fears of toxic gases being released as the magma hits the seawater.

US bans swimming with Hawaii's nocturnal spinner dolphins

U.S. regulators on Tuesday banned swimming with Hawaii's spinner dolphins to protect the nocturnal animals from people seeking close encounters with the playful species.

US says ivory-billed woodpecker, 22 other species extinct

Death's come knocking a last time for the splendid ivory-billed woodpecker and 22 more birds, fish and other species: The U.S. government is declaring them extinct.

Social inclusion of women by male colleagues in STEM fields can improve their workplace experience

Organizations working to meaningfully improve diversity and inclusion in STEM may be missing a crucial consideration, new research suggests.

Cruise ships must be effectively regulated to minimise serious environment and health impact

The cruise ship industry should be subject to global monitoring and effective legislation because of its continuous increasing impact on both the environment and human health and wellbeing, according to new research.

Great ape's consonant and vowel-like sounds travel over distance without losing meaning

Scientists have shown that orangutan call signals believed to be closest to the precursors to human language, travel through forest over long distances without losing their meaning. This throws into question the accepted mathematical model on the evolution of human speech according to researchers from the University of Warwick.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-great-ape-consonant-vowel-like-distance.html

Birds' eye size offers clues to coevolutionary arms race between brood parasites, hosts

Eye size likely plays a role in the contest between avian brood parasites—birds that lay their eggs in the nests of other species—and their hosts, who sometimes detect the foreign eggs and eject or abandon them, scientists report in the journal Biology Letters.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-birds-eye-size-clues-coevolutionary.html

Zeroing in on the origins of Earth's 'single most important evolutionary innovation'

Some time in Earth's early history, the planet took a turn toward habitability when a group of enterprising microbes known as cyanobacteria evolved oxygenic photosynthesis—the ability to turn light and water into energy, releasing oxygen in the process.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-zeroing-earth-important-evolutionary.html

Birds' eye size offers clues to coevolutionary arms race between brood parasites, hosts

Eye size likely plays a role in the contest between avian brood parasites—birds that lay their eggs in the nests of other species—and their hosts, who sometimes detect the foreign eggs and eject or abandon them, scientists report in the journal Biology Letters.

Great ape's consonant and vowel-like sounds travel over distance without losing meaning

Scientists have shown that orangutan call signals believed to be closest to the precursors to human language, travel through forest over long distances without losing their meaning. This throws into question the accepted mathematical model on the evolution of human speech according to researchers from the University of Warwick.

Zeroing in on the origins of Earth's 'single most important evolutionary innovation'

Some time in Earth's early history, the planet took a turn toward habitability when a group of enterprising microbes known as cyanobacteria evolved oxygenic photosynthesis—the ability to turn light and water into energy, releasing oxygen in the process.

Bird poop reveals that when birds migrate, their gut bacteria change

The trillions of bacteria living in our guts play a crucial role in our ability to digest food and fight off disease. All other animals also have communities of bacteria living inside them, that scientists call microbiomes, and learning about them can help scientists put together a more complete picture of how those animals interact with the world. In a new study in the journal Molecular Ecology, researchers used tiny radio trackers to follow the movements of birds that migrated between The Bahamas and Michigan, and they found that the same individual birds' gut bacteria were different in the two locations. And to figure that out, the scientists had to get up close and personal with a lot of bird poop.

Drugs in river at UK's Glastonbury music festival harming fish: scientists

High levels of illegal drugs have been found in a river running through Britain's Glastonbury music festival site, endangering a rare species of fish and other wildlife, scientists said on Tuesday.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-drugs-river-uk-glastonbury-music.html

Drugs in river at UK's Glastonbury music festival harming fish: scientists

High levels of illegal drugs have been found in a river running through Britain's Glastonbury music festival site, endangering a rare species of fish and other wildlife, scientists said on Tuesday.

Aftershocks rattle quake-hit Crete as Greek PM to visit

Aftershocks rattled Greece's largest island Crete on Tuesday, a day after a strong earthquake that killed one person, damaged hundreds of buildings and left many homeless.

NYC to hire forecaster, beef up warnings after Ida flooding

New York City is planning to hire a private weather forecaster, install more drainage features and issue earlier and more aggressive warnings to residents under a new plan to respond to heavy rainfall like the deadly deluge Hurricane Ida dropped on the city earlier this month.

How SNPs can be used to detect disease pathways

Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have developed a new computational tool that can identify pathways related to diseases, including breast and prostate cancer, using single-nucleotide polymorphisms. SNPs, which refer to mutations in a person's DNA, are the most common type of genetic variation among people. The researchers hope that the tool can help them discover new pathways that have been previously overlooked.

Deep dive into global Twitter posts reveals possible drop in negativity towards COVID-19 pandemic

The devastation and distress brought by the COVID-19 pandemic to millions of lives goes without question, but trying to gauge an entire planet's changing perception of the disease over time can seem an almost impossible task.

Aftershocks rattle quake-hit Crete as Greek PM to visit

Aftershocks rattled Greece's largest island Crete on Tuesday, a day after a strong earthquake that killed one person, damaged hundreds of buildings and left many homeless.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-aftershocks-rattle-quake-hit-crete-greek.html

Ford to add 10,800 jobs making electric vehicles, batteries

Ford and a partner company say they plan to build three major electric-vehicle battery factories and an auto assembly plant by 2025—a dramatic investment in the future of EV technology that will create an estimated 10,800 jobs and shift the automaker's future manufacturing footprint toward the South.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-09-ford-jobs-electric-vehicles-batteries.html

NYC to hire forecaster, beef up warnings after Ida flooding

New York City is planning to hire a private weather forecaster, install more drainage features and issue earlier and more aggressive warnings to residents under a new plan to respond to heavy rainfall like the deadly deluge Hurricane Ida dropped on the city earlier this month.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-nyc-hire-beef-ida.html

How SNPs can be used to detect disease pathways

Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have developed a new computational tool that can identify pathways related to diseases, including breast and prostate cancer, using single-nucleotide polymorphisms. SNPs, which refer to mutations in a person's DNA, are the most common type of genetic variation among people. The researchers hope that the tool can help them discover new pathways that have been previously overlooked.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-snps-disease-pathways.html

Deep dive into global Twitter posts reveals possible drop in negativity towards COVID-19 pandemic

The devastation and distress brought by the COVID-19 pandemic to millions of lives goes without question, but trying to gauge an entire planet's changing perception of the disease over time can seem an almost impossible task.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-deep-global-twitter-reveals-negativity.html

Earth-monitoring Landsat 9 satellite launches in California

The latest in a series of U.S. satellites that has recorded human and natural impacts on Earth's surface for decades was launched into orbit from California on Monday to ensure continued observations in the era of climate change.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-earth-monitoring-landsat-satellite-california.html

Capturing light: New ergonomic photodetector for the trillion-sensor era

The world is heading towards a trillion-sensor economy where billions of devices using multiple sensors will be connected under the umbrella of Internet-of-things. An important part of this economy is constituted of light/photo sensors, which are tiny semiconductor-based electronic components that detect light and convert them to electrical signals. Light sensors can be found everywhere around us, from household electronic gadgets and health-care equipment to optical communication systems and automobiles.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-capturing-ergonomic-photodetector-trillion-sensor-era.html

New imaging system reveals solar panel defects even in bright sunlight

Researchers have developed and demonstrated a new system that can detect defects in silicon solar panels in full and partial sunlight under any weather conditions. Because current defect detection methods cannot be used in daylight conditions, the new system could make it much easier to keep solar panels working optimally.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-imaging-reveals-solar-panel-defects.html

Geologists solve half-century-old mystery of animal traces in ancient rocks

Geologists have been baffled by perforations in an Australian quartzite (rock), identical in shape to burrows made in sands by crustaceans; the original sandy sediment is a billion years older than the oldest known animals. An international team of scientists has now resolved the mystery.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-geologists-half-century-old-mystery-animal-ancient.html

Scientific team uncovers additional threat to Antarctica's floating ice shelves

Glaciologists at the University of California, Irvine and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory have examined the dynamics underlying the calving of the Delaware-sized iceberg A68 from Antarctica's Larsen C ice shelf in July 2017, finding the likely cause to be a thinning of ice melange, a slushy concoction of windblown snow, iceberg debris and frozen seawater that normally works to heal rifts.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-scientific-team-uncovers-additional-threat.html

Shock waves in outflow gases could regulate 'volcano lightning'

Volcanic eruptions spew lava, rock and ash into the air. When fragments of these materials mix and collide in the outflow, they can create an electric potential large enough to generate lightning.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-outflow-gases-volcano-lightning.html

New world record in materials research: X-ray microscopy at a speed of 1000 tomograms per second

Most people are familiar with computed tomography from medicine: A part of the body is X-rayed from all sides and a three-dimensional image is then calculated, from which any sectional images can be created for diagnosis.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-world-materials-x-ray-microscopy-tomograms.html

Researchers say 'unusual' metamaterial could double capacity of wireless networks

Your office wall may play a part in the next generation of wireless communications.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-09-unusual-metamaterial-capacity-wireless-networks.html

Our climate projections for 2500 show an Earth that is alien to humans

There are many reports based on scientific research that talk about the long-term impacts of climate change—such as rising levels of greenhouse gases, temperatures and sea levels—by the year 2100. The Paris Agreement, for example, requires us to limit warming to under 2.0 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels by the end of the century.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-climate-earth-alien-humans.html

Urgent action must be taken to save the critically endangered Sumatran rhino

Indonesia manage to conserve two of the world's five rhinoceros species. Both the Javan rhino (Rhinoceros sondaicus) and the Sumatran rhino (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) still exist today, uniquely only in the country.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-urgent-action-critically-endangered-sumatran.html

Not all men's violence prevention programs are effective: Why women's voices need to be included

In the opening panel of the National Summit on Women's Safety 2021, Professor Marcia Langton called for a separate national plan to address violence against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-men-violence-effective-women-voices.html

Galactic panspermia: How far could life spread naturally in a galaxy like the Milky Way?

Can life spread throughout a galaxy like the Milky Way without technological intervention? That question is largely unanswered. A new study is taking a swing at that question by using a simulated galaxy that's similar to the Milky Way. Then they investigated that model to see how organic compounds might move between its star systems.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-galactic-panspermia-life-naturally-galaxy.html

Political bias on social media emerges from users, not platform

In this era of political polarization, many accuse online social media platforms such as Twitter of liberal bias, intentionally favoring and amplifying liberal content and users while suppressing other political content.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-political-bias-social-media-emerges.html

Mali's elephants show how people and nature can share space in a complex world

The challenge of conserving wildlife while meeting the many needs of humans is a complex one. Some policymakers don't see how economies can grow while still making space for wildlife. Others understand that conservation must make space for people, but it's difficult to do in practice.

Our climate projections for 2500 show an Earth that is alien to humans

There are many reports based on scientific research that talk about the long-term impacts of climate change—such as rising levels of greenhouse gases, temperatures and sea levels—by the year 2100. The Paris Agreement, for example, requires us to limit warming to under 2.0 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels by the end of the century.

Urgent action must be taken to save the critically endangered Sumatran rhino

Indonesia manage to conserve two of the world's five rhinoceros species. Both the Javan rhino (Rhinoceros sondaicus) and the Sumatran rhino (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) still exist today, uniquely only in the country.

Not all men's violence prevention programs are effective: Why women's voices need to be included

In the opening panel of the National Summit on Women's Safety 2021, Professor Marcia Langton called for a separate national plan to address violence against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women.

Galactic panspermia: How far could life spread naturally in a galaxy like the Milky Way?

Can life spread throughout a galaxy like the Milky Way without technological intervention? That question is largely unanswered. A new study is taking a swing at that question by using a simulated galaxy that's similar to the Milky Way. Then they investigated that model to see how organic compounds might move between its star systems.

Political bias on social media emerges from users, not platform

In this era of political polarization, many accuse online social media platforms such as Twitter of liberal bias, intentionally favoring and amplifying liberal content and users while suppressing other political content.

Done with Facebook? Here's how to deactivate or permanently delete your Facebook account

Finally ready to unfriend Facebook?

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-09-facebook-deactivate-permanently-delete-account.html

5.7-magnitude quake shakes Philippines' main island: USGS

A strong earthquake hit off the Philippines' main island Monday, but there were no immediate reports of damage, the US Geological Survey and local officials said.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-magnitude-quake-philippines-main-island.html

Google in court to appeal EU's 2018 Android antitrust case

Google is heading to a top European Union court Monday to appeal a record EU antitrust penalty imposed for stifling competition through the dominance of its Android operating system.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-09-google-court-appeal-eu-android.html

'Back to basics' approach helps unravel new phase of matter

A new phase of matter, thought to be understandable only using quantum physics, can be studied with far simpler classical methods.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-basics-approach-unravel-phase.html

Research reveals potential of an overlooked climate change solution

Earlier this month, President Biden urged other countries to join the U.S. and European Union in a commitment to slashing methane emissions. Two new Stanford-led studies could help pave the way by laying out a blueprint for coordinating research on methane removal technologies, and modeling how the approach could have an outsized effect on reducing future peak temperatures.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-reveals-potential-overlooked-climate-solution.html

5.7-magnitude quake shakes Philippines' main island: USGS

A strong earthquake hit off the Philippines' main island Monday, but there were no immediate reports of damage, the US Geological Survey and local officials said.

'Back to basics' approach helps unravel new phase of matter

A new phase of matter, thought to be understandable only using quantum physics, can be studied with far simpler classical methods.

Research reveals potential of an overlooked climate change solution

Earlier this month, President Biden urged other countries to join the U.S. and European Union in a commitment to slashing methane emissions. Two new Stanford-led studies could help pave the way by laying out a blueprint for coordinating research on methane removal technologies, and modeling how the approach could have an outsized effect on reducing future peak temperatures.

Finger tracing enhances learning: Evidence for 100-year-old practice used by Montessori

Finger tracing has been used by teachers to help students learn for more than a century. In the early 1900s, education pioneer Montessori encouraged young children to trace over letters of the alphabet made from sandpaper with their index fingers, based on the intuition that a multi-sensory approach (i.e., visual, auditory, tactile, and kinesthetic) to learning would be most effective. In 1912, Montessori noticed that children, after mastering the sequence of tracing a letter with their index finger, "took great pleasure" in closing their eyes and trying to recall it.

Finger tracing enhances learning: Evidence for 100-year-old practice used by Montessori

Finger tracing has been used by teachers to help students learn for more than a century. In the early 1900s, education pioneer Montessori encouraged young children to trace over letters of the alphabet made from sandpaper with their index fingers, based on the intuition that a multi-sensory approach (i.e., visual, auditory, tactile, and kinesthetic) to learning would be most effective. In 1912, Montessori noticed that children, after mastering the sequence of tracing a letter with their index finger, "took great pleasure" in closing their eyes and trying to recall it.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-finger-evidence-year-old-montessori.html

New lava lake lets DR Congo volcano 'breathe', experts say

The reappearance of a lava lake in the crater of the Nyiragongo volcano in eastern DR Congo is a good sign, experts said Sunday, four months after a major eruption killed 32 people.

'Ancestor' of Mediterranean mosaics discovered in Turkey

The discovery of a 3,500-year-old paving stone, described as the "ancestor" of Mediterranean mosaics, offers illuminating details into the daily lives of the mysterious Bronze Age Hittites.