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