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Phys.org / Italian scientists bet on octopus to fight crab invasion

From a fishing trawler in the Adriatic, Italian scientists gently release thousands of tiny octopuses in the hope of fighting an invasive crab species that has devastated local fisheries.

Aug 19, 2026
Phys.org / Illuminating the limits of the international unit of light, the candela

The candela, the international unit of light in use for almost a century, forms the basis of photometry. According to a new study, measurements derived from it systematically misjudge the brightness of colored light sources ...

Aug 20, 2026
Phys.org / Rescue mission is called off for NASA's aging Swift space telescope

The mission to save NASA's sinking Swift Observatory was called off Wednesday, dooming the telescope to a fiery reentry later this year.

Aug 20, 2026
Medical Xpress / Multiple working hypotheses could clarify COVID-19 origins debate

A Viewpoint article published in the journal BioScience argues that the contentious debate over the origins of SARS-CoV-2 could benefit from a well-established scientific approach for weighing competing explanations.

Aug 20, 2026
Phys.org / Blocc chemistry could automate molecular discovery and democratize access to new materials

A paper published in the journal Science lays out a roadmap for broadening access to the process of discovering molecular tools that can benefit society, including medicines, materials and a wide range of everyday consumer ...

Aug 20, 2026
Phys.org / Designing supramolecular therapies to cross the blood-brain barrier

A new Northwestern Medicine study has uncovered key molecular design principles that could help supramolecular therapeutics cross the blood-brain barrier, a major challenge for this novel approach to treating neurological ...

Aug 20, 2026
Phys.org / Snake bones with flint cuts show Mount Carmel settlers ate reptiles 15,000 years ago

Around 15,000 years ago, the way of life of human communities in the southern Levant underwent a fundamental change. Groups of hunter-gatherers, who until then had been nomadic, reduced their mobility and established small, ...

Aug 20, 2026
Phys.org / How sex sheds evolutionary baggage

Why is there sex—or, more precisely, sexual reproduction? If you're an evolutionary biologist, the answer isn't obvious. Sexual reproduction is biologically costly, requiring not only competition for mates but also the creation ...

Aug 20, 2026
Phys.org / DNA's physical properties may shape which mutations evolution preserves

Nearly every cell in the human body contains essentially the same genetic information, yet different cells activate different genes. For regulatory proteins to reach these genes, DNA must be accessible. This accessibility ...

Aug 20, 2026
Phys.org / Clubbing may boost well-being for women in midlife

An online survey published in the journal Psychology of Music asked 136 women ages 40 and older about their experiences at electronic dance music (EDM) events. Nine in 10 respondents (91%) said clubbing contributes positively ...

Aug 20, 2026
Phys.org / Global sand dunes map reveals clues to distant worlds, including Mars

A new study from Monash University has delivered the most complete and accurate digital map of Earth's windblown sand dunes to date. The research, published in Nature Communications, answers long-standing questions about ...

Aug 20, 2026
Phys.org / Children prefer fair punishment to unequal treatment, study finds

Consistent enforcement of rules is more important than the severity of the punishment itself, and children expect adults to treat every member of their group impartially and equally. Moreover, fair punishment brings emotional ...

Aug 20, 2026