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Science X / Across Bronze Age Sweden, carved footprints point to a ritual for turning social ties into stone

Etched into the ancient rocky outcrops of southern Scandinavia and large boulders left behind by retreating glaciers are footprints, also called podomorphic petroglyphs. Some are barefoot with every toe visible, while others ...

May 18, 2026
Phys.org / Sea level rise is swallowing US Mid-Atlantic farmland faster than expected, study finds

Ghost forests, the cemetery-like groupings of dead trees killed by saltwater intrusion, have become haunting symbols of sea level rise overtaking land along the Mid-Atlantic coast. But a new study published in Nature Sustainability, ...

May 18, 2026
Phys.org / SMILE spacecraft launches to capture first X-ray views of Earth's magnetic shield

A joint European-Chinese spacecraft blasted into orbit Tuesday to investigate what happens when extreme winds and giant explosions of plasma shot out from the sun slam into Earth's magnetic shield.

May 19, 2026
Phys.org / Extreme weather events are accelerating tidal wetland loss, satellite data show

Tidal wetlands are critical, yet vulnerable ecosystems. Tidal marshes, mangrove forests, and tidal flats support biodiversity, protect against flooding and storm surges, sequester carbon, and improve water quality. Due to ...

May 19, 2026
Phys.org / Twisted WSe₂ reveals elusive charge-neutral quantum modes

Quantum materials, materials with properties that are influenced by the laws of quantum mechanics, have attracted considerable attention over the past few decades. Their unique properties make these materials advantageous ...

May 18, 2026
Phys.org / Intensifying droughts may be pushing tropical forests toward a dangerous threshold

Tropical forests, often described as the lungs of the planet, may be edging closer to a dangerous threshold as droughts become more frequent and widespread across the world's humid tropics. New research suggests these ecosystems ...

May 18, 2026
Phys.org / Seabird world shrinks as oceans warm, forcing longer flights to survive

Seabirds such as albatrosses and petrels are retreating into smaller areas of ocean and traveling further to find new places to live as the climate warms. Scientists from the University of Reading studied more than 120 species ...

May 19, 2026
Phys.org / Bioengineers condense protein engineering and testing to a single day

Proteins are critical to life—and to industry. There are countless proteins that could be engineered to treat and even cure serious diseases and cellular dysfunctions. Industrial applications are similarly promising, with ...

May 18, 2026
Phys.org / Ancient Arctic fossils uncover three mammal species that survived months of darkness

Today's Arctic may feel remote and desolate, but more than 70 million years ago, it was a surprisingly lively place for some of Earth's ancient mammals.

May 18, 2026
Phys.org / Bats create 'silent frequency zones' to detect prey in noisy flight, researchers reveal

Sound plays an important role for many animals, helping them navigate and hunt. Echolocation is the ability of animals like bats and dolphins to locate objects by emitting sound waves and interpreting the returning echoes. ...

May 19, 2026
Medical Xpress / How early brain activity may shape speech-linked circuits before babies ever speak

Communication begins long before children learn to speak. Researchers at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) in Taiwan have now uncovered how early brain activity helps build developing communication circuits ...

May 19, 2026
Phys.org / Urban life makes animals bolder, more aggressive across 133 species, analysis finds

A global analysis has found that urban animals are bolder and more aggressive, exploratory and active than their rural counterparts. The findings are published in the Journal of Animal Ecology.

May 19, 2026