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Phys.org / How whaling evolved from its Basque origins into a vast global business

The earliest documentary evidence of organized whaling dates back to the 11th century in the Basque Country. From there, the activity spread rapidly across the ports of the Bay of Biscay, from Galicia to Labourd in France, ...

Apr 17, 2026
Medical Xpress / Weight loss leads to notable muscle loss, study finds

A new UNC School of Medicine study of incretin-based medications, including newer medications such as semaglutide and tirzepatide that are widely prescribed for type 2 diabetes and obesity, finds they are associated with ...

Apr 17, 2026
Phys.org / UN office's recovery plan advances flood relief efforts in Pakistan

On the evening of July 6, 2025, a glacier lake outburst flood (GLOF) surged through the village of Hassanabad in Pakistan's Hunza Valley, destroying houses and irrigation systems. Triggered by the rapid melting of the Shisper ...

Apr 17, 2026
Phys.org / After 9,000 years of cultivation, rice has reached its thermal limit

Rice has historically been a heat-loving plant. In fact, the wild ancestor of cultivated rice once grew primarily on the sweltering, rain-swept Malay and Indochina peninsulas as well as the islands of Southeast Asia. It wasn't ...

Apr 14, 2026
Phys.org / Too hot to handle? How heat is reshaping US population shifts

As extreme heat intensifies across the United States, it's widely assumed that rising temperatures will push people to pack up and leave. But new research from Florida Atlantic University challenges that narrative, showing ...

Apr 16, 2026
Phys.org / Researchers synthesize photosynthetic molecule found in bacteria

Researchers from North Carolina State University have successfully synthesized bacteriochlorophyll a, which is a photosynthetic pigment found in bacteria that absorbs infrared light. The work represents the first chemical ...

Apr 15, 2026
Medical Xpress / Maternal RSV vaccination cuts infant hospitalization risk by over 80%, major study finds

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common virus that can cause severe respiratory illness in infants and young children, including lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) such as bronchiolitis and pneumonia. It is ...

Apr 17, 2026
Phys.org / 'Safe' fertilizer linked to extreme water quality loss in Canadian Prairies

Research published in Nature Water found that widespread application of the common farm fertilizer, urea, severely degrades water quality in the Canadian Prairies. Researchers at the University of Manitoba and the University ...

Apr 15, 2026
Phys.org / 'Cruelly hot': Japan devises new term for heat wave days

Blistering temperatures rising to 40°C and above will now be branded "cruelly hot" or "kokusho-bi" in Japan, the weather agency said Friday, as heat wave days become increasingly frequent in the region.

Apr 17, 2026
Phys.org / Study confirms that guessing before learning improves memory in language learning

Learning a second language is becoming increasingly popular worldwide, with millions of people turning to digital tools and mobile applications to pick up a new language at their own pace. But what makes some more popular ...

Apr 15, 2026
Phys.org / Subaru telescope captures comet 3I/ATLAS composition change

The Subaru Telescope observed the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS on January 7, 2026, after it made its closest approach to the sun. By observing colors in the coma around the comet, astronomers could estimate the ratio of carbon ...

Apr 15, 2026
Medical Xpress / Early folic acid supplementation may halve the risk of birth defects in women using antiseizure medication

Women taking antiseizure medication for epilepsy have around a 45% reduced risk of major congenital anomalies in their children—if they initiate high-dose folic acid before pregnancy. This is the finding of a large Nordic ...

Apr 17, 2026