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Phys.org / How invasive rats rewire coral reef food webs to create winners and losers

Invasive rats on tropical islands are creating winners and losers among the tiny underwater animals near the bottom of the food chain that inhabit surrounding coral reefs. Scientists say the changes to these marine ecosystems ...

Jul 27, 2026
Medical Xpress / Beyond recovery, natural environments may strengthen well-being from a neutral baseline

A walk in the park after a stressful day is a classic example of how nature can help people unwind. But natural environments may offer even more: enhancing mood and cognitive performance even when a person has not previously ...

Jul 29, 2026
Medical Xpress / Engineered gut bacteria show promise against pancreatic cancer

Cancer immunotherapies have transformed treatment for many cancers, but pancreatic cancer remains especially difficult to treat. One major reason is that pancreatic tumors often create a "cold" tumor microenvironment, where ...

Jul 27, 2026
Phys.org / Kids who own cellphones have poorer reading comprehension scores than those who don't, researchers find

School cellphone bans might seem like a good way to improve learning for elementary school children, but new research published in Behavioral Sciences shows that simply owning a cellphone correlates with worse reading comprehension. ...

Jul 27, 2026
Phys.org / Global warming threatens rice harvests more than crop models predict, study warns

A new study on how rising temperatures will affect rice production in Science Advances compares 214 observations from field-warming experiments with seven crop models, revealing modeled estimates for yield reductions from ...

Jul 29, 2026
Phys.org / 6.5 million Americans face landslide risks—a new database shows where they live

Landslides cause an estimated $3 billion to $6 billion in damage and multiple fatalities annually in the United States. Those numbers could easily increase as housing needs spur development in landslide-prone areas and climate ...

Jul 29, 2026
Phys.org / Stable DNA building blocks enable faster oligonucleotide synthesis without oxidation

The chemical synthesis of oligonucleotides (ONs) is central to modern molecular biology, diagnostics and nucleic acid therapeutics. While demand for high-quality ONs is increasing, the conventional synthetic method has long-standing ...

Jul 29, 2026
Medical Xpress / Gut microbe's protective coating links intestinal colonization to lower inflammation

The human gut harbors more than 40 trillion bacteria assembled into complex communities collectively known as the gut microbiota, which is closely linked to human health and disease. Mediterraneibacter gnavus (formerly Ruminococcus ...

Jul 30, 2026
Phys.org / Two antibody gene systems may help explain vesper bats' unusual viral tolerance

It is a mystery that has puzzled scientists for years. How can the world's only winged mammals carry viruses that cause severe disease while rarely becoming seriously ill themselves?

Jul 29, 2026
Phys.org / Diets high in a particular type of fat help protect bees against pesticides

Diets rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids—a type of fat that supports brain function, cell growth and heart health—may help protect honey bees against the toxic effects of pesticides, according to a study led by researchers ...

Jul 28, 2026
Phys.org / Gold-MXene catalyst converts nitrate to ammonia using sunlight and 1.5 volts

Plants need nitrogen fertilizers, which are usually ammonia-based. Ammonia is therefore one of the most important chemical products. However, its production is currently extremely energy-intensive. An international team from ...

Jul 29, 2026
Phys.org / Gene discovery could shave years off avocado breeding

Scientists have found a genetic switch that could shave years off avocado breeding by allowing researchers to identify one of a young tree's most important traits long before it flowers.

Jul 29, 2026