Phys.org news

Phys.org / First plesiosaurian fossil discovered in Algeria fills a Cretaceous gap

In a study published in Historical Biology, Dr. Mohammed Naimi and his colleagues report the discovery of the first plesiosaurian remains from Algeria. Additionally, the fossil, dated to the Late Coniacian, is one of only ...

45 minutes ago in Biology
Phys.org / Which cell measurements matter most? AI tool helps researchers see the bigger picture

Studying gene expression in a cancer patient's cells can help clinical biologists understand the cancer's origin and predict the success of different treatments. But cells are complex and contain many layers, so how the biologist ...

25 minutes ago in Biology
Phys.org / First cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza in northern elephant seals confirmed in California

Seven weaned elephant seal pups in California's Año Nuevo State Park tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Veterinary Services Laboratory confirmed ...

1 hour ago in Biology
Phys.org / Robot pollinator uses computer vision to shake flowers and boost indoor farm yields

Indoor farms, also known as vertical farms, are popular among agricultural researchers and are expanding across the agricultural industry. Some benefits they have over outdoor farms include the year-round production of food ...

5 minutes ago in Biology
Phys.org / Ion bombardment triggers a reliable quantum switch in tantalum disulfide crystals

When you toss a coin, you put it into a higher-energy state until it falls back down again. It can then end up in one of two possible states: heads or tails. No matter which state the coin was in before, after the toss both ...

1 hour ago in Physics
Phys.org / Webb examines 'Exposed Cranium' nebula

Two heads are better than one in the latest images from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, which reveal new detail in a mysterious, little-studied nebula surrounding a dying star. Nebula PMR 1 is a cloud of gas and dust that ...

45 minutes ago in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Farming on the moon or Mars? How recycled sewage could turn regolith into crop soil

Dining on the moon or Mars might seem like a fantasy reserved for science fiction, but researchers are investigating how it could become a reality. Their efforts to recycle plant and human waste into a fertilizer material—turning ...

15 minutes ago in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Forget flatfooted lumbering T. rex. New research shows it walked on tiptoes

Powerful, fierce and the king of the Cretaceous world, Tyrannosaurus rex was the ultimate apex predator. But it was also surprisingly dainty on its feet, according to new research. Findings published in the journal Royal ...

2 hours ago in Biology
Phys.org / Yogurt waste inspires researcher to innovate with sourdough bread

If you were one of the many amateur bakers who learned to bake sourdough bread during lockdown, you'll know how complex a single loaf can be. The rise of the bread, moisture, firmness and even crumb structure can make or ...

1 hour ago in Biology
Phys.org / Climate change could fragment habitat for monarch butterflies, disrupting mass migration

Suitable habitat for migrating monarch butterflies will shift southwards because of climate change, according to a study published in PLOS Climate by Francisco Botello and Carolina Ureta at the National Autonomous University ...

1 hour ago in Biology
Phys.org / Tropical flowers are blooming weeks later than they used to through climate change

Climate change has caused some tropical plants to flower earlier or later than they used to; in some cases by a matter of weeks or even months, according to a study of 8,000 flowers across more than two centuries, published ...

1 hour ago in Biology
Phys.org / This mysterious protein punctures our cells—now researchers know how

The human body is a dynamic place. Blood pumps, spinal fluid flows, oxygen comes in and carbon dioxide goes out. Deeper still, charged molecules pass through cell walls, quietly keeping the body's systems in balance. A new ...

2 hours ago in Biology