Phys.org news

Phys.org / Birds clap in the dark to flirt: Nightjars reveal a hidden language of sound

Some birds sing to attract a mate. Others dance or display colorful feathers. But in the moonlit forests and shrublands of northern Argentina, one bird courts romance by snapping its wrists together, producing a sharp clapping ...

1 hour ago
Phys.org / SIRT6 protein could protect against age-related breakdown in chromatin, possibly help reverse aging

Researchers at Bar-Ilan University have successfully restored youthful patterns of DNA organization in the livers of old mice, reversing key molecular features associated with aging. The study, published in Nature Communications, ...

1 hour ago
Phys.org / Intrepid tails—fluke photos confirm humpback whales mount 14,000 km open ocean crossing to breeding grounds

An international team of scientists have documented, for the first time, humpback whales traveling between breeding grounds in eastern Australia and Brazil, crossing more than 14,000 kilometers of open ocean. The findings ...

1 hour ago
Phys.org / How a 4,000-year-old city defied history's 'rules' by becoming more equal as it became more successful

For decades, historians have generally agreed that the progress of small villages as they evolved into cities came at the price of widening inequality. A small group of leaders, kings and priests, would inevitably seize control ...

6 hours ago
Phys.org / Why meat-eating dinosaurs like T. rex evolved tiny arms

The evolution of tiny arms in several groups of meat-eating dinosaurs was likely driven by the development of strong, powerful heads, which were used to attack prey, according to a new study led by researchers at UCL (University ...

1 hour ago
Phys.org / Less low cloud cover lets in more heat from the sun—and may lock in centuries of sea level rise

According to NOAA, the global average sea level has risen 8–9 inches (21–24 centimeters) since 1880. The rate at which the sea level is rising is increasing, threatening coastal cities and ecosystems around the world.

8 hours ago
Phys.org / Amazonian cocoa has a new edge: Two standout cultivars could change how growers fight witches' broom

Witches' broom disease, caused by the fungus Moniliophthora perniciosa, decimated cocoa crops in southern Bahia state, Brazil, in the 1990s. It was even the subject of a local soap opera and continues to plague the chocolate ...

2 hours ago
Phys.org / Migrating charges unlock hard-to-reach C-H bond edits in organic molecules

A team at the University of Vienna, led by chemist Nuno Maulide, has developed a new method for controlling chemical reactions in a more targeted and efficient manner. At the heart of this is the concept of "cation sampling": ...

4 hours ago
Phys.org / Rare seals hide in underwater bubble caves to escape tourists

The uninhabited islet of Formicula in Greece's Inner Ionian archipelago is a popular tourist draw for its clear waters, swimming spots, and marine diversity. A major attraction is the Mediterranean monk seal, one of the world's ...

9 hours ago
Phys.org / Chemists use sea sponge bacteria to create new molecules for drug discovery

Florida State University chemists have synthesized new molecules derived from bacteria found in a Pacific Ocean sea sponge, a breakthrough for the future of drug development, particularly for rare forms of cancer.

4 hours ago
Phys.org / Seaweed study unlocks surprising solution for cattle nutrition and sustainable agriculture

Cows eat grass...everyone knows that. But climate change is forcing producers and scientists to rethink some of our long-held assumptions about livestock nutrition. Crop costs are climbing. Traditional pastures are under ...

3 hours ago
Phys.org / Climate catch-22: Cleaning up air pollution could speed key Atlantic current decline

It may sound counterintuitive, but new research suggests that cleaning up air pollution could contribute to a weakening of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). This is the ocean current system that acts ...

8 hours ago