Phys.org news
Phys.org / Portugal burial reveals first known bone dental bridge in national archaeological record
The first documented case of a fixed bone bridge unearthed in Portugal was presented in the International Journal of Osteoarchaeology by researchers Ms. Steffi Vassallo and her colleagues. The item is estimated to date to ...
Phys.org / Bees found an unlikely new food source, and it could reshape how a destructive forest disease travels
New research published in NeoBiota has found that the Western honey bee—an introduced species to Australia—and the devastating, invasive plant fungus known as myrtle rust (Austropuccinia psidii) may have formed a mutually ...
Phys.org / Tiny sea creature Porpita porpita may live adrift at sea for years longer than previously thought
A new study of the blue button (Porpita porpita), a small and elusive sea creature which lives on the surface of the ocean, has found that it may live for several years adrift at sea, much longer than previously estimated.
Phys.org / Lab fish cycles are hours out of sync with natural ones, researchers discover
When researchers moved medaka—a fish commonly used in experiments—out of the lab and into more natural conditions, their reproductive clock shifted by hours, suggesting that laboratory findings may not fully capture their ...
Phys.org / How face-building genes get ready early: Genome folding may prime crucial DNA switches
Early in development, a group of migrating cells called cranial neural crest cells go on to form many different parts of the face, including the nose, jaw, ears, and throat. To build these structures correctly, genes must ...
Phys.org / Could future Mars settlers print their own tools?
If humans one day settle Mars, they will need tools and parts to build structures on the planet. Carrying heavy, bulky supplies 34 million miles from Earth would be impractical. A better plan, says Zane Mebruer, a recent ...
Phys.org / Sri Lanka teeth reveal rising plant diets thousands of years before agriculture
A new study published in Nature Ecology and Evolution examining human populations in Sri Lankan tropical rainforests shows that people's consumption of plants began increasing thousands of years before the introduction of ...
Phys.org / Glowing fungi expose final enzyme that could make bioluminescent tools more efficient
Like fireflies and many deep-sea creatures, certain fungi can naturally emit light through bioluminescence pathways in which specialized enzymes convert chemical energy into visible light. Medical researchers have used fungal ...
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 ...
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 ...
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.
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 ...