Phys.org news

Phys.org / Analysis provides day-by-day insight into prehistoric plankton's capacity for change
Scientists at the University of Southampton have developed a new way of analyzing fossils, allowing them to see how creatures from millions of years ago were shaped by their environment on a day-to-day basis for the first ...

Phys.org / Everglades ecosystems show mixed reactions to rising sea levels
Scientists have discovered that changes in climate and water levels are reducing the ability of some ecosystems in the Everglades to sequester carbon, while the environmental shifts are enhancing the potential for carbon ...

Phys.org / It takes a village: Chimpanzee babies do better when their moms have social connections
In chimpanzee communities, strong social ties can be a matter of life and death not just for the adults who form them, but for their kids, too. A new study of wild eastern chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) from ...

Phys.org / Killer whales, kind gestures: Orcas offer food to humans in the wild
Like a proud cat leaving a bird on its owner's doorstep, orcas—also called killer whales—may sometimes offer to share their prey with humans, according to research published in the Journal of Comparative Psychology.

Phys.org / New 3D glacier visualizations provide insights into a hotter Earth
As glaciers retreat due to a rise in global temperatures, one study shows that detailed 3D elevation models could drastically improve predictions about how they react to Earth's warming climate.

Phys.org / Engineering nano-clouds that can change color, temperature and outwit heat sensors
How does a cloud stay cool under direct sunlight––or seem to vanish in infrared? In nature, phenomena like white cumulus clouds, gray storm systems, and even the hollow hairs of polar bears offer remarkable lessons in ...

Phys.org / Entropy engineering opens new avenue for robust quantum anomalous Hall effect in 2D magnets
A research team from the University of Wollongong's (UOW) Institute for Superconducting and Electronic Materials (ISEM) has addressed a 40-year-old quantum puzzle, unlocking a new pathway to creating next-generation electronic ...

Phys.org / New superheavy isotope reveals complex relationship between quantum effects and fission
In a study published in Physical Review Letters, scientists at GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung have discovered a new superheavy isotope, 257Sg (seaborgium), whose properties are providing new insights into ...

Phys.org / Living small in a big city: Urban Túngara frog tadpoles develop faster but end up being tinier
Have you ever wondered how city life affects animals like frogs? A new study reveals that urban Túngara frog tadpoles develop faster—but end up being smaller—than tadpoles from forests, probably resulting in smaller ...

Phys.org / Ochre discovery in South African cave reveals advanced toolmaking during the Middle Stone Age
A new study from SapienCE reveals that early modern humans at Blombos Cave in South Africa used ochre as a specialized tool for stone toolmaking during the Middle Stone Age, demonstrating advanced technical skills far earlier ...

Phys.org / Switching on a silent gene revives tissue regeneration in mice
Research led by the National Institute of Biological Sciences in Beijing has discovered that switching on a single dormant gene enables mice to regenerate ear tissue.

Phys.org / Genomes reveal the Norwegian lemming as one of the most recently evolved mammal species
Using whole genome sequencing and cutting‐edge analyses, researchers at Stockholm University have uncovered the surprising evolutionary history of the Norwegian lemming (Lemmus lemmus), revealing it to be one of the most ...