Phys.org news
Phys.org / Deformed head shapes in fossilized humans show their infants were probably just as helpless as modern human babies
Archaic human parents had to look after helpless infants like modern-day parents do, according to new research. Human babies are born less developed than those of other great apes and are therefore unable to move as freely. ...
Phys.org / 100% organic free-range egg production could have negative consequences for climate and nature
A study published in Royal Society Open Science reveals striking trade-offs when it comes to different methods of egg production. Using UK data, the study compared several possible scenarios for the egg industry, including ...
Phys.org / Algal blooms accelerate plastic weathering, potentially fueling microplastic formation
Every summer, algal blooms turn rivers and lakes green. Although they are widely known as a major form of water pollution that makes water murky, a KAIST research team has now shown for the first time that algal bloom conditions ...
Phys.org / Mesolithic hunter-gatherers on Malta relied on repeated sea crossings, study suggests
The existence of humans on Malta, a tiny Mediterranean island, during the Mesolithic period is puzzling. Archaeological evidence indicates that foragers occupied the Maltese islands between 8,500 and 7,500 years ago, and ...
Phys.org / New research shows how 'hot electrons' can reshape metals in billionths of a second
Researchers at The University of Manchester have revealed how intense electronic excitation can trigger rapid structural changes in metals—without heating the atomic lattice—offering new insight into ultrafast materials behavior.
Phys.org / Single molecule becomes quantum sensor for imaging proteins at nanoscale
A new quantum sensing technique could enable measurements of single protein structures and other important molecules, with potential applications in drug discovery and structural biology. A research team from the Institute ...
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 ...
Phys.org / Scientists' biographies may demotivate, not inspire, children to study science
Currently popular biographies of famous scientists may demotivate—rather than inspire—children's desire to study or pursue careers in science, according to researchers who studied the messages in 422 bestselling children's ...
Phys.org / More evidence Mars once had water emerges from old Spirit rover data
More than 20 years after NASA's Spirit rover landed on Mars, a researcher from Edith Cowan University (ECU) has uncovered new evidence that suggests water may once have covered large parts of the red planet.
Phys.org / A way to read quantum bits faster and with less hardware
Quantum computers process information in a fundamentally different way from conventional computers, using quantum bits, or qubits, that can exist in multiple states at once. This could allow them to tackle problems beyond ...
Phys.org / Chicxulub's lingering dust may have turned falling debris into a global firestorm
Sixty-six million years ago, the six-mile-wide (10-kilometer-wide) Chicxulub asteroid crash-landed in Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula and changed life on Earth forever. The reign of the dinosaurs ended, and only creatures that ...
Phys.org / Queen bee pheromones help daughters decide whether to stay or leave the nest
Female sweat bees need to make a pivotal life decision: remain in the nest to help their mother raise more offspring or leave to establish nests of their own. New research from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute ...
