Phys.org news

Phys.org / Antenna-like cell appendage may help turtle embryos sense sex-deciding nest temperatures

When most baby turtles hatch, their sex depends on the temperature of the sand or soil where their mother laid her eggs. Warm incubation produces females, while cool nests produce males.

Aug 7, 2026
Phys.org / Hidden hormone–habitat relationship revealed in reef fish

In the animal kingdom, only those that adapt to their environment survive. This adaptation takes a wide range of forms, from invisible internal shifts in gene expression to dramatic anatomical changes, such as tadpoles growing ...

Aug 7, 2026
Phys.org / One snail, five slimes: Collagen and calcium reshape mucus for different jobs

Snails are particularly active after a rain shower. Even on the Max Planck Campus in Potsdam-Golm, common brown-lipped snails (Cepaea nemoralis) leave behind shiny trails of mucus. Researchers from the "Biomaterials" department ...

Aug 7, 2026
Phys.org / Physicists trace solar outbursts that led to historic Mother's Day storms

On Mother's Day weekend in May 2024, Earth experienced its most powerful geomagnetic storm in two decades, spawning auroras—the ribbony bands of light in the nighttime skies in the Northern and Southern hemispheres—that may ...

Aug 7, 2026
Phys.org / Mobile fungal 'Starship' carries protein that triggers crop leaf loss

An international research team led by plant scientist Professor Dr. Bart Thomma of the Institute of Plant Sciences at the University of Cologne, the MiBiNet Collaborative Research Center and the CEPLAS Cluster of Excellence ...

Aug 7, 2026
Phys.org / Just 50°C decides whether an ultrathin magnetic film stays flat or falls apart

Magnetic storage technologies, which store information in the direction of magnetization, play an essential role in modern data storage. Hard disk drives (HDDs) are widely used for long-term storage, while nonvolatile magnetic ...

Aug 7, 2026
Phys.org / Sunlight-powered setup generates quantum entanglement

Today's quantum technologies rely on energy-intensive lasers, raising concerns that scaling them up could further increase energy demands. In new work, researchers have demonstrated that quantum entanglement between photons ...

Aug 6, 2026
Phys.org / JWST study suggests a handful of 'leaky' galaxies reionized the early universe

A new study analyzing the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) spectra of more than 1,400 galaxies suggests a surprisingly small group of "leaky" galaxies was responsible for cosmic reionization. The paper outlining this work ...

Aug 6, 2026
Phys.org / Songbirds may have developed sharper senses to de-husk seeds

Songbirds, birds belonging to the Passeriformes order, are best known for their ability to produce complex musical sounds. Yet some songbird species also have another remarkable skill: They can easily remove the tough layer ...

Aug 6, 2026
Phys.org / Two-qubit entangling gate flags its own errors as detectable photon losses

Quantum errors are a normal part of quantum computing because fragile physical qubits (the tiny components storing data) can easily break down because of environmental noise, like heat, stray signals or microscopic vibrations. ...

Aug 6, 2026
Phys.org / Zoo-housed lions show wild-style behaviors when fed whole carcasses

A new Australian study has found that feeding zoo-housed lions whole-animal carcasses on a feast-and-fast schedule encourages behaviors more closely aligned with those seen in the wild.

Aug 6, 2026
Phys.org / Coupled AI and physics model improves typhoon-wave height forecasting

Typhoons pose significant threats, with sudden, dangerous waves that endanger ships, offshore platforms and coastal infrastructure in the northwest Pacific Ocean. Current typhoon forecasting methods sometimes underestimate ...

Aug 6, 2026