Phys.org news

Phys.org / Mapping 3D-super-enhancers with machine learning to pinpoint regulators of cell identity

Scientists usually study the molecular machinery that controls gene expression from the perspective of a linear, two-dimensional genome—even though DNA and its bound proteins function in three dimensions (3D). To better ...

Mar 9, 2026
Phys.org / Ocean carbon removal looks promising, but nutrient cycling could curb long-term gains

There is growing interest in the scientific community and private sector in biological approaches to marine carbon dioxide removal—strategies designed to enhance the ocean's natural ability to absorb carbon from the atmosphere. ...

Mar 9, 2026
Phys.org / Baltic herring fishing rules may need an update after new genetic mapping

Herring from different parts of the Baltic Sea belong to distinct populations genetically adapted to local differences in salinity and temperature. However, these populations can also mix with each other, according to a new ...

Mar 9, 2026
Phys.org / From carp to crocodilians: Why deliberately introduced freshwater giants may bring hidden risks

More than 40% of extant large freshwater animals (megafauna), including carp, salmonids, crocodilians, turtles, beavers, and hippopotamuses, have been deliberately introduced outside their natural range, often for economic ...

Mar 9, 2026
Phys.org / Narrow-ridged finless porpoises are more social than assumed, study finds

A well-established fact of infancy in mammals is that the mother is the primary adult with whom an infant will interact. This holds true across species, from the tiniest shrew to the most massive blue whale. However, infants ...

Mar 9, 2026
Phys.org / Ancient hydrothermal carbon fuels microbes and crabs off Taiwan, study reveals

How is carbon metabolized and processed in different ecosystems? In a study published in the journal Communications Earth & Environment, researchers led by Joely Maak, the study's first author and researcher in the Cluster ...

Mar 9, 2026
Phys.org / AI disclosure labels may do more harm than good, study warns

The growing use of AI-generated scientific and science-related content, especially on social media, raises important concerns: these texts may contain false or highly persuasive information that is difficult for users to ...

Mar 9, 2026
Phys.org / Quantum entanglement offers route to higher-resolution optical astronomy

Researchers in the US have demonstrated how quantum entanglement could be used to detect optical signals from astronomical sources at the single-photon level. Published in Nature, a team led by Pieter-Jan Stas at Harvard ...

Mar 8, 2026
Phys.org / Superconductivity controlled by a built-in light-confining cavity

For the first time, physicists have demonstrated that a material's superconductivity can be altered by coupling it to an in-built, light-confining cavity. In experiments published in Nature, a team led by Itai Keren at Columbia ...

Mar 8, 2026
Phys.org / Inland China experienced typhoon-related population decline 3,000 years ago, according to 'oracle bones,' AI and physics

Evidence suggests that China's "cradle of civilization" experienced marked climate disasters and social upheavals during the mid-late Holocene (around 3,000 years ago). However, the direct causes and impacts of these ancient ...

Mar 8, 2026
Phys.org / Engineered magnetic films follow graphene's equations for massless electron waves

The electronic and magnetic properties of two-dimensional materials both have strong potential for technological applications. Researchers have long assumed that they are distinct phenomena, but Illinois Grainger engineers ...

Mar 8, 2026
Phys.org / Twenty-nine years of warming linked to soil fungi shift in Colorado plots

Long-term ecosystem warming changes not only plants but the fungi in the soil below, according to a new study including researchers from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. "Hidden mycorrhizal fungi below ground are ...

Mar 8, 2026