Phys.org news
Phys.org / A Namib desert beetle runs to stay cool: How scientists solved the puzzle of this unique and speedy species
The Namib desert of south-western Africa can be extremely hot—the surface temperature can be over 50°C. But a surprising number of around 200 beetle species live on its bare, inhospitable-looking sand dunes.
Phys.org / Small-scale rainforest clearing drives majority of carbon loss, study finds
Think of the destruction of Earth's rainforests and a familiar image may come to mind: fires or chainsaws tearing through enormous swaths of the Amazon, releasing masses of planet-warming carbon dioxide.
Phys.org / Overlooked molecule points to new treatments for drug-resistant fungal infections
Fungal infections kill millions of people each year, and modern medicine is struggling to keep up. But researchers at McMaster University have identified a molecule that may help turn the tide—butyrolactol A, a chemical ...
Phys.org / CRISPR discovery could lead to single diagnostic test for COVID, flu, RSV
Across all domains of life, immune defenses foil invading viruses by making it impossible for the viruses to replicate. Most known CRISPR systems target invading pathogens' DNA and chop it up to disable and modify genes, ...
Phys.org / Long day at work? Go ahead and watch some TV, research suggests
Brain dead after a hard day of work? It turns out it's totally fine to park yourself in front of the TV. It might even make recovery—an essential part of burnout prevention—easier.
Phys.org / How a parasite 'gave up sex' to find more hosts—and why its victory won't last
Australian researchers have uncovered how a particular strain of a diarrhea-causing parasite managed to infect more animal species, offering new insights into how parasitic infections emerge and spread to people.
Phys.org / Sandblasting on Mars: Camera reveals how prevailing winds shape elongated landforms in volcanic zone
Martian winds can have quite an impact. ESA's Mars Express has spotted them whipping up sand grains and acting as a cosmic sandblaster, carving out intriguing grooves near Mars's equator.
Phys.org / Inflatable fabric robotic arm picks apples
A low-cost, simple robotic apple picker arm developed by Washington State University researchers may someday help with fruit picking and other farm chores.
Phys.org / Urban atmosphere acts as primary reservoir of microplastics, researchers find
Over the past two decades, microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) have been recognized as emerging pollutants, detected across every environmental compartment of Earth's system—the atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, ...
Phys.org / Small chimps, big risks: What chimps show us about our own behavior
The riskiest behavior in humans peaks in adolescence. Researchers from the University of Michigan and James Madison University expected to find risky behavior to peak in adolescence in a study of chimpanzees as well. But ...
Phys.org / Stars that die off the beaten path
Astronomers have created a detailed forecast of where they expect to observe future stellar explosions in a nearby galaxy, opening a new window into how exploding stars shape the cosmos. Focusing on M33, a spiral galaxy about ...
Phys.org / You've heard of climate change. What is the climate debt doom loop?
Municipal bonds are a time-honored way to fund roads, schools, bridges and other public projects while paying investors interest, usually at tax-free rates.
