Phys.org news
Phys.org / Space storms light up Japan's sky with red auroras climbing far higher than expected
On a special night, if you are lucky, you might catch a faint red glow quietly lighting up Japan's sky, stretching low along the horizon and easy to miss if you are not looking carefully. Subtle and diffuse, it probably appears ...
Phys.org / Sri Lanka teeth reveal rising plant diets thousands of years before agriculture
A new study published in Nature Ecology and Evolution examining human populations in Sri Lankan tropical rainforests shows that people's consumption of plants began increasing thousands of years before the introduction of ...
Phys.org / Urban aerosols grow faster in polluted air, sharpening climate model gaps
Aerosols and clouds play a key role in Earth's climate budget. However, the extent to which they reflect solar energy depends heavily on how much water the particles can absorb. This so-called hygroscopicity has so far been ...
Phys.org / When Mendel's rules don't apply: Mouse study reveals hidden epigenetic inheritance
Scientists have long known that the DNA code in genes is not the only way to pass genetic traits from parents to offspring. "Epigenetic" marks—chemical modifications to DNA that don't change the DNA code itself—can also be ...
Phys.org / Dominant fish face higher microplastic risk than subordinates in social groups
Fish who display dominant traits are more at risk of consuming microplastic pollution than others in their social group, according to new research. The study, led by the University of Glasgow and published in Proceedings ...
Phys.org / Glowing fungi expose final enzyme that could make bioluminescent tools more efficient
Like fireflies and many deep-sea creatures, certain fungi can naturally emit light through bioluminescence pathways in which specialized enzymes convert chemical energy into visible light. Medical researchers have used fungal ...
Phys.org / Forbidden friends become former friends after moms voice disapproval
It's a tale as old as time: parents don't like the company their children keep—and don't hesitate to say so. Often, parents openly state their disapproval, hoping that children will abandon unwelcome affiliates and seek out ...
Phys.org / Could future Mars settlers print their own tools?
If humans one day settle Mars, they will need tools and parts to build structures on the planet. Carrying heavy, bulky supplies 34 million miles from Earth would be impractical. A better plan, says Zane Mebruer, a recent ...
Phys.org / The fungus that spoils nearly everything: Gray mold secret revealed
Even if you haven't heard of Botrytis cinerea, you've likely seen it—slowly growing in your store-bought blueberries, tomatoes or even on your beautiful orchids. Commonly known as gray mold, the fungus attacks hundreds of ...
Phys.org / Fragility found in a high value shark population
The vulnerability of a shark population to losing even small numbers to fishing has been highlighted by researchers from the University of Chester and partners in the Philippines using a remote stereo camera system. The team ...
Phys.org / Food and drink plastics dominate marine litter across 112 nations, research reveals
Plastic food packaging, caps and lids, and plastic bottles are the planet's predominant items of marine litter, according to the world's first overview of marine litter by usage type.
Phys.org / How economic growth in low-income countries can also protect biodiversity
For decades, environmental debates have been framed around a stark trade-off: economic growth lifts people out of poverty but comes at the expense of forests, wildlife, and climate stability. More people and richer diets ...
