Phys.org news

Phys.org / Storms that built a graveyard: Ancient monsoons created a spectacular dinosaur fossil site

Around 80 million years ago, a stretch of tropical coastline in what is now northeastern Italy was lashed by monsoon rains and tropical cyclones. Those storms swept dinosaur carcasses, crocodiles, plants and river mud onto ...

Jul 22, 2026
Phys.org / Marine animals first colonized empty seashells about 470 million years ago

An international study led by researchers from the University of Tartu shows that approximately 470 million years ago, a significant ecological change took place in the world's oceans: For the first time, the interiors of ...

Jul 22, 2026
Phys.org / Left or right? Moths use a preferred side to inspect flowers for nectar

Just as humans exhibit right- or left-handedness, moths also have a preferred side on which they place their proboscis when inspecting a flower for nectar. This observation was made by Konstanz-based biologists in their latest ...

Jul 22, 2026
Phys.org / Great Barrier Reef microbiome map reveals more than 500 new bacterial species

In 2012, Nature revealed that humans provide a home to thousands of different species of microbes in a series of papers that opened a path to understanding the impact of the human microbiome on our health.

Jul 22, 2026
Phys.org / AI and quantum chemistry combine to identify efficient blue OLED materials

Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) have become a standard in modern devices with incredible contrast and sleek designs. While initially an expensive luxury, OLEDs are gradually becoming more financially accessible as the ...

Jul 22, 2026
Phys.org / Light-driven chemistry method could create antiviral compound libraries 10 to 100 times larger within weeks

As the world faces new and often untreatable viral threats, Simon Fraser University researchers have found a way to cut years off the time it takes to discover antiviral drugs. The new research enables scientists to quickly ...

Jul 22, 2026
Phys.org / Global analysis reveals age as overlooked driver of food-related climate emissions

A new international study published in Nature Food reveals that age plays an important but often overlooked role in shaping global food-related greenhouse gas emissions. The study shows that dietary emissions can vary substantially ...

Jul 22, 2026
Phys.org / Plasma design rules show how to preserve attosecond flashes for observing electrons

Researchers at Skoltech, together with a colleague from the Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, working within the joint SIOM–Skoltech laboratory, have determined how to select ...

Jul 22, 2026
Phys.org / Fruit flies turn fleeting scent puffs into directional memories, study finds

When a fruit fly catches a whiff of a ripe peach, it quickly heads toward it. Time after time, it finds the fruit—even from many feet away and even if the scent arrives only as a few drifting, disconnected puffs. How do they ...

Jul 22, 2026
Phys.org / How 'super' enzymes can transform recycling

From microplastics clogging up our oceans to landfills leaching dangerous chemicals, plastic waste is a serious and growing problem for human health and the environment. We need to recycle more and, crucially, recycle better.

Jul 22, 2026
Phys.org / A longer, hotter reality surrounds marine heat waves, research reveals

Anyone who has boiled a pot of water understands that it takes both time and energy to raise the temperature, so it may come as a surprise to learn that scientists have long treated marine heat waves (MHWs) as isolated events. ...

Jul 22, 2026
Phys.org / Even a slight overproduction of tubulin can tip the balance of cellular health, study shows

For cells to function properly, they must produce the right amount of each protein. It is a delicate balance: Both too little and too much can compromise essential cellular functions. A team from the University of Geneva ...

Jul 22, 2026