Phys.org news
Phys.org / The G-value paradox: Why similar genes can lead to very different brains
Biologists have long puzzled over why organisms with similar numbers of protein-coding genes can differ so dramatically in nervous system complexity. New research points to a potential link between the expanding diversity ...
Phys.org / Hidden proton pathways emerge as ultrathin polymer film method splits interface signals
Understanding how protons move at the interface between polymers and electrode materials is essential for improving fuel cells and related energy devices. However, conventional impedance measurements under inert conditions ...
Phys.org / Earth's first continents may trace back to subduction 3.5 billion years ago
An international team of researchers' analysis of minerals from the Pilbara region of Western Australia has given new insight into how ancient continents on Earth formed as far back as 3.5 billion years ago. Professor Tony ...
Phys.org / The birds and the babies: Humans and zebra finches have a similar technique for learning to speak
We are all born completely helpless, with little of the knowledge and skills we will need to survive as adults. Even our ability to communicate is almost entirely learned from our parents or caregivers.
Phys.org / Why gradual environmental change can trigger sudden species collapse and fragmented populations
When species are subjected to changing environments, they can survive in their current location through genetic adaptation. However, this ability is not unlimited. In a study published in PNAS, biomathematician Jitka Polechová ...
Phys.org / An everyday sweetener offers a surprisingly powerful engine for transparent, stretchable electronics
Professor Kyungwho Choi's team of the School of Mechanical Engineering at Sungkyunkwan University, in collaboration with Professor Jinsoo Kim's team in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Kyung Hee University, have ...
Phys.org / Looped polymers unlock stronger, faster molecular binding through entropy, model suggests
Entropy gets a bad rap. Typically associated with randomness and chaos, it can also correlate with freedom and diversity. Cornell researchers have found that, thanks to the latter qualities, entropy can help bind certain ...
Phys.org / Old plant populations offer new clues to climate resilience
When scientists think about how plants will respond to climate change, they often look north. As temperatures rise, many species are expected to shift their ranges toward cooler regions with a loss of populations in warmer ...
Phys.org / Cut marks on 1.6 million-year-old bones reveal early humans moved prized meat
There is an old adage that goes, "you are what you eat," meaning that the food you consume helps build your body and fuel your mind. The same is true now as it ever was. When it comes to early humans, studying what they ate ...
Phys.org / Radio telescopes confirm 3.3-million-light-year halo in unusually quiet galaxy cluster
Astronomers have employed the upgraded Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (uGMRT) and the MeerKAT radio telescope to observe a galaxy cluster known as RXCJ0232–4420. Results of the new observations, published April 29 on the ...
Phys.org / Under mushroom caps, 17-plus bacterial species help drive stubborn blotch disease
A University of Florida study has made a key discovery in understanding a disease that for over a century has plagued the white button mushroom—a nutrient-dense vegetable that is valued for its versatility and health benefits. ...
Phys.org / Alaska's near‑record landslide tsunami sent a wave 1,580 feet up the fjord walls
On the evening of Aug. 9, 2025, passengers on the Hanse Explorer finished taking selfies and videos of the South Sawyer Glacier, and the ship headed back down the fjord. Twelve hours later, a landslide from the adjacent mountain ...
