Phys.org news

Phys.org / Amazon could lose over a third of forest cover by century's end

A new LMU study estimates that land use changes in conjunction with climate change could lead to the loss of up to 38% of the Amazon rainforest by the end of the 21st century.

Dec 15, 2025 in Earth
Phys.org / Algae-based asphalt binder strengthens roads for cold climates

Snow and ice can damage paved surfaces, leading to frost heaves and potholes. These become potential hazards for drivers and pedestrians and are expensive to fix. Now, researchers propose in ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering ...

Dec 15, 2025 in Chemistry
Phys.org / Interstellar comet keeps its distance as it makes its closest approach to Earth

A stray comet from another star swings past Earth this week in one last hurrah before racing back toward interstellar space.

Dec 15, 2025 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Tiny particles 'surf' microcosmic waves to save energy in chaotic environments

Conditions can get rough in the micro- and nanoworld. For example, to ensure that nutrients can still be optimally transported within cells, the minuscule transporters involved need to respond to the fluctuating environment. ...

Dec 15, 2025 in Physics
Phys.org / Bayeux Tapestry could have been originally designed as mealtime reading for medieval monks

New research by a historian from the University of Bristol offers an intriguing suggestion about one of history's biggest mysteries—the original purpose of the world-famous Bayeux Tapestry.

Dec 15, 2025 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / How do corals feed? Energy supply from directly ingested food previously underestimated

Corals obtain energy in two ways: firstly, through photosynthesis by their symbiotic algae, and secondly by taking up small food particles such as plankton directly from the water. In scientific terms, this process is known ...

Dec 15, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Nanoscale magnetic mazes could transform data center communications

A collaborative team has developed a new way to create magnetic optical materials, one that removes a long-standing design bottleneck and could boost the speed and efficiency of data-center communications. Using an ion beam ...

Dec 15, 2025 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / The Alps set to lose a record number of glaciers in the next decade, study warns

Glaciers are melting worldwide. In some regions, they could even disappear completely. Looking at the number of glaciers disappearing, the Alps could reach their peak loss rate as early as 2033 to 2041. Depending on how sharply ...

Dec 15, 2025 in Earth
Phys.org / Social connections slow aging in dolphins, echoing patterns seen in humans

Male bottlenose dolphins that form friendships age more slowly than loners, new research shows.

Dec 15, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Modulating key interaction prevents virus from entering cells

Washington State University researchers have found a way to modulate a common virus protein to prevent viruses from entering cells where it can cause illness, a discovery that could someday lead to new antiviral treatments.

Dec 15, 2025 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / Cracking the code of a hidden cancer receptor: How scientists found the first true Frizzled blocker

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have identified small molecules capable of influencing a hard-to-target receptor family linked to cancer development. The findings have been published in Nature Communications and the ...

Dec 15, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Backyard insect inspires large-scale invisibility particles production

When most people see a leafhopper in their backyard garden, they notice little more than a tiny green or striped insect flicking from leaf to leaf. But these insects are actually master engineers, capable of building some ...

Dec 15, 2025 in Nanotechnology