Phys.org news

Phys.org / A new layer of the human genome: Embedded RNA marks may reshape DNA twisting

A new study led by Francesca Storici, a professor in the School of Biological Sciences and faculty member of the Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, has uncovered an unexpected feature of human DNA ...

Sep 2, 2026
Phys.org / Scientists discover the key ingredients that make birdsong pretty

What makes birdsong beautiful? Answering this question could help us understand how soundscapes make the natural world relaxing for humans, opening the door to improving parks, upgrading the design of stressful places like ...

Sep 2, 2026
Phys.org / US politics is not the world's template for polarization, experts warn

Common global narratives about political polarization are skewed because of an overreliance on literature about the U.S., leaving governments unprepared to tackle the problem at home. In new research led by King's College ...

Sep 2, 2026
Phys.org / Animal-bone records reveal how cattle and sheep fueled medieval England's changing economy

As populations expanded in medieval England, key changes occurred in the uses of cattle and sheep to produce food and materials, according to a study published Sept. 2, 2026, in the journal PLOS One by Matilda Holmes of the ...

Sep 2, 2026
Phys.org / Exotic pines in the Southern Hemisphere grow faster and are more drought-resistant, study reveals

A new study published in the journal Nature reveals that conifers planted outside their native range in the Southern Hemisphere not only grow up to four times faster than those in the Northern Hemisphere but also show greater ...

Sep 2, 2026
Phys.org / How cells teach themselves to move together

Scientists have long wondered how cells organized into sheets begin to move together to form organs, especially when the sheets form closed, sphere-like surfaces and tissues with no edges to direct motion. Researchers at ...

Sep 2, 2026
Phys.org / Tracking emperor penguins from space

For the first time, geographers from Durham University have used freely available satellite radar images to track emperor penguins through the polar winter—giving a year-round view of their movements. Monitoring the endangered ...

Sep 2, 2026
Phys.org / Electric fish keep from blinding themselves with these brain cells

The brain cells you see in the above image help an African fish decode electric signals to spot prey, scan its murky surroundings and communicate with its fellows. By rigorously mapping how these cells in the electrosensory ...

Sep 2, 2026
Phys.org / Seven new species show 250-million-year-old marine group is still evolving

Scientists believed there were only two species of hornerid bryozoans in Aotearoa New Zealand, but new research shows several more have been secretly evolving and thriving in the nation's southern waters.

Sep 2, 2026
Phys.org / Bovine stem cells offer new approach to future cultivated steak research

Cultivated meat aims to produce meat from animal cells in the laboratory without needing to raise a living animal for meat production. It has been proposed as a potentially more sustainable alternative to conventional meat ...

Sep 2, 2026
Phys.org / Bio-based plastic turns into fertilizer after use

Plastic waste is one of the world's fastest-growing environmental problems. According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development's Global Plastics Outlook: Policy Scenarios to 2060 report, global plastic ...

Sep 2, 2026
Phys.org / Why lower-class workers are less likely to negotiate for higher pay—and how it could cost some nearly $800,000

Michele Gelfand has studied and taught negotiation for years. A professor of organizational behavior at Stanford Graduate School of Business, she sees negotiation as a skill that is imperative for everyone to learn. "It's ...

Sep 2, 2026