Phys.org news

Phys.org / Damaging coastal storm conditions have become twice as frequent at a New Jersey Beach since 1979

Storm conditions capable of causing major coastal erosion at New Jersey's North Beach on Sandy Hook are occurring about twice as often as they did in 1979, according to Rutgers researchers. The finding offers new evidence ...

Aug 5, 2026
Phys.org / Well-worn wins: Wild capuchin monkeys prefer stones with a proven track record of cracking nuts

A new study provides experimental evidence that wild capuchin monkeys use more than just physical cues when selecting stone tools; they also rely on visible signs that a stone has previously been used for this purpose.

Aug 5, 2026
Phys.org / Tangled seaweed inspires one-size-fits-all cleaners for ocean microplastics

Inspired by naturally occurring mats and balls of seaweed, researchers have created highly porous, superadhesive meshes capable of capturing both large and small microplastic particles—a longstanding challenge in the field. ...

Aug 5, 2026
Phys.org / Artificial cells reveal how living ones take shape

Using simple artificial cells, a research group led by Makito Miyazaki of the RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences (IMS) in Japan has uncovered fundamental physical principles that govern how living cells change ...

Aug 5, 2026
Phys.org / Cell-inspired synthetic fibers reveal a reversible route to self-protecting smart materials

Researchers at the University of Bayreuth, together with colleagues from Freie Universität Berlin and the Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden, have developed a synthetic fiber system inspired by the cellular cytoskeleton ...

Aug 5, 2026
Phys.org / Avalanche cracks may appear globally supersonic while remaining locally subsonic

Can a crack be supersonic? Can the fracture that triggers an avalanche propagate faster than the limiting velocity predicted by classical fracture mechanics? The question remains the subject of debate within the scientific ...

Aug 5, 2026
Phys.org / New molecule class creates hardy, drought tolerant plants

As climate change causes water scarcity and temperatures to rise, crops around the world are feeling the heat. How can we prevent severe crop losses in these relentlessly sweltering conditions? An international research team ...

Aug 5, 2026
Phys.org / Restoring the silenced Friedreich's ataxia gene through unconventional means

Cells can switch off genes by tightly packaging DNA around proteins called histones. However, scientists at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital have discovered that under certain conditions, this packaging acts more like ...

Aug 5, 2026
Phys.org / German cockroaches appear to be more social animals than previously thought

Newborn German cockroaches use pheromones in cockroach feces to identify members of their own colony and form a kind of social bond, a discovery that could be used to improve pest control efforts.

Aug 5, 2026
Phys.org / Why some people are mosquito magnets while others get away unbitten

Some mosquitoes really are picky eaters. They will not just stick their proboscis into any old human. We know this anecdotally, with some people claiming they are always bitten while others are completely ignored, though ...

Aug 4, 2026
Phys.org / Women with narcissistic tendencies may struggle with forgiveness

Narcissism is associated with selfishness and other negative traits like a grandiose sense of self-importance, a constant need for admiration and a lack of empathy for others. So it may not be surprising that narcissists ...

Aug 4, 2026
Phys.org / Asteroid Nysa's rare three-lobed structure challenges formation models

Named for the mythical valley where the god Dionysus was raised in secret by nymphs, the asteroid 44 Nysa inhabits the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Through observations by the Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers ...

Aug 4, 2026