Phys.org news

Phys.org / Warmer winters and snow drought may threaten western US water by speeding flows

As future shifts in climate lead to more rain and less snow in the western United States, new research finds that water will move faster through a landscape, likely leading to negative impacts on summer water levels and water ...

Apr 16, 2026
Phys.org / A hidden Oregon basin and a shallower slab sharpen the Cascadia megaquake threat

A new look at the Juan de Fuca tectonic plate beneath the coast of northern Oregon suggests this subducting slab is shallower than previously thought, with impacts on potential peak ground shaking during a Cascadia megathrust ...

Apr 16, 2026
Phys.org / Novel technique drills more detail into ice core records

Glaciers can reveal vast archives of information about Earth's environmental past, but deciphering the origins of the matter within them can be a challenge. Now, using a novel technique that enables researchers to directly ...

Apr 16, 2026
Phys.org / Warm-bodied sharks and tunas face 'double jeopardy' in warming seas

A new study reveals that some of the ocean's most powerful predators are running hotter, and that they are likely paying an increasingly steep price for it. The significance of this headline finding is the "double jeopardy" ...

Apr 16, 2026
Phys.org / Cells have a secret 'courier system' that could open hard-to-reach targets for RNA and gene therapies

Researchers at University College Dublin have discovered a previously unknown "courier system" that cells use to deliver coherent biological messages between each other, opening new possibilities for medicine and biotechnology. ...

Apr 16, 2026
Phys.org / Sex pheromone of a sandgrain-sized insect deciphered

Parasitic wasps of the genus Trichogramma are among the smallest insects in the world—yet they play an important role in natural ecosystems and agricultural landscapes as natural antagonists of pest species. Research teams ...

Apr 16, 2026
Phys.org / Human sense of smell evolved with diets and lifestyle, genetic study suggests

From the ability to detect the smell of wet soil to the scent of ripe fruit, the human olfactory system has evolved over thousands of years in response to how people live and what they eat, according to a new genetic study ...

Apr 16, 2026
Phys.org / Temperature shifts change plant proteins that power photosynthesis

Humans adjust to changes in temperature by putting on a sweater or taking off layers. Plants adjust to temperature changes, in part, by switching the way they express the protein that performs the critical first step of photosynthesis, ...

Apr 16, 2026
Phys.org / Industrial chemical leaks could push ozone layer recovery back by 7 years

The recovery of the ozone layer in Earth's stratosphere could be delayed by several years, according to an international study led by Swiss research institution Empa which included contributions from University of Bristol ...

Apr 16, 2026
Phys.org / Closing the carbon cycle: Unraveling the roles of light and heat in CO₂ photocatalysis

Rising carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from human activities are the largest contributor to global warming. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), global CO2 emissions reached an all-time high of 37.8 gigatons ...

Apr 16, 2026
Phys.org / Simulations generate thousands of cyclone scenarios to predict extreme flooding in Bay of Bengal

Powerful cyclones can push seawater miles inland, threatening densely populated communities and critical infrastructure built along coastal areas. A combination of exposure and complexity makes the Bay of Bengal in Southeast ...

Apr 16, 2026
Phys.org / New metric identifies at-risk mangroves before they disappear

Scientists from UC San Diego's Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the Centro para la Biodiversidad Marina y la Conservación in Mexico have developed a tool that identifies mangrove patches facing the greatest risk of ...

Apr 16, 2026