Phys.org news

Phys.org / Camouflaging snails change color in the rain

How does a stripy tree snail hide from hungry birds? The Hypselostyla camelopardalis from the Philippines and Reinia variegata from Japan have both evolved a form of dynamic camouflage to survive. Their light-colored patterns ...

Jun 30, 2026
Phys.org / 3D genome analysis of germ cell formation tracks 350 million years of vertebrate evolution

A research team led by the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) has revealed how the genome is reorganized in 3D during male germ cell formation in vertebrates, leading to important new insights into how biodiversity is ...

Jun 30, 2026
Phys.org / New findings on how malaria parasites invade human cells yield proof of concept for new antimalarial drug

For nearly half a century, scientists have known that malaria parasites force their way into human red blood cells through a ring-shaped structure called the moving junction. What no one could work out was what it actually ...

Jun 30, 2026
Phys.org / New way to clean up environmental pollution using phage bioaugmentation

The ability of bacteria to remove pollutants from soil, water, mine waste and other environments could be supercharged by a "friendly" compatible virus, according to a study led by Flinders University. The new insights, published ...

Jun 30, 2026
Phys.org / How a sugar building block influences viral attachment

Sialic acid is a natural sugar building block found on the surfaces of our cells. It acts as a protective and recognition molecule and plays a central role in the development of the nervous system. Following the modular principle, ...

Jun 30, 2026
Phys.org / AI deciphers long-range DNA signals behind RNA splicing

Accurate RNA splicing is essential for gene expression and human health, yet predicting how DNA sequence variations affect splicing remains a major challenge. Although recent artificial intelligence (AI) models have improved ...

Jun 30, 2026
Phys.org / Arabian Sea sediments reveal summer and winter monsoons shifted differently after last ice age

High-resolution sediment analyses from the Arabian Sea reveal, for the first time, that summer and winter monsoons respond differently to global climate change. The study enhances understanding of past precipitation patterns ...

Jun 30, 2026
Phys.org / How cricket mothers control the developmental timing of their offspring

Diapause is a fascinating form of biological dormancy employed by a broad array of animals as a survival strategy to endure adverse environmental conditions. To overcome the problems associated with seasons that are unsuitable ...

Jun 30, 2026
Phys.org / Solar storms leave their mark on cosmic rays that reach Earth

A new study has revealed an unexpected link between solar storms and the flux of high-energy cosmic rays arriving at Earth. The findings, made using one of the world's largest cosmic ray detectors, could open up a new way ...

Jun 29, 2026
Phys.org / Light-activated compound kills antibiotic-resistant bacteria by turning its own defense enzyme against it

Antibiotic resistance is becoming an accelerating crisis because of the overuse and misuse of antibiotics over many years. The problem is exacerbated when antibiotics wipe out susceptible bacteria but leave resistant bacteria ...

Jun 29, 2026
Phys.org / Giraffes combine quantities similarly to addition

In addition to humans, some species of primates and birds have demonstrated under experimental conditions their ability to manipulate quantities in tasks that require combining or separating them, in a manner similar to addition ...

Jun 29, 2026
Phys.org / Giant exoplanet may hold a magnetic grip on its host star

Within their planetary systems, stars are continuously shaping their orbiting planets through gravity, radiation and magnetic forces. So far, this relationship has appeared to be a one-way street.

Jun 29, 2026