Phys.org news

Phys.org / Where was Baltica 616 million years ago? Paleomagnetic data offer revised answer

About 600 million years ago, the continents wandered Earth, yet to settle into their current positions. Their locations during the Ediacaran (as this time is called) have been tough for scientists to pin down. Earth's magnetic ...

May 5, 2026
Phys.org / Cryo-EM imaging reveals how the body stops bleeding

For the first time, scientists at University of Leeds reveal a complex mechanism behind blood clotting. The findings, published in Science Advances, visualize a key component of blood clotting—platelet myosin—and how it is ...

May 5, 2026
Phys.org / Dairy farms in California may transmit H5N1 virus through multiple sources

The H5N1 strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 has been detected in over 700 herds of dairy cows in California, the largest dairy-producing state in the U.S. A study published in PLOS Biology led by Seema S. Lakdawala ...

May 5, 2026
Phys.org / Chemistry-aware AI can generate millions of plausible new molecules

Finding and developing new molecules is one of the great research endeavors of modern chemistry. From the development of new drugs to the creation of more sustainable materials, everything depends on finding new combinations ...

May 5, 2026
Phys.org / Digitizing microscope slides can uncover billions of fossils for natural history

Approximately 145 million: That's the number of specimens—including plants, animals, minerals, and human artifacts—curators estimate are held in the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. However, these estimates ...

May 5, 2026
Phys.org / Decades of deep sea mining research show threat to seafloor creatures

There's increasing interest in deep-sea mining, but the impacts that this will have on the animals that live in the depths isn't fully understood. A new review led by our scientists is giving us our first insight into how ...

May 5, 2026
Phys.org / Microplastics pass through earthworms without accumulating in body tissues, study shows

As much as 40 million metric tons of microplastics are released into the environment globally every year. These tiny pieces of plastic come from larger plastic items that break down or are shed by products such as clothing, ...

May 5, 2026
Phys.org / Super transformer aims to bring order to biology's data under one AI model

Modern biology is awash in data. Scientists can sequence DNA, track gene activity cell-by-cell, map proteins in space, and image tissues at microscopic resolution. However, it is a struggle to put all that information together ...

May 5, 2026
Phys.org / Watermelon super-pangenome paves the way for precision breeding

Watermelon is a quintessential summertime fruit, evoking images of warm, sunny afternoons and cookouts with friends and family. You can easily picture its striped, green rind and pink flesh, imagine the delicate crunch as ...

May 5, 2026
Phys.org / Greener process recovers over 96% of rare earths from permanent magnets

Researchers from the University of Jyväskylä, Finland, have developed a solid-phase extraction process that enables the eco-friendly recovery of critical raw materials from NdFeB magnets. The developed method utilizes organic ...

May 5, 2026
Phys.org / Scientists map genetic switches on mosquito reproductive genes, advancing tools to fight disease

Scientists at Keele University have created the first detailed map of the genetic "switches" that control reproduction in disease-carrying insects such as Anopheles gambiae, the mosquito species most responsible for malaria ...

May 5, 2026
Phys.org / Burned stone, child's bones, and lost jewelry hint at prehistoric mining camp high in the Pyrenees

In the past, scientists thought that prehistoric peoples only traveled briefly through high-altitude mountain areas, rather than staying to take advantage of their resources. But new evidence suggests that, starting about ...

May 5, 2026