Phys.org news

Phys.org / Researchers confirm new Rickettsia species found in dogs

Researchers from North Carolina State University have confirmed that a species of Rickettsia first seen in dogs in 2018 is a new species of bacteria. The new species, dubbed Rickettsia finnyi, is associated with symptoms ...

Dec 2, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Flood risks in delta cities are increasing, Shanghai study finds

New research shows how the combination of extreme climate events, sea-level rise and land subsidence could create larger and deeper floods in coastal cities in future.

Dec 2, 2025 in Earth
Phys.org / Optical clock sets new accuracy record, bringing us closer to a new definition of the second

A research team at VTT MIKES has set a new record in optical-clock absolute frequency measurements using a strontium single-ion clock with exceptionally low uncertainty and high uptime.

Dec 2, 2025 in Physics
Phys.org / Smart hydrogels act as 'micromachines' to squeeze and study living cells

Within tissues, cells are embedded in complex, three-dimensional structures known as the extracellular matrix. Their biomechanical interactions play a crucial role in numerous biological processes. Scientists at the Max Planck ...

Dec 2, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Zapping stem cells could boost growth of new tissues and organs

Scientists in Melbourne have discovered how tiny electrical pulses can steer stem cells as they grow, opening the door to new improved ways of creating new tissues, organs, nerves and bones.

Dec 2, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Spaceflight-tested menstrual cup offers choice on long missions

Eating from pouches, sleeping in a bag tied to the wall, using a vacuum-powered toilet: Basic processes of human life require scientifically tested solutions in space. It's the same for menstruation, a process female astronauts ...

Dec 2, 2025 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Tracking forever chemicals across food web shows not all isomers are distributed equally

When University at Buffalo chemists analyzed samples of water, fish, and bird eggs, they weren't surprised to find plenty of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). After all, these "forever chemicals" turn up nearly ...

Dec 2, 2025 in Chemistry
Phys.org / Emissions from global wildfires far higher than previously thought

The total emissions of greenhouse gases and airborne particles caused by wildfires are almost 70% higher than previously assumed. Researchers at Wageningen University & Research discovered this in a long-term study conducted ...

Dec 2, 2025 in Earth
Phys.org / Discovery of new marine sponges supports hypothesis on animal evolution

A completely new order of marine sponges has been found by researchers at the Museum of Evolution, Uppsala University. The sponge order, named Vilesida, produces substances that could be used in drug development. The same ...

Dec 2, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Ant brood signal deadly infection in altruistic self-sacrifice

Ant colonies operate as tightly coordinated "superorganisms" with individual ants working together, much like the cells of a body, to ensure their collective health. Researchers at the Institute of Science and Technology ...

Dec 2, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Plant 'first responder' cells warn neighbors about bacterial pathogens

Purdue University researchers found that a subset of epidermal cells in plant leaves serves as early responders to chemical cues from bacterial pathogens and communicate this information to neighbors through a local traveling ...

Dec 2, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Newly discovered star opens 'laboratory' for solving cosmic dust mystery

Seventy light-years from Earth, a star called Kappa Tucanae A harbors one of astronomy's most perplexing mysteries: dust so hot it glows at more than 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit, existing impossibly close to its host star, where ...

Dec 2, 2025 in Astronomy & Space