Phys.org news
Phys.org / Why treelines don't simply rise with the climate
A global study by the University of Basel, Switzerland, reveals a surprising picture: While 42% of treelines worldwide are shifting upslope, 25% are retreating. This seemingly contradictory trend involves more than just warming. ...
Phys.org / Simple vineyard growing practice impacts soil microbiome deep below surface
Pennsylvania is the fourth-largest wine producer in the United States, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. The industry supports nearly 11,000 jobs and directly contributes $1.77 billion to the state ...
Phys.org / Great apes mirror facial expressions with surprising precision, study shows
New research from the University of Portsmouth has found that great apes exhibit exactness in mimicking one another's facial expressions in social contexts. The study, published in Scientific Reports, explored how orangutans ...
Phys.org / Hidden ocean feedback loop could accelerate climate change
The world's oceans may be quietly amplifying climate change in ways scientists are only beginning to understand. In a new study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, University of Rochester scientists—including ...
Phys.org / Megawatt structured light arrives with 3,070 optical vortices in one array
Optical vortices—light beams carrying orbital angular momentum (OAM)—are characterized by helical wavefronts and phase singularities. While they have been widely studied in recent decades, two fundamental limitations have ...
Phys.org / Ancient Māori remains point to largely plant-based diets before colonization
New research led by the University of Otago—Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka, in close partnership with mana whenua, is shedding new light on Māori diet and burial practices in Aotearoa New Zealand prior to European colonization. The ...
Phys.org / Non-producing oil and gas wells may emit microbial methane at rates 1,000 times higher than previously estimated
Microbial methane leaking from non-producing oil and gas wells is being emitted at rates about 1,000 times higher than previously estimated, according to a new study led by McGill University researchers. "Origins of Subsurface ...
Phys.org / AI diffusion models tailor drug molecules to custom-fit protein targets, speeding drug development and evaluation
University of Virginia School of Medicine scientists have developed a bold new approach to drug development and discovery that could dramatically accelerate the creation of new medicines. UVA's Nikolay V. Dokholyan, Ph.D., ...
Phys.org / Medieval Japanese poetry and buried trees help elucidate volatile space weather
On Earth, extreme solar activity often appears as beautiful, benign auroras. But venturing beyond the safety of the Earth's magnetic field, one faces the full brunt of a temperamental star that can suddenly erupt with flares ...
Phys.org / Dragonflies share humans' red-light sensing trick, detecting wavelengths near 720 nm
Sometimes, different organisms can evolve the same ability independently, a process called parallel evolution. A new study from Osaka Metropolitan University (OMU) has found that dragonflies sense red light similarly to mammals, ...
Phys.org / Hat wars of early modern England reveal how manners make the rebel
From refusing to doff hats in court to resisting hat-snatching highway robbers, England's relationship with hats goes far deeper than fashion, new research shows.
Phys.org / Single-shot imaging captures more information about ultrafast microscopic processes than previously possible
Researchers have developed a new imaging technique that captures more information about ultrafast processes in the microscopic world than was previously possible. The technique offers scientists a powerful new tool to observe ...