Phys.org news

Phys.org / From compliance to conversation: New guidelines push for ethical reflection in research reporting

A new study highlights key challenges and tensions in research ethics, particularly in light of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, and calls for the adoption of new research ethics policies.

Nov 4, 2024 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / 'Doomsday' Antarctic glacier melting faster than expected, fueling calls for geoengineering

New studies about the Thwaites Glacier, also called the "Doomsday Glacier," have sparked a conversation about geoengineering as a climate change solution.

Nov 3, 2024 in Earth
Phys.org / Something to sniff at: Lab-engineered receptors illuminate odor detection

A team of researchers led by Duke University, the University of California San Francisco, and the Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope have engineered odorant receptors to reveal the molecular basis of odor discrimination.

Nov 3, 2024 in Biology
Phys.org / Biochemists create protocells to explore how lipids may have led to first cell membranes

A team of biochemists at the University of California, San Diego, working with a group of biochemical engineers from the University of California, Los Angeles, has found that the development of short lipids might have led ...

Nov 3, 2024 in Chemistry
Phys.org / Geodynamic mantle-flow model explains deformation of continental crust block in North China

Cratons are fascinating yet enigmatic geological formations. Known to be relatively stable portions of the Earth's continental crust, cratons have remained largely unchanged for billions of years. Although cratons have survived ...

Nov 3, 2024 in Earth
Phys.org / Report reveals how the state of our oceans is intrinsically linked to human health

A study published in the journal One Earth explores how marine biodiversity conservation, human health and well-being are connected. The results suggest that marine protected areas can be good for both planet and people.

Nov 3, 2024 in Earth
Phys.org / Ancient mud reveals Australia's burning history over the past 130,000 years—and a way forward in current fire crisis

Increased land management by Aboriginal people in southeastern Australia around 6,000 years ago cut forest shrub cover in half, according to our new study published in Science of fossil pollen trapped in ancient mud.

Nov 3, 2024 in Biology
Phys.org / Not too big, not too small: Why modern humans are the ideal size for speed

The fastest animal on land is the cheetah, capable of reaching top speeds of 104 kilometers per hour. In the water, the fastest animals are yellowfin tuna and wahoo, which can reach speeds of 75 and 77 km per hour respectively. ...

Nov 2, 2024 in Biology
Phys.org / African Sahara 'greening' can alter Northern Hemisphere climate, modeling study finds

Africa's Sahara Desert may be considered a vast expanse of barren sand with limited vegetation, an extreme environment for plants and animals to thrive, but life always finds a way. Indeed, vegetation growth in the desert ...

Nov 2, 2024 in Earth
Phys.org / New digital light manufacturing approach resolves common problems associated with 3D printing

A team of materials scientists, medical researchers and engineers affiliated with a large number of institutions across Australia has developed a new way to conduct digital light manufacturing that overcomes problems with ...

Nov 2, 2024 in Biology
Phys.org / Saturday Citations: On chimpanzee playwrights; the nature of dark energy; deep-diving Antarctic seals

This week, researchers reported the world's second-tiniest toad, winning the silver in the Brachycephalus contest. Chemists at UCLA disproved a 100-year-old organic chemistry rule. And researchers in Kenya report that elephants ...

Nov 2, 2024 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / The reasons flowers wilt could explain how plants spend (and save) their energy

Wilting flowers might not signal poor flower or plant health, but rather the effects of a sophisticated resource management strategy in plants, millions of years in the making.

Nov 2, 2024 in Biology