Phys.org news
Phys.org / North Sea 'lost world' had habitable forests during the last Ice Age, study shows
Forests were growing on the now-submerged landmass of Doggerland thousands of years earlier than previously believed, according to a major new sedimentary ancient DNA (sedaDNA) study led by the University of Warwick. The ...
Phys.org / Corpses leave clues behind in the soil long after they're gone
It is not uncommon for a body to be moved after a murder, usually to hide or eliminate evidence. And while the Arizona desert may seem like the perfect place to commit such a crime, a new study shows that a cadaver can still ...
Phys.org / Climate extremes hinder early development in young birds, research shows
New research from the University of Oxford shows that cold snaps and heavy rain can stunt growth and reduce survival prospects in UK great tit nestlings. However, breeding earlier within a season appears to buffer against ...
Phys.org / Plants pause, play and fast-forward their growth depending on types of climate stress
Plants pause their growth during stress, then press play when conditions improve, helping them recover and live on to produce food, according to a new study published in New Phytologist. UBC researchers have pinpointed the ...
Phys.org / Still standing but mostly dead: Recovery of dying coral reef in Moorea stalls
In April 2019, a marine heat wave struck a coral reef on the island of Moorea in French Polynesia, killing much of the coral and the beneficial algae that colonized it. This "bleaching" event reduced live coral populations ...
Phys.org / Researchers mix X-rays and optical light to track speedy electrons in materials
To unlock materials of the future, including better photocatalysts or light-switchable superconductors, researchers need to understand how the valence electrons within materials respond to light at the atomic scale. Materials ...
Phys.org / Heavy water expands energy potential of carbon nanotube yarns
Researchers at The University of Texas at Dallas have developed a new electrolyte system that significantly boosts the energy-harvesting performance of twistrons, which are carbon nanotube yarns that generate electricity ...
Phys.org / Ancient DNA reveals Ice Age mammals thrived after volcanic eruption
For the first time, scientists have used DNA preserved in ancient sediments to examine how a major natural disaster affected animal populations. A new study of a catastrophic volcanic eruption during the Ice Age has found ...
Phys.org / AI weather models show promise for hurricane forecasts, but new study finds key physical limitations
Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming weather prediction, enabling forecasts that once required hours of supercomputing time to run in just minutes. But as AI tools play an expanding role in high-stakes hazard modeling, ...
Phys.org / Fish study shows that sexual harassment behavior might matter for ecosystems
For decades, ecologists have known that how a species looks or eats affects its environment. But a new study by researchers at the University of California, Santa Cruz, shows that social behavior related to mating can be ...
Phys.org / Trouble swallowing? A nanogel tweak may keep therapeutic stem cells alive longer
Swallowing is a fundamental human function that supports nutrition and communication. Damage to swallowing muscles can reduce quality of life and even lead to aspiration pneumonia or malnutrition. Many patients suffer from ...
Phys.org / King penguins are the rare species benefiting from a warming world. But that could change
The warming world has disrupted the timing for plant and animal reproduction, and it's usually bad news for species that depend on each other—like flowers blooming too early and pollinating bees arriving too late. But researchers ...