Phys.org news
Phys.org / Satellites are transforming biodiversity monitoring for global nature targets, but major gaps remain
A new scientific review outlines how satellites and other remote sensing technologies are increasingly shaping how biodiversity and ecosystem health can be monitored at scale—offering new opportunities for countries reporting ...
Phys.org / Hotter, drier weather could double water bills in some US cities, study finds
Hotter, drier weather threatens to double water bills by midcentury in some cities, according to a Stanford-led study. The research, published in Nature Sustainability, is the first to comprehensively model how climate change, ...
Phys.org / How sea stars build materials that can see
When engineers think about protective materials, like those used in packaging and support, they usually think about strength, stiffness and durability. But what if those same materials could also sense their external environment?
Phys.org / International team says science alone won't save coral reefs
Coral reefs are disappearing at an unprecedented rate as climate change, marine heat waves, pollution and coastal development threaten one of Earth's richest ecosystems. While scientific research has greatly advanced understanding ...
Phys.org / Optimizing RNA design with AI and an Ising machine: Encoding matters
RNA has emerged as one of the most promising molecules in modern medicine, enabling advances from mRNA vaccines and gene therapies to genome editing and synthetic biology. However, designing RNA molecules that reliably fold ...
Phys.org / Simple treatment strengthens pineapple leaf fibers for sustainable composites
Pineapple leaf fiber has long been valued in parts of Southeast Asia for traditional uses, including basketry in Malaysia and Thailand and textile applications in the Philippines. Its high cellulose content and ready availability ...
Phys.org / Making the 'invisible' visible: How high-speed movies could change the way scientists study disease
High-speed movies of microscopic worms may sound like a dull night at the cinema, but this advanced imaging capability could help scientists better understand how diseases begin and progress, track subtle changes in cells ...
Phys.org / Researchers uncover the inside story on plant organ growth
Research has shed intriguing new light on the genetics underlying the diverse plant organ shapes seen in agriculture and nature. Despite more than a century of scientific investigation into the role of inner and outer tissues, ...
Phys.org / How cells keep genomic hitchhikers under control
Much of the genome is made up of repetitive DNA sequences that trace back to ancient mobile elements, many of which have lost their ability to copy themselves into new locations but can still cause problems if they become ...
Phys.org / Is the state of nature fair? Researchers measure how biomass is distributed in microbial communities
The distribution of income and growing inequality are central themes in public debate. Far less attention has been paid to how resources are distributed in ecological communities, in the so-called state of nature, without ...
Phys.org / Traveling protein waves reveal how dividing cells set chromosome-splitting spindle size
When a human cell prepares to split into two daughter cells, it must first construct a tiny internal machine called the mitotic spindle—a structure of protein fibers that physically pulls chromosomes apart and deposits one ...
Phys.org / What powers the Everglades? Study tracks how algae and plant matter fuel the food web
Scientists thought dead plant material was primarily powering the Everglades. Algae says not so fast.
