Phys.org news

Phys.org / A climate fix with a hidden catch: Cutting methane reshapes ozone layer's comeback in unexpected ways

Reducing methane emissions will slow climate change but could also slow the recovery of the stratospheric ozone layer, new research from the University of Reading shows.

May 29, 2026
Phys.org / 'Bio-stickers' speed up plastic breakdown in marine environments

Plastic waste poses an urgent problem for the planet's ecosystems, especially in waterways. Millions of tons of plastic waste enter Earth's oceans every year, and plastic has been found in every part of the ocean, including ...

May 29, 2026
Phys.org / 'Atom Camera' maps laser light at nanoscale using a single ultracold atom

A research group led by Assistant Professor Takafumi Tomita and Professor Kenji Ohmori at the Institute for Molecular Science, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, has developed a new microscopy technique called the Atom ...

May 29, 2026
Phys.org / Elephant declines could trigger wider ecosystem losses in African savannas, 15-year test shows

For decades, ecologists have theorized that the extinction of one important species could set off a chain reaction of losses throughout an ecosystem. Now, new research offers some of the clearest real-world evidence that ...

May 29, 2026
Phys.org / Diamond quantum sensor could reveal elusive altermagnets

For nearly a century, there were two known kinds of magnets. Ferromagnets are the classic magnets that attract metal and keep pictures stuck to the refrigerator. Antiferromagnets hide their magnetism at the atomic scale but ...

May 29, 2026
Phys.org / Rare male red pipefish carrying eggs on its trunk spotted in Sydney

The red pipefish (Notiocampus ruber) is a rare relative of seahorses and seadragons found only in Australia.

May 29, 2026
Phys.org / Fish-microbe partnership may influence ocean health by making carbon-trapping minerals

New research reveals a potential link between the gut microbes of a fish and global ocean processes, offering new insight into how marine ecosystems help regulate ocean chemistry and the marine carbon cycle. The study, titled ...

May 29, 2026
Phys.org / Vast botanical data help solve Darwin's puzzle of why some exotic plants become pests

There's a conundrum that has perplexed biologists since Charles Darwin himself. Why do some exotic species take off as invasive pests while others don't?

May 29, 2026
Phys.org / Chromosome model links one steady motor to shape shift needed for cell division

It's tricky to make an exact copy of yourself. Or at least it is for cells undergoing mitosis, where cells replicate everything inside of them, including their neatly packaged DNA, then split in half. Rice University professor ...

May 29, 2026
Phys.org / Are taxpayers being gaslighted by street lamp charm?

Gas streetlights might look quaint, but researchers at the University of Cincinnati say they are costly, wasteful and release toxic pollutants into the air. In two studies examining their use in Boston, Massachusetts, and ...

May 29, 2026
Phys.org / Plants hit the brakes on immunity to survive viral infections

When viruses invade a plant, you might expect an all-out immune war. But new research published in Science shows that, much like in humans, too strong an immune response can actually do more harm than good.

May 29, 2026
Phys.org / Freeze-dried reagents and hand-powered hardware bring biomanufacturing to remote labs

Researchers at the University of Toronto's Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, working with collaborators around the world, have demonstrated the effectiveness of a suite of low-cost, portable biotechnology tools designed to ...

May 29, 2026