Phys.org news

Phys.org / Researchers debunk new sex selection method

In 2019, a group of researchers in Japan published a study that promised the potential to revolutionize sex selection for scientists, farmers, and potentially even human fertility treatments.

Oct 16, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Stinkbug's 'ears on legs' are really symbiotic organs that nurture fungi for guarding eggs against enemies, study finds

Like humans, insects possess sensory organs responsible for vision, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. For vision, insects primarily rely on compound eyes. But what about hearing? For example, crickets develop tympanal organs ...

Oct 16, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Climate whiplash effects due to rapidly intensifying El Niño cycles

A new study published in the journal Nature Communications reveals that the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), a key driver of global climate variability, is projected to undergo a dramatic transformation due to greenhouse ...

Oct 16, 2025 in Earth
Phys.org / Global research shows how Dust Bowl-type drought causes unprecedented productivity loss

A global research effort led by Colorado State University shows that extreme, prolonged drought conditions in grasslands and shrublands would greatly limit the long-term health of crucial ecosystems that cover nearly half ...

Oct 16, 2025 in Earth
Phys.org / Engineers solve the sticky-cell problem in bioreactors and other industries

To help mitigate climate change, companies are using bioreactors to grow algae and other microorganisms that are hundreds of times more efficient at absorbing CO2 than trees. Meanwhile, in the pharmaceutical industry, cell ...

Oct 16, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / What vibrating molecules might reveal about cell biology

Infrared vibrational spectroscopy at BESSY II can be used to create high-resolution maps of molecules inside live cells and cell organelles in their native aqueous environment, according to a new study by a team from HZB ...

Oct 16, 2025 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / Researchers discover spontaneous chirality in conjugated polymers

Chirality, a property where structures have a distinct left- or right-handedness, allows natural semiconductors to move charge and convert energy with high efficiency by controlling electron spin and the angular momentum ...

Oct 16, 2025 in Chemistry
Phys.org / Large fluctuations in sea level throughout the last ice age challenge understanding of past climate

Large changes in global sea level, fueled by fluctuations in ice sheet growth and decay, occurred throughout the last ice age, rather than just toward the end of that period, a study published in the journal Science has found.

Oct 16, 2025 in Earth
Phys.org / Mitochondria play an unexpected role in regulating cell death, study reveals

A new study from The University of Texas at Arlington has revealed how cells control their mitochondria—the "energy producers" of cells—during the process of cell death. The discovery sheds light on how the body manages ...

Oct 16, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Expanding farming capabilities will not close Africa's 'hidden hunger' gaps, assessment finds

"Hidden hunger" in Africa cannot be addressed by expanding domestic farming alone, according to a new study from Cardiff University.

Oct 16, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Overheating bat boxes place bats in mortal danger during heat waves

Staying cool during heat waves is challenging for small creatures, but the problem could be even more extreme for nocturnal creatures that are unable to move to cooler locations while slumbering.

Oct 16, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Generative AI predicts and assembles cell drug responses like Lego blocks

Controlling the state of a cell in a desired direction is one of the central challenges in life sciences, including drug development, cancer treatment, and regenerative medicine. However, identifying the right drug or genetic ...

Oct 16, 2025 in Biology