Phys.org news
Phys.org / Why a bizarre Brazil 'pterosaur' fossil is now being reclassified as a fish
Georges Cuvier, the 19th-century French anatomist who first recognized pterodactyls as flying reptiles, wrote that "of all the beings whose ancient existence has been revealed to us, [they are] the most extraordinary."
Phys.org / How resilient fungus might survive Mars and space
Scientists have long known that fungi are resilient, but a new study suggests that some strains might survive every step of the long, brutal trip to Mars. In a paper published in Applied and Environmental Microbiology, researchers ...
Phys.org / Nitrogen isotope analysis reveals Southern Hemisphere waters dominated Indonesian Throughflow for 800,000 years
A research team with scientists from MARUM—Center for Marine Environmental Sciences at the University of Bremen studied the hemispheric origin of Indonesian Throughflow (ITF) and found a high Southern Hemispheric contribution ...
Phys.org / AI model accurately predicts the spread of wildfires in real time
USC researchers are developing a computational model that combines satellite data and physics-based simulations to forecast a wildfire's path, intensity, and growth rate. If you've ever been evacuated from your home during ...
Phys.org / Plastic texturing kills viruses when they land
Researchers have developed a thin plastic film that tears apart viruses on contact, offering a promising new way to keep high-touch surfaces such as smartphones and hospital equipment from spreading disease. The innovation ...
Phys.org / Why so many mollusks sound Greek—their naming evolves at a snail's pace
"A rose by any other name would smell as sweet," said Juliet Capulet in William Shakespeare's famous play. And the same is presumably true for mollusks, albeit with different odors. When you think about the scientific names ...
Phys.org / Prototype thermal memory stores heat states with tiny voltages for days
Heat is a ubiquitous form of energy that, unlike others, is notoriously difficult to store due to its natural tendency to dissipate. While this property is essential for phenomena like solar energy reaching Earth, it also ...
Phys.org / Stem cell embryo model grows yolk sac without hypoblasts or gene editing
For the first time, a stem cell model has produced a structure resembling an early human embryo with a yolk-sac-like structure, from a single starting stem cell population and without direct genetic manipulation. The models ...
Phys.org / Tiny structural shift leads to big leap in solar fuel
Researchers have uncovered that an orthogonal molecular architecture directs the formation of a rare double-cable structure, offering a new blueprint for advancing the fundamental design of energy-active materials. By guiding ...
Phys.org / Total solar eclipse quiets seismic noise for cities within its path
A seismic hush fell over U.S. and Canadian cities that were in the "path of totality" during the 8 April 2024 total solar eclipse, according to new research presented at the 2026 SSA Annual Meeting.
Phys.org / A protein engineering method may lead to more exact cancer treatments
Enzymes called proteases act like molecular scissors for proteins in the body and play a role in therapies to stop viruses from replicating and to kill cancer cells. The development of these medicines, however, has been slowed ...
Phys.org / AI algorithm identifies cells across diverse biological images, cutting hours of manual labeling
Imaging is a critical technique in biology—from identifying cancerous cells in biopsies to observing how immune cells like macrophages hunt down and destroy pathogens. Traditionally, distinguishing and labeling individual ...
