Phys.org news

Phys.org / Bear teeth break free—the origin of unusual bear dentition

The dental development of modern bears does not follow the typical pattern seen in most mammals. The reason lies millions of years ago in the history of bear evolution. SNSB zoologists have identified two phases in bear evolution ...

Dec 1, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Argon ion treatment increases carbon nanowall electrode capacitance fivefold

Researchers from Skoltech, MIPT, and the RAS Institute of Nanotechnology of Microelectronics have achieved a five-fold increase in the capacitance of carbon nanowalls, a material used in the electrodes of supercapacitors. ...

Dec 1, 2025 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / Nature's greatest method actors: The insects that cosplay bumblebees

Deception is everywhere in nature. Animals and plants routinely cheat, lie and manipulate for their own benefit. One example is mimicry, where one species (the mimic) has evolved to resemble another (the model).

Dec 1, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Experts propose circular economy to cut waste and pollution from space missions

Every time a rocket is launched, tons of valuable materials are lost, and huge amounts of greenhouse gases and ozone-depleting chemicals are released into the atmosphere. Published in Chem Circularity, sustainability and ...

Dec 1, 2025 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Expansion of Antarctic bottom water contributed to end of last Ice Age, study finds

Around 12,000 years ago, the last Ice Age ended, global temperatures rose and the early Holocene began, during which time human societies became increasingly settled. A new study published in Nature Geoscience shows the ...

Dec 1, 2025 in Earth
Phys.org / Sticky beginnings: Surface-bound gels may explain life's origins on Earth

How did life begin? An international team of researchers from Japan, Malaysia, the UK, and Germany suggest that the answer may lie in sticky, surface-bound gels that existed long before the first cells.

Dec 1, 2025 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / High pressure increases terahertz emission 13-fold in 2D semiconductor GaTe, study reveals

A new study led by the Aerospace Information Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, along with their collaborators, has demonstrated that high pressure can significantly enhance and precisely tune terahertz ...

Dec 1, 2025 in Physics
Phys.org / New building blocks of cell communication: How an invisible 'cap' could control electrical synapses

When two cells "talk" to each other, they often do so through tiny channels called electrical synapses. Unlike chemical synapses, these so-called gap junctions enable the direct exchange of information between two cells, ...

Dec 1, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / From pine chips to pharmaceuticals: Lignin upcycled into amides using reusable catalyst

An international research team from the Leibniz Institute for Catalysis (LIKAT) has developed a novel, environmentally friendly process for producing high-quality amides from the plant substance lignin—important building ...

Dec 1, 2025 in Chemistry
Phys.org / How to watch the last supermoon of the year

The last supermoon of the year will shine soon in December skies.

Dec 1, 2025 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Silver-infused zeolite efficiently separates xenon from krypton for industrial use

An international team of researchers have found a better way to separate two rare and important gases—xenon and krypton—that are often combined in chemical, petrochemical, metallurgical, and environmental processes.

Dec 1, 2025 in Chemistry
Phys.org / Fish protection curbs crown-of-thorns starfish outbreaks across the Great Barrier Reef

New research reveals that one of the largest-ever marine conservation initiatives has helped to prevent more frequent crown-of-thorns starfish (CoTS) outbreaks on the Great Barrier Reef.

Dec 1, 2025 in Biology