Phys.org news
Phys.org / Venus flytrap's snap may come from rapid cell wall softening, not water flow
The Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) is a marvel of nature, a highly effective killer that doesn't have to move an inch to capture and kill its prey. It releases a fruity nectar scent to attract flies and other insects. ...
Phys.org / Dragonfly and damselfly migrations crisscross planet, with 100 species confirmed
Migration flights of dragonflies and damselflies crisscross much of our planet, new research reveals. Scientists from the universities of Exeter and Lund reviewed global evidence and found 100 dragonfly and damselfly species ...
Phys.org / Slime molds make decisions using internal fluid flows
Despite lacking brains or nervous systems, slime molds are capable of making surprisingly sophisticated decisions: navigating mazes, finding food and even remembering where they found it last time. How they manage to do all ...
Phys.org / Antarctic surface melt could jump tenfold this century as warming spreads south
New research shows surface melting across Antarctica is set to intensify and spread dramatically over the 21st century, with melt increasing 10-fold and the affected area growing by more than 10% by 2100 if global temperatures ...
Phys.org / Climate change is causing fish to move to cooler water—what if their escape route is blocked?
Around the world, ocean warming is causing fish to move poleward in search of cooler water.
Phys.org / Ancient DNA study of post-Roman Europeans reveals emergence of complex new society
A new study from the HistoGenes project, of which Patrick Geary, professor emeritus in the School of Historical Studies, is co-PI, is helping scholars frame a better picture of the early medieval people who inhabited Western ...
Phys.org / AI tracks missing hydrogen atoms in crystals with 97% success rate
Artificial intelligence is often used to generate images. In research, specialized AI models are used for scientific applications—for example, to predict the positions of atoms in materials. The MatterGen model developed ...
Phys.org / Brains update sensory predictions through single timing hub, electric fish study finds
In the split second after you hear a noise, your brain is already making a potentially life-or-death deduction: Did I do that, or did something else? Our nervous systems answer this question using something called corollary ...
Phys.org / One photon, two reactions—new catalyst converts CO₂ and biowaste simultaneously
Researchers have developed a solar-driven catalyst material that harnesses the energy of a single photon to reduce carbon dioxide and oxidize organic waste at the same time, producing valuable chemicals in both reactions.
Phys.org / Why birds ignore Newton: New theory could sharpen models of flocks, crowds and cells
Birds in flocks, bacteria and cells: In many collective systems, individual elements respond to only part of their surroundings, seemingly defying Newton's third law of motion—action equals reaction. These exceptions are ...
Phys.org / New findings complete first evolutionary history of all living millipede orders, dating back 460 million years
Long before vertebrates walked on land, millipedes had the place to themselves. Hundreds of millions of years before dinosaurs arrived, these early decomposers were helping establish Earth's terrestrial ecosystems. But despite ...
Phys.org / Meltwater is causing Antarctic glaciers to flow faster toward the ocean
In a new study, Professor Shin Sugiyama of Hokkaido University and his team have directly confirmed for the first time that water from melting snow and ice, or meltwater, found at the surface of a glacier can drain to its ...
