Phys.org news

Phys.org / Ancient climate records reveal a wetter Levant that may have guided early humans out of Africa

For modern residents of the Levant, the "Red Sea Trough" usually brings a brief, dusty transition between seasons. But 127,000 years ago, this same weather pattern may have been the literal key to human history. A new study, ...

9 hours ago
Phys.org / Seals risk death by polar bear for a varied meal, study finds

As climate change reshapes Arctic food webs, ringed seals will swim into risky polar bear territory if the menu is varied enough. This is the central finding of a new study published in Ecology Letters. UBC researchers tracked ...

9 hours ago
Phys.org / Scientists turn rubber waste into new materials and capture CO₂

Researchers at the University of St Andrews have unveiled two breakthrough techniques for chemically recycling and upcycling nitrile‑rubber products, such as disposable gloves, seals, and industrial parts, into new materials ...

10 hours ago
Phys.org / White-rot fungi show promise for reducing pharmaceutical residues in biosolids

Antidepressants and other psychoactive drugs are designed to affect the human brain. But after they enter the water system in excrement or unused drugs flushed down the drain, traces of these compounds can enter the environment ...

9 hours ago
Phys.org / Dolls beat tablets at building social understanding, six-week study suggests

Research by Cardiff University has found that playing with Barbie dolls can help reach key milestones in developing empathy and social understanding during childhood. Doll play was found to be beneficial for both boys and ...

9 hours ago
Phys.org / Microwave quantum network shows resilience against heat-related disturbances

Quantum communication systems are emerging solutions to transmit information between devices in a network leveraging quantum mechanical phenomena, such as entanglement. Entanglement is a quantum effect that entails a link ...

20 hours ago
Phys.org / Terahertz spin waves can be converted into computer signals, study shows

What will the computers of tomorrow look like? Chances are good that spintronics will play a decisive role in the next generation of computers. In spintronics, the intrinsic angular momentum of an electron (the spin) is used ...

11 hours ago
Phys.org / Durable dual-atom catalyst enables high-temperature CO₂ to CO conversion

The conversion of carbon dioxide (CO₂) into carbon monoxide (CO), an industrial feedstock, has attracted significant attention as a key step for producing synthetic fuels and chemical products. However, because CO₂ is ...

10 hours ago
Phys.org / Satellite data reconstruct 2025 LA fires, showing rapid spread in first day

A severe drought, powerful Santa Ana winds and a not-fully-extinguished brushfire combined to create the most destructive wildfire in the history of Los Angeles in early 2025. The Palisades Fire, which fully ignited on Jan. ...

10 hours ago
Phys.org / Study reveals hidden 'chemical currency' fueling the ocean's carbon cycle

A new study, led by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) and Columbia University, identifies a diverse set of molecules released by marine phytoplankton that fuel microbial life and help drive Earth's carbon cycle. ...

11 hours ago
Phys.org / Plant survival under three simultaneous stressors may hinge on a single protein

Researchers at the University of Missouri have discovered certain proteins may be the key to saving plants' lives when multiple stressors hit at the same time. This knowledge may one day lead to crops that are more resistant ...

9 hours ago
Phys.org / Cell-inspired sensor can monitor blood for 10 hours without sensitivity loss

A team led by La Trobe University has drawn inspiration from nature to develop a breakthrough sensor that can rapidly track tiny molecular changes in blood, paving the way to real-time, personalized medicine. The discovery ...

10 hours ago