Phys.org news
Phys.org / Study reveals how biological echo chambers form—and what can break them
Tropical army ants are known to form devastating armadas that march through forests eating other insects and small creatures. As they march, they deposit chemical trails of pheromones that others behind them sense and follow. ...
Phys.org / Earth shifted among five 'mega-climate' states over 539 million years, with extinctions spiking near transitions
Earth's climate has undergone dramatic changes throughout its history, but new research suggests those changes may not have been as random as previously thought. A study led by an international team of researchers, including ...
Phys.org / Natural compound from soil bacteria offers new approach to treating drug-resistant tuberculosis
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 10 million people contract tuberculosis (TB) each year. It is one of the deadliest infectious diseases worldwide. Treatment is lengthy and typically involves a combination ...
Phys.org / Could negative mass exist and be observed?
Unlike electric charge, as far as we know all mass is positive, and positive masses attract one another. Could negative mass exist, and if so, what would be the ramifications?
Phys.org / It's the small things: Treating something as even slightly significant affects motivation
When Fan Yang's children came home complaining about a crafting class, they had a particularly strong advocate.
Phys.org / The far side of the moon provides clues to a past magnetic field
Unlike Earth, the moon no longer has a core-generated magnetic field. On our planet, the movement of liquid iron in the outer core generates a global magnetic field. This so-called geodynamo works on a similar principle to ...
Phys.org / Soil heterogeneity helps bacteria find nutrients
Microorganisms regulate key processes in soils and aquifers, including nutrient cycling, carbon turnover and contaminant degradation. Many bacteria use chemotaxis, the ability to sense and swim toward chemical signals, to ...
Phys.org / Brain organoids uncover how primates develop different brain shapes
Most primate species have relatively large brains with surfaces marked by pronounced bulges and furrows. This is not the case with common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus). The brains of these small monkeys are smooth and virtually ...
Phys.org / Uncovering gravity's impact on the human genome
The Human Genome Project was launched in 1990, preceded by decades of breakthroughs in genetics. It eventually gave us a sequence of the human genome. Yet, while the physical rules behind the genome's organization remain ...
Phys.org / Past emissions from top polluters will keep the planet warmer for decades to come
If someone leaves the faucet running in your bathroom and the house floods, it's easy to assign responsibility for the damage. But for other disasters—bigger, more complicated and costlier ones—the link between cause and ...
Phys.org / Kibble with microbial proteins appeals to cats and dogs in new study
In a new study, cats and dogs showed a short-term preference for kibble containing some protein derived from microorganisms over kibble containing only standard animal-derived protein. Ally Motta de Matos and A.L.B. Cruz ...
Phys.org / Hormone-disrupting chemicals found in range of natural and drinking water sources
A new study has found that chemicals that can affect fertility and reproductive health are contaminating natural and drinking water supplies. The researchers involved in the study have also developed a tool to help detect ...