Phys.org news

Phys.org / Vocal analysis and AI uncover two new Amazon antbirds in five-species complex

Scientists have discovered that a widely recognized Amazonian antbird is not one, but five distinct species—including two completely new to science. This revelation of hidden biodiversity was achieved by integrating artificial ...

1 hour ago in Biology
Phys.org / Female astronauts face clotting risks, five-day weightlessness simulation suggests

Just a few days in simulated microgravity can subtly change the way women's blood clots, sparking bigger questions about health monitoring protocols for astronauts who can spend six months or more in orbit, say Simon Fraser ...

3 hours ago in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / How pro- and anti-gun PAC contributions after school shootings effectively neutralize each other

Polls consistently show overwhelming support for measures like universal background checks and raising the minimum age for gun purchases. But Congress rarely acts. A new study published in Proceedings of the National Academy ...

3 hours ago in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Just three molecules can launch gene-silencing condensates in stem cells

A new study has uncovered how an exceptionally scarce protein can orchestrate the assembly of large-scale gene-silencing structures inside cells, and what happens when that process breaks down. The findings, published today ...

1 hour ago in Biology
Phys.org / Most compact quadruple star system yet fits within an area the size of Jupiter's orbit

Astronomers have reported observations of a rare star system consisting of one star orbiting a system of three more tightly bound stars. This quadruple star system is described in a new study, published in Nature Communications, ...

6 hours ago in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / One-of-a-kind microscope reveals living cells in unprecedented detail

Stanford researchers have combined two microscopy techniques to create a one-of-a-kind instrument that can show cell structures interacting in real time at an unprecedented 120-nanometer resolution—the highest achieved ...

3 hours ago in Biology
Phys.org / Influenza's molecular theft caught in action—how the virus steals the cap of host RNA in order to replicate

The cold season is in full swing, throats are scratchy and noses are running. We feel ill and hope it is not the flu. The influenza virus continues to pose a threat to our health. It triggers seasonal epidemics and, from ...

1 hour ago in Biology
Phys.org / Why are cats prone to kidney disease? A study points to unusual fats

Researchers from the University of Nottingham have uncovered a surprising biological quirk in domestic cats that may help explain why they are so prone to chronic kidney disease. Unlike dogs and most other mammals, cats appear ...

4 hours ago in Biology
Phys.org / Cockroaches that eat each other's wings become exclusive partners

Scientists have discovered that, far from being solitary insects, some cockroaches appear to form an exclusive bond with a partner. And how do they get this relationship off the ground? By eating each other's wings.

7 hours ago in Biology
Phys.org / Evolution of new physical traits in mollusks has declined and grown more predictable over time

Paleobiologist Geerat Vermeij is enthralled with mollusks. Their shells line the surfaces and fill the cabinets and drawers in his office on the second floor of the Earth and Planetary Sciences Building at UC Davis. But Vermeij's ...

2 hours ago in Biology
Phys.org / Claims of 'rediscovered' Michelangelos unsettle Renaissance experts

An independent researcher claimed on Wednesday that a marble bust of Christ in a Roman church is by Michelangelo, the latest purported attribution to the Renaissance genius who is one of the most imitated artists in the world.

4 hours ago in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Did the first human ancestor originate in the Balkans? New fossil shows evidence of bipedalism

Walking on two legs has long been considered a milestone in human evolution and one of our most defining characteristics. Until now, researchers assumed that the first humans originated in Africa and that bipedalism developed ...

8 hours ago in Biology