Phys.org news
Phys.org / The Great Mongolian Road: Japanese Imperial Army maps reveal first detailed documentation
In a study published in the Journal of Historical Geography, researchers Dr. Chris McCarthy and his colleagues have documented, for the first time, the Great Mongolian Road, a major yet understudied east-west caravan route ...
Phys.org / Ocean fronts revealed as key players in Earth's carbon cycle
Narrow bands of ocean covering just over one-third of the world's seas are responsible for absorbing nearly three-quarters of the carbon dioxide that oceans pull from the atmosphere, new research shows. The study, published ...
Phys.org / Hafted stone tools in China suggest early hominins were more inventive than thought
A newly excavated archaeological site in central China is reshaping long-held assumptions about early hominin behavior in Eastern Asia. Led by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, an international team of researchers conducted ...
Phys.org / Oddball flower challenges long-held rule about how new plant species evolve
Lipstick vines get their name from their bright red, tube-shaped flowers. But one member of this group of plants has lost its lipstick-like appearance—its flowers are shorter, wider, and yellowish green in color. It also ...
Phys.org / Global health impacts of plastics systems set to double by 2040
The adverse health impacts associated with emissions across the full life cycle of plastics could double by 2040 unless immediate action is taken, new research suggests. The study identified health harms at every stage of ...
Phys.org / AI model accelerates defect-based material design
Across the physical world, many intricate structures form via symmetry breaking. When a system with inherent symmetry transitions into an ordered state, it can form stable imperfections known as topological defects. Such ...
Phys.org / Footprint tracker identifies tiny mammals with up to 96% accuracy
It might be less visible than dwindling lion populations or vanishing pandas, but the quiet crisis of small mammal extinction is arguably worse for biodiversity. These species are crucial indicators of environmental health, ...
Phys.org / Changes to cougar diets and behaviors reduce their competition with wolves in Yellowstone, study finds
A new study shows that interactions between wolves and cougars in Yellowstone National Park are driven by wolves stealing prey killed by cougars and that shifts in cougar diets to smaller prey help them avoid wolf encounters. ...
Phys.org / Brewing possibilities: Using caffeine to edit gene expression
What if a cup of coffee could help treat cancer? Researchers at the Texas A&M Health Institute of Biosciences and Technology believe it's possible. By combining caffeine with the use of CRISPR—a gene-editing tool known ...
Phys.org / Spider monkeys pool their knowledge to find the best fruit
When spider monkeys want to tell others about the best fruit trees in the forest or ones they've missed, they do so by changing their social groups to share what they know, according to a new study published in the journal ...
Phys.org / World not ready for rise in extreme heat, scientists say
Nearly 3.8 billion people could face extreme heat by 2050 and while tropical countries will bear the brunt cooler regions will also need to adapt, scientists said Monday.
Dialog / The hidden physics of watersheds: Why some are more sensitive to climate variability than others
Water is everywhere, from the snowpack in the mountains to the tap in our kitchens. But while we often think about rainfall and snow as the main drivers of our water supply, it turns out that something we rarely see has just ...
