Phys.org news
Phys.org / New DNA tools outperform traditional methods for detecting genetic risk in wildlife
Wildlife populations that become small and isolated, often due to habitat loss, inevitably experience inbreeding which can lead to the loss of fitness and eventual extinction. One solution is to perform a genetic rescue: ...
Phys.org / From guesswork to guidance: How machine learning speeds dopant design for water-splitting photocatalysts
MLIP calculations successfully identify suitable dopants for a novel photocatalytic material, report researchers from the Institute of Science Tokyo. As demonstrated in their study, published in the Journal of the American ...
Phys.org / Fish stocks are on the line: Climate change impacts global fishing yields
As the saying goes, there are plenty more fish in the sea—but climate change is rapidly challenging that notion, with fish stocks around the world under threat. New modeling from Monash University predicts how climate change ...
Phys.org / Inside the light: How invisible electric fields drive device luminescence
Fleeting electron-hole pairs are giving scientists a new window into optimizing light-emitting devices (LEDs). Using quantum magnetic resonance, Osaka Metropolitan University researchers have discovered how shifting internal ...
Phys.org / Quantum handshake: How orbital overlap dictates molecular conductance
By placing single-atom-thick adlayers of p-block metals on commonly employed gold electrodes (d-block), a research team at National Taiwan University has successfully quantified the "interfacial hopping integral" between ...
Phys.org / Female birds more likely to sing when their extended family helps with childcare
Most of us have heard the phrase "it takes a village" when it comes to childcare. This age-old saying holds true for some songbirds, and a new study has found that this "village" has evolutionary consequences for their songs.
Phys.org / How flexible protein regions retain their function via motifs and chemical context
A new LMU study shows how proteins function reliably even without a stable 3D structure—and the crucial importance not only of short sequence motifs, but also of chemical characteristics.
Phys.org / Leopard gecko study clarifies how temperature shapes sex development
In reptiles, a simple temperature change can determine whether an egg develops into a male or female. This process is formally known as temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD), in which the sex of an embryo is determined ...
Phys.org / Not so pretty but plenty of likes: A bumblebee bandwagon effect prioritizes busy flowers over beautiful ones
If you were a bee, how would you choose a flower to land on? You might go to the most beautiful one, as pollination biologists have long suggested that flowers with striking colors attract pollinators more easily. Or perhaps, ...
Phys.org / A pathway to achieve high well-being and a safe climate without relying on GDP growth
Governments' attempts to achieve climate goals are falling short, in large part because wealthy economies are continuing to pursue economic growth. As these economies ramp up production and consumption, they make climate ...
Phys.org / Microbial clues uncover how wild songbirds respond to stress
Every animal carries a microscopic community of bacteria, fungi, and other microbes that play a critical role in health. These gut microbes help regulate the immune system, support digestion, and even influence how animals ...
Phys.org / Urban park soil microbes reveal function–evolution trade-off
Urban parks are a vital component of urban ecosystems and provide distinctive habitats for soil microorganisms. Yet scientists have questioned whether—and how—the functional diversity and evolutionary potential of microbial ...
