Phys.org news
Phys.org / Heavy traffic can turn flower-rich verges into bumblebee traps, study finds
Flower-rich road verges may attract hungry bumblebees, but at the same time, they can be dangerous for the buzzing insects—if traffic is too heavy. The new research from Lund University in Sweden examined the role roadsides ...
Phys.org / Ribosome-based gene circuit lets cells read six signals and trigger responses
The molecular machinery that normally builds proteins inside cells has now taken on a new role as a "switch." A research team at POSTECH (Pohang University of Science and Technology) has developed a new 'RNA-based smart gene ...
Phys.org / Grasses provide most of the world's calories—but we're only now starting to learn how they grow
If we want to dismiss something as irrelevant, we'd say that it's "as boring as watching the grass grow." And yet grasses—including corn, wheat and rice—make up most of the plant-based calories humans eat, as well as most ...
Phys.org / When species are forced to move: Prediction models underestimate climate-related extinction risk
Climate change threatens many plant and animal species not only when their habitats disappear as climatic conditions change, but also when those habitats shift. In a new study, a team of University of Potsdam researchers ...
Phys.org / A robot that reads bacteria by touch, without staining or chemical labels
Fast identification of bacteria is important in health care, food safety, environmental monitoring and infection control. One of the most common first steps is gram classification, which separates bacteria into gram-positive ...
Phys.org / Tiny worms reveal backup circuits that keep survival reflexes from failing
A research team led by Professor Chaogu Zheng from the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Hong Kong (HKU), in collaboration with scientists from Princeton University and Columbia University, has discovered ...
Phys.org / Intricate molecular mechanisms help bacteria evade immune detection
Northwestern Medicine scientists have identified a novel mechanism used by the bacteria responsible for gonorrhea to evade immune detection and achieve widespread infection, according to a recent study published in the Proceedings ...
Phys.org / Darwin's 150‑year‑old hillside steps mystery may have a new answer from virtual grazing animals
Steep hillsides and mountainsides in many regions worldwide are often covered in characteristic step-like patterns, also known as terracettes. These repeating landforms have fascinated scientists for more than a century, ...
Phys.org / Why natural forests survive heat waves better than planted forests
When a record-breaking drought and heat wave swept across China's Yangtze River Basin in 2022, forests across the region faced an extreme test. The event provided a rare opportunity for researchers to test how different forests ...
Phys.org / New Jurassic dinosaur species identified in Thailand from a single bone
A new study published in Scientific Reports describes the identification of a new species of long-necked dinosaur found in the Phu Kradung Formation in Thailand. The team calls the dinosaur Uragasaurus kalasinensis and says ...
Phys.org / Hidden health risks found in New York City's free-roaming cats
Cats may be cute and adorable, but stray and feral cats can sometimes pose a risk to human health. Veterinary researchers have discovered that more than 50% of free-roaming cats in New York City carry parasites that could ...
Phys.org / Warm Jupiter exoplanet transiting a sun-like star discovered
An international team of astronomers reports the discovery of a new exoplanet orbiting a sunlike star as part of the Next Generation Transit Survey (NGTS). The newfound alien world, designated NGTS-39 b, is a Jupiter-sized ...
