Phys.org news

Phys.org / Deforestation can cause eight-fold increase in flood event risk

New research, based on forest fires in Australia, proves there is a significantly higher risk of large-scale flooding when major deforestation has occurred in catchment areas. The chance of large-scale flooding in a specific ...

Oct 8, 2025 in Earth
Phys.org / Composing crews for Mars missions: Team diversity may foster resilience

Simulation results highlight how team composition shapes stress, health, performance, and cohesion in long-duration space missions, according to a study published October 8, 2025, in the open-access journal PLOS One by Iser ...

Oct 8, 2025 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Tree swallows thrive despite pollution from forever chemicals

A new paper in Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry indicates high levels of exposure to "forever chemicals" in the environments of many tree swallow bird groups in the United States. Despite this, chemical exposure did ...

Oct 8, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Carbon monitoring: Modeling effort helps to quickly and accurately estimate forest biomass

A tree can sequester quite a bit of carbon, and forests can sequester and store quite a bit more, but knowing exactly how much is important for many reasons, from planning and management decisions to assessing a forest's ...

Oct 8, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / How different bird species forage together in the Antarctic

It's a scene fit for a nature documentary: In the frigid ocean surrounding Antarctica, the water boils over as seabirds dive from above and marine animals like seals and whales rise from the depths to all feast on krill.

Oct 8, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Direct signal analysis helps solve 50-year-old problem in molecular fluorescence analysis

Last year, we celebrated 50 years since the first papers on fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) were published. It wasn't a wild celebration with masses on the streets, nor was it widely celebrated in universities, ...

Oct 8, 2025 in Chemistry
Phys.org / Enhancing the industrial relevance of alcohol dehydrogenase enzymes by exploiting their 'hidden reactivity'

Amides and thioesters are ubiquitous compounds in chemistry, used for the production of medicines, natural products, and advanced materials. Traditionally, their synthesis is a messy business, involving wasteful reagents, ...

Oct 8, 2025 in Chemistry
Phys.org / An unexpected reaction to climate change: Daubenton's bats are hibernating for longer

The days are getting shorter, the temperatures are dropping. Numerous animals are migrating south, others are seeking their hibernacula—including bats. However, while hibernation is becoming shorter and shorter for many ...

Oct 8, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / AI-based system offers insights on how polymers can be engineered for use in next-generation bioelectronics

Engineered polymers hold promise for use in next generation technologies such as light-harvesting devices and implantable electronics that interact with the nervous system—but creating polymers with the right combination ...

Oct 8, 2025 in Chemistry
Phys.org / Slime mold metabolites are a promising, eco-friendly repellent of root-knot nematodes

Root-knot nematodes (RKNs) are worm-like parasites of the genus Meloidogyne that are found in many parts of the world. They attack the roots of plants, causing them to wilt and eventually die. It is estimated that crops worth ...

Oct 8, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Burning issue: Study finds fire a friend to some bees, a foe to others

New Curtin University research has found the impact of bushfires and prescribed burns on global bee populations is highly varied, with some species benefiting from fire while others face severe risks.

Oct 8, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Protein nanorings designed to detect and neutralize SARS-CoV2 virus

An international team of scientists has generated a new ring-shaped protein nanomaterial capable of strongly binding to and neutralizing the SARS-CoV2 virus. The study, published in Advanced Healthcare Materials, highlights ...

Oct 8, 2025 in Nanotechnology