Phys.org news

Phys.org / Large parts of the tropics overlooked in environmental research, study says

Environmental research in the tropics is heavily skewed, according to a comprehensive study led by Umeå University. Humid lowland forest ecosystems receive a disproportionate amount of attention, while colder and drier regions ...

Jan 15, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / Earth system models overestimate river flow increases, research reveals

Understanding how water moves through the Earth system is fundamental to predicting climate impacts and ensuring sustainable water management. Yet despite decades of research, uncertainties persist regarding how global precipitation ...

Jan 15, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / Exploring metabolic noise opens new paths to better biomanufacturing

Much like humans, microbial organisms can be fickle in their productivity. One moment they're cranking out useful chemicals in vast fermentation tanks, metabolizing feed to make products from pharmaceuticals and supplements ...

Jan 15, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Overcoming symmetry limits in photovoltaics through surface engineering

A recent study carried out by researchers from EHU, the Materials Physics Center, nanoGUNE, and DIPC introduces a novel approach to solar energy conversion and spintronics. The work tackles a long-standing limitation in the ...

Jan 15, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Disinfecting drinking water produces potentially toxic byproducts—new AI model is helping to identify them

Disinfecting drinking water prevents the spread of deadly waterborne diseases by killing infectious agents such as bacteria, viruses and parasites. Without disinfection, even clear-looking water can carry pathogens that can ...

Jan 15, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / Crowd sensing for the environment: Citizen science and plant apps map how urbanization alters city soils and climate

Plants reflect urban climate and soil conditions with remarkable precision. Using more than 80 million observations from plant identification apps, researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry have produced ...

Jan 15, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / Fossils reveal 'latitudinal traps' that increased extinction risk for marine species

A new study led by researchers at the University of Oxford has shown that the shape and orientation of coastlines significantly influenced extinction patterns for animals living in the shallow oceans during the last 540 million ...

Jan 15, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Scientists watch cell receptors respond in real time as drugs bind

A research team of the University Medical Center Mainz has succeeded in observing for the first time how G protein-coupled receptors in living cells actually respond to activating substances. The scientists discovered that ...

Jan 15, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / The sky's hidden ecosystem: Radar reveals an organized, living habitat

When people think about habitats on Earth, they likely picture forests, oceans or grasslands. Few think to look up. Yet the lower atmosphere, or troposphere, may be the largest habitat on the planet. A new study published ...

Jan 15, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / When lightning strikes: Models of multi-ignition wildfires could predict catastrophic events

Multi-ignition wildfires are not overly common. But when individual fires do converge, the consequences can be catastrophic. The largest fire on record in California, the 2020 August Complex fire, grew from the coalescence ...

Jan 15, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / Mosquitoes' thirst for human blood has increased as biodiversity loss worsens

Stretching along the Brazilian coastline, the Atlantic Forest is home to hundreds of species of birds, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, and fishes. However, due to human expansion, only about a third of the forest's original ...

Jan 15, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Soil-based method can stop locust swarms from destroying crops

"They're very destructive when there's a lot of them, but one-on-one, what's not to love?" says Arianne Cease. She's talking about locusts.

Jan 15, 2026 in Biology