Phys.org news
Phys.org / Did the first human ancestor originate in the Balkans? New fossil shows evidence of bipedalism
Walking on two legs has long been considered a milestone in human evolution and one of our most defining characteristics. Until now, researchers assumed that the first humans originated in Africa and that bipedalism developed ...
Phys.org / Astronomers discover TOI-5734 b, a hot sub-Neptune twice Earth's size
Using the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) and High Accuracy Radial velocity Planet Searcher for the Northern Hemisphere (HARPS-N), an international team of astronomers has discovered a hot sub-Neptune exoplanet ...
Phys.org / Most compact quadruple star system yet fits within an area the size of Jupiter's orbit
Astronomers have reported observations of a rare star system consisting of one star orbiting a system of three more tightly bound stars. This quadruple star system is described in a new study, published in Nature Communications, ...
Phys.org / Cockroaches that eat each other's wings become exclusive partners
Scientists have discovered that, far from being solitary insects, some cockroaches appear to form an exclusive bond with a partner. And how do they get this relationship off the ground? By eating each other's wings.
Phys.org / New peptide catalyst enables stereoselective head-to-tail macrocycle synthesis
A team at ETH Zurich developed a new peptide-based organocatalyst that handles macrocycle formation from start to finish. Macrocyclic compounds are ubiquitous both in nature and in the chemical industrial setup. They are ...
Phys.org / 'Nano-origami' reshapes liquid droplets into six-pointed stars
For the first time, researchers in France and Israel have observed how an emulsified liquid droplet can transform from a hexagon into a six-pointed star shape in response to rising temperature. Publishing their results in ...
Phys.org / Research shows 41 US states are getting warmer, all in slightly different ways
Different regions of the United States are experiencing different patterns of warming climate, requiring region-specific adaptation, according to a study published in PLOS Climate by María Dolores Gadea Rivas of the University ...
Phys.org / Why are cats prone to kidney disease? A study points to unusual fats
Researchers from the University of Nottingham have uncovered a surprising biological quirk in domestic cats that may help explain why they are so prone to chronic kidney disease. Unlike dogs and most other mammals, cats appear ...
Phys.org / The Maya engineering paradox: Masters of water, prisoners of mercury
Under the supervision of Université de Montréal archaeology professor Christina Halperin, Ph.D. student Jean Tremblay spent six years, from 2018 to 2024, studying how the Mayan city of Ucanal managed its drinking water. ...
Phys.org / Chimps' love for crystals could help us understand our own ancestors' fascination with these stones
Crystals have repeatedly been found at archaeological sites alongside Homo remains. Evidence shows that hominins have been collecting these stones for as long as 780,000 years. Yet, we know that our ancestors did not use ...
Phys.org / One-of-a-kind microscope reveals living cells in unprecedented detail
Stanford researchers have combined two microscopy techniques to create a one-of-a-kind instrument that can show cell structures interacting in real time at an unprecedented 120-nanometer resolution—the highest achieved ...
Phys.org / A new face for 'Little Foot,' the most complete Australopithecus skeleton to date
What did the face of our ancestors look like three million years ago? Our international team has answered this question by virtually reconstructing the facial fragments of Little Foot, the most complete Australopithecus skeleton ...
