Phys.org news
Phys.org / This 2,200-year-old Roman wreck hid a repair story that rewrites how ancient ships survived long voyages
Ever since humans have embarked on sea voyages, they needed to ensure vessels were waterproof, resistant to salty seawater, and could withstand microorganisms or sea-dwellers like worms. Until the mid-20th century, however, ...
Phys.org / One blue whale song unlocks oceans of data
Trying to find a whale song in the ocean is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. But now, UNSW Sydney researchers say they've trained a model, with just a single case study, to find blue whale songs in recordings that ...
Phys.org / Orbital dances unlock true masses of Orion's young stars
A star's mass determines its entire life story, from how it shines to how it dies. For young stars shrouded in dust, getting an accurate mass has long been difficult, but new radio measurements are beginning to change that. ...
Phys.org / This battered Jurassic sea giant held on against the odds, and its fossil hints at an unexpected survival strategy
A fossil discovery in Mistelgau, Northern Bavaria, Germany, reveals that the last representatives of the giant ichthyosaurs of the genus Temnodontosaurus survived longer in the Southwest German Basin than previously thought. ...
Phys.org / Some rays flash decoy eyes while others never do, as evolution's hidden trade-off comes into focus
From butterflies to peacocks, bold circular "eyespots" are among nature's most eye-catching patterns. But why do they appear in some animals and not others? A new study of skates and rays finally provides an answer—and it ...
Phys.org / Giant octopuses may have ruled the oceans 100 million years ago
Today's octopuses are intelligent, remarkably flexible animals that lurk in reefs, hide in crevices, or drift through the deep sea. But new research suggests that their earliest relatives may have played a far more predatory ...
Phys.org / DNA damage just got more complicated: A long-missed weak spot emerges when light and oxygen strike
In everyday life, our genetic material is constantly under attack from many factors. Environmental influences such as light, along with internal processes like inflammation, can generate oxidative stress that damages DNA ...
Phys.org / New bioreactor turns stem cells into an immune-cell factory, producing 40 million human macrophages per week
Researchers at Hannover Medical School (MHH) have developed a method for the efficient production of human immune cells, such as macrophages, in medium-sized bioreactors. These immune cells can be derived from induced pluripotent ...
Phys.org / Milky Way's 'little cousins' may hold clues about infant universe
Ultra-faint dwarf galaxies—tiny satellite galaxies orbiting the Milky Way—have long been seen as cosmic fossils. Now, a new study published today in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society uses an unprecedented ...
Phys.org / Moon dust could stop being a nuisance and start reshaping how humans may build beyond Earth
As space agencies and private companies look toward a sustained human presence on the moon, a fundamental challenge centers on how to build strong, durable infrastructure without hauling every material from Earth. New research ...
Phys.org / We think norms spread by imitation, but one deceptively simple rule tells a more human story
A paper appearing in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences offers a strikingly simple answer to a longstanding question: How do people learn and settle on shared social conventions, from everyday habits to workplace ...
Phys.org / How a sinking lithospheric root raised Mongolia's Hangay Mountains
Central Mongolia's Hangay Mountains rise more than four kilometers above sea level, forming a dramatic dome that shapes the region's climate. But for decades, geologists have been puzzled: What caused this massive mountain ...
