Phys.org news

Phys.org / New evidence helps solve how earliest birds took flight

The first bird to inhabit Earth used its robust hind legs to make two or three powerful leaps while flapping its way to flight, according to a study by the University of Southampton published in Developmental Biology.

13 hours ago
Phys.org / Sugar swap simplifies production of promising targeted cancer therapies

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison have developed a simpler way to produce a fast-growing class of targeted cancer therapies, a discovery that could make the medicines easier to manufacture consistently while ...

10 hours ago
Phys.org / Soil-dwelling myxobacteria reveal five new classes of bioactive compounds

Most antibiotics used clinically are based on natural compounds produced by bacteria and other microorganisms. At the Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS), researchers are using soil-dwelling myxobacteria ...

10 hours ago
Phys.org / DNA research highlights the genetic vulnerability of Asian elephants

The DNA of Asian elephants tells a concerning story. Although all four subspecies are under pressure, there are considerable differences in their genetic health. In an article published in the journal Genome Biology and Evolution, ...

10 hours ago
Phys.org / Genetic switch could help tomatoes produce fruit in cold weather

Every tomato begins with a flower. But before a fruit can grow, an intricate sequence of events must happen in perfect order. The flower's male and female organs must develop together, pollen must be released at exactly the ...

11 hours ago
Phys.org / Single synthetic peptide forms electrically polarized, self-healing hydrogel

Researchers from the RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science (CSRS) and RIKEN Pioneering Research Institute (PRI) in Japan, together with collaborators from the University of Münster, Germany, have developed a new hydrogel ...

11 hours ago
Phys.org / Unfamiliar with rattlesnakes, blackbirds still avoid striking them while defending nests

In a rare study of snakes as nest predators, scientists found nesting birds were loath to strike rattlesnakes even though they likely had no previous experience with vipers.

16 hours ago
Phys.org / Claim that science is becoming less disruptive challenged after years-long publication delay

A widely cited Nature cover article from 2023 claimed that scientific innovation has significantly declined in recent decades. This finding was based on a citation analysis of large sets of metadata concerning scientific ...

11 hours ago
Phys.org / New frog species discovered in the Amazon's flooded forests

Scientists from Brazil and other countries have discovered a new species of frog in the flooded forests of the western Amazon. They named it Adenomera varcena. This finding significantly advances our understanding of Amazonian ...

12 hours ago
Phys.org / AI tool could help veterinarians track heart disease more precisely

For dogs with heart disease, a fraction of a centimeter can make a life-changing difference. Veterinarians often rely on chest radiographs to monitor subtle changes in heart size that help determine when treatment should ...

11 hours ago
Phys.org / History, not age, determines the genomic importance of ancient trees

Ancient trees—those that are remarkably old for their species—are declining worldwide, raising concerns about the loss of the ecological and evolutionary history they represent. Their exceptional longevity has long encouraged ...

12 hours ago
Phys.org / Radiation vest tested on NASA moonshot can cut astronauts' exposure in solar storms, study suggests

A new study suggests a protective vest tested on a manikin during NASA's first Artemis moonshot could drastically cut the radiation exposure of lunar astronauts during severe solar storms.

12 hours ago