Phys.org news

Phys.org / Roundworms discovered in Great Salt Lake are new to science

Nematodes discovered in the Great Salt Lake belong to at least one species that is new to science, and possibly two. A University of Utah research team has published a new paper characterizing the tiny roundworm. The team ...

Dec 12, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Pinpointing the glow of a single atom to advance quantum emitter engineering

Researchers have discovered how to design and place single-photon sources at the atomic scale inside ultrathin 2D materials, lighting the path for future quantum innovations.

Dec 12, 2025 in Physics
Phys.org / Glycitein biosynthetic pathway sheds light on soybean disease resistance

Researchers from the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) have uncovered the long-elusive biosynthetic pathway of glycitein, a key soybean isoflavonoid. They also reveal ...

Dec 12, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / 'Self-activation' is part of the success strategy of parasitic weeds

Parasitic weeds extract water and nutrients from their host plants. But what makes these parasites so successful? A study led by Prof Susann Wicke from the Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity at the University of Münster ...

Dec 12, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Genomic study reveals how vascular plants adapt to aquatic environments

Aquatic plants are specialized evolutionary groups adapted to life in water. They play critical roles as food and medicinal supplies (e.g., lotus root and foxnut) and industrial raw materials (e.g., reeds), as well as in ...

Dec 12, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / 'Hidden' contrails in cirrus clouds contribute to climate warming, research finds

Researchers at the Institute for Meteorology at Leipzig University have, for the first time, determined the climatic impact of contrails that form within natural cirrus clouds. Contrails account for the largest share of aviation's ...

Dec 12, 2025 in Earth
Phys.org / Storm study shows adaptive selection in southeast lizards

How do intermittent events like hurricanes impact natural selection? How do animals adapt to challenging weather? A University of Rhode Island professor has set out to track natural selection in the Anolis lizard over time ...

Dec 12, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Swedish freshwater bacteria reveal lost genes and unexpected photosynthesis abilities

Bacteria are among the most diverse and ancient forms of life on Earth. Yet, much of what is known about them comes from a small group of species, mostly studied for their roles in human health.

Dec 12, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Hidden patterns of isolation and segregation found in all American cities

A comprehensive analysis of 383 U.S. cities reveals a striking pattern: most have rings of isolation in suburban areas and segregated pockets near the urban core, that are shaped by race, wealth, and proximity to downtown, ...

Dec 12, 2025 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Global measures consistently underestimate food insecurity: 1 in 5 who suffer from hunger may go uncounted

International humanitarian aid organizations rely on analyses from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) system, a global partnership that monitors and classifies the severity of food insecurity to help ...

Dec 12, 2025 in Earth
Phys.org / The monster hiding in plain sight: JWST reveals cosmic shapeshifter in the early universe

In a glimpse of the early universe, astronomers have observed a galaxy as it appeared just 800 million years after the Big Bang—a cosmic Jekyll and Hyde that looks like any other galaxy when viewed in visible and even ultraviolet ...

Dec 11, 2025 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Parker Solar Probe spies solar wind 'U-turn'

Images captured by NASA's Parker Solar Probe as the spacecraft made its record-breaking closest approach to the sun in December 2024 have now revealed new details about how solar magnetic fields responsible for space weather ...

Dec 11, 2025 in Astronomy & Space