Phys.org news

Phys.org / PFAS detected in dolphin milk may pass from mothers to calves

Researchers have found that a group of chemicals known as PFAS can be transferred from mother dolphins to their nursing calves, adding to the evidence that these persistent contaminants can be transferred from mothers to ...

Apr 18, 2026
Phys.org / Wildfires used to 'go to sleep' at night. Climate change is turning them into prime burning hours

Burning time for North American wildfires is going into overtime. Flames are lasting later into the night and starting earlier in the morning because human-caused climate change is extending the hotter and drier conditions ...

Apr 18, 2026
Phys.org / Taiwan landslide's hidden motion comes into focus as fiber optics track deep slip

Placed within a borehole drilled deep through the layers of a landslide, a fiber optic cable captured tiny, periodic stick-slip events that offer a unique glimpse at the complex movements within the landslide's shear zone.

Apr 18, 2026
Phys.org / A student-led experiment sets new limits in the search for axions

In the era of precision cosmology, research often means big science: large observatories, highly complex instruments, international collaborations and substantial funding. Yet even in such an advanced field, progress is still ...

Apr 17, 2026
Phys.org / Quantum-informed AI improves long-term turbulence forecasts while using far less memory

An AI model informed by calculations from a quantum computer can better predict the behavior of a complex physical system over the long term than current best models that use only conventional computers, according to a new ...

Apr 17, 2026
Phys.org / The Colorado River disappeared from the geological record for 5 million years: Scientists now know where it went

Geologists have solved the mystery of the disappearance from the geological record, millions of years ago, of one of North America's most important waterways: the Colorado River. A paper published in Science shows that the ...

Apr 17, 2026
Phys.org / DNA cracks nutmeg's hidden past, revealing a South Moluccas origin and a prehuman journey north

A sprinkle of nutmeg powder on baked goodies or mashed potatoes can immediately lift the flavor with its warm and sweet aroma. Even though it is used globally, not much is known about the true origins of the nutmeg spice ...

Apr 17, 2026
Phys.org / First archaeological case of cleft lip identified in China reveals inclusive care in Qing dynasty community

Orofacial clefts (OC; cleft lips and/or palates) require intense care immediately after birth and can lead to lifelong difficulties with eating and speaking, leading to social marginalization, stigmatization, and exclusion. ...

Apr 17, 2026
Phys.org / Indonesia's fire crisis comes into focus as high-resolution satellite maps expose 5.62 million hectares affected

Indonesia experiences massive forest fires as the dry season approaches. They are a major environmental challenge because they damage forests and other land, endanger lives, and disrupt local economies. Using sharp, high-resolution ...

Apr 17, 2026
Phys.org / Antioxidant glutathione discovered to play a key role in proper protein folding

In the past several years, Rockefeller University's Kivanç Birsoy and his team in the Laboratory of Metabolic Regulation and Genetics have revealed remarkable details about the antioxidant glutathione, which plays many essential ...

Apr 17, 2026
Phys.org / ALMA and JWST investigate giant disk galaxy's formation and evolution

European astronomers have used the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) and the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to observe a recently discovered giant disk galaxy known as ADF22.1. Results of the new observations, published ...

Apr 17, 2026
Phys.org / Parrots are not just mimicking words—they use proper names like humans to identify individuals

Like many animals, parrots make sounds that suggest they are talking with each other, maybe even calling out to a specific parrot. But do they truly have names in the same way people do? To find out, Lauryn Benedict, a biology ...

Apr 17, 2026