Phys.org news
Phys.org / Shipwreck cargo reveals surprising global trade secrets of the 1600s
Using cargo recovered from one of Australia's most infamous shipwrecks, new Curtin University-led research has revealed how surprisingly sophisticated global supply chains helped source and transport construction materials ...
Phys.org / Biofilm clue opens route to anti-infection treatments of the future
A multidisciplinary study has uncovered a critical component in the formation of biofilms, the complex structures used by bacteria to colonize surfaces. The research may have implications for future infection treatments, ...
Phys.org / Mosquitoes are rapidly activating enzymes against common insecticide, researchers warn
Traditionally, public health programs have relied on chemicals for mosquito management, which may be why combating mosquitoes is becoming more difficult. Over time, insecticides trigger biochemical and genetic variations ...
Phys.org / Kitchen cling film helps build centimeter-scale ultrathin electronics and optics
As materials become thinner—now reaching the thickness of single atoms—it has become increasingly difficult to create sufficiently large sheets and transfer them without cracking them into tiny flakes. Recent work by a broad ...
Phys.org / Beyond wrinkles: New rule explains why growing shapes suddenly crumple
Scientists have discovered a previously unknown law of geometry that explains why some growing surfaces, whether in nature or in engineered materials, suddenly stop being able to stay smooth and instead form dimples and folds. ...
Phys.org / In seconds, fiber optic cables detect earthquake size
Scientists have discovered a new way to determine how big an earthquake may become just seconds after it begins. In a new study published in Nature Communications, researchers from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and Cal ...
Phys.org / Icelandic fish 'hot tubs' reveal genetic adaptations to warming—and unexpected overeating
New research, led by the University of Glasgow reveals that adaptation to warmer waters causes fish to display a range of behavioral and biological differences, including obesity, overeating and lower metabolism.
Phys.org / Lake ice loss could accelerate after winter temperatures cross critical thresholds
For lakes across the Northern Hemisphere, winter ice is more than a frozen surface. It is a seasonal regulator that shapes underwater ecosystems and energy balance. But as the planet warms, this frozen season is disappearing ...
Phys.org / 6.5 million Americans face landslide risks—a new database shows where they live
Landslides cause an estimated $3 billion to $6 billion in damage and multiple fatalities annually in the United States. Those numbers could easily increase as housing needs spur development in landslide-prone areas and climate ...
Phys.org / Flexible DNA directs proteins into atomically ordered crystals, overturning crystallization assumptions
For decades, scientists have largely relied on painstaking trial and error to coax proteins into crystalline forms. Crystallization enables scientists to determine the molecular structures of proteins, which can provide a ...
Phys.org / What sheep's teeth can tell us about life in a medieval Kazakhstan town
You might not often think about the molars of livestock, but everything from the grass they eat to the water they drink can tell a story about how people lived centuries ago. An international collaboration led by University ...
Phys.org / Gene discovery could shave years off avocado breeding
Scientists have found a genetic switch that could shave years off avocado breeding by allowing researchers to identify one of a young tree's most important traits long before it flowers.