Phys.org news

Phys.org / Hidden hunting strategies of leopard seals reveal their impact on Antarctic ecosystems

A new study led by researchers at Baylor University and University of Rhode Island has uncovered surprising details about leopard seals' hunting habits, revealing that while the species is broadly considered a generalist ...

Jun 24, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / People delay returning to enjoyable activities to make the experience 'special,' study suggests

People often delay returning to lost pleasures, according to a study. When people are unable to engage in enjoyable activities, from catching up with friends to going to the movies, one might think that they would jump at ...

Jun 24, 2025 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / An evolutionary trade-off has limited how fish catch their prey

A trade-off between tooth size and jaw mobility has restricted fish evolution, Nick Peoples at the University of California Davis, US, and colleagues report in the open-access journal PLOS Biology .

Jun 24, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Research links 2016 migration agreement to rise in central Mediterranean fatalities and route changes

Migration agreements between "transit countries," such as Turkey or Libya, and Europe have in recent years become the norm as emergency measures to try to stop irregular migration.

Jun 24, 2025 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Most tree species face serious climate threat even under modest warming, study reveals

Trees are essential to life on Earth. They support ecosystems, store carbon, provide clean water, improve our health, and offer countless benefits to people and nature. In a new study, researchers modeled the future climate ...

Jun 24, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Model tackles key obstacle to efficient plastic recycling at molecular and reactor scales

Most people who separate their plastic waste for recycling assume the bulk of it will in fact be recycled. But current recycling methods, which "require sorting, grinding, cleaning, remelting and extrusion to obtain plastic ...

Jun 24, 2025 in Chemistry
Phys.org / Barcodes uncover early blueprints of our cellular origins

A study by WEHI scientists has shed new light on one of the most fundamental mysteries of biology: how cells divide and grow into the complex structures that make up our bodies.

Jun 24, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Genetic code enables zebrafish to mend damaged organs

Zebrafish have the remarkable and rare ability to regrow and repair their hearts after damage. New research from Caltech and UC Berkeley has identified the circuit of genes controlling this ability and offers clues about ...

Jun 24, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Epithelial cells reveal novel mechanism to ease tissue crowding without cell loss

Northwestern Medicine scientists have discovered a previously unknown process used by epithelial cells to alleviate epithelial tissue crowding and avoid cell damage and loss, according to a recent study published in Nature ...

Jun 24, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Good deals that are bad for the climate: Supermarket volume discounts lead to food waste

A new study reveals an unfortunate effect of supermarkets' popular "2 for 1" offers: Not only do they make us buy more, these offers also lead to food waste at home.

Jun 24, 2025 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Light-powered enzymes create valuable chiral molecules from plant-based building blocks

A pioneering research lab at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has achieved another milestone using light-driven enzymatic reactions to convert simple biological building blocks into valuable chemicals.

Jun 24, 2025 in Chemistry
Phys.org / International research team analyzes the genetic basis of ant evolution

The existence of ant colonies was a mystery even to the famous naturalist Charles Darwin. How could evolution produce workers that cannot reproduce? Darwin assumed that workers increase the reproductive success of their queen, ...

Jun 24, 2025 in Biology