Phys.org news

Phys.org / Meet the long-legged giants that light up the deep ocean

Thousands of meters below the waves off Australia's east coast, far beyond where sunlight can reach, a stunning light show takes place in the dark. The cause? Two species of long-legged creatures emitting a blue glow.

Oct 6, 2026
Phys.org / Rising heat linked to faster telomere loss in wild Australian birds

Extreme heat can have a profound impact on wild animals, causing their death in the most extreme cases and leaving less visible marks in others. Understanding the effects of temperature changes on specific species could inform ...

Oct 6, 2026
Phys.org / Chernobyl particles reveal unexpectedly stable nuclear fuel after 40 years

Four decades after the 1986 nuclear disaster, researchers at Leibniz University Hannover and the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) examined six tiny, highly radioactive fragments that were released from the destroyed ...

Oct 6, 2026
Phys.org / Laughter, sighs and screams reveal unwritten social rules in everyday life

Alongside words, humans have a treasure trove of nonverbal tools to help express themselves. We chuckle, sigh and gasp to communicate our feelings without uttering a word. What has amazed researchers for ages is how we rarely ...

Oct 6, 2026
Phys.org / Africa's rhinos often get the spotlight—but Indonesia's two rhino species are far closer to extinction

Small, hairy and cheekily charismatic. Those words sprang to mind when I first met a Sumatran rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) after traversing the maze of wooden slat paths at the conservation center in the dense, humid ...

Oct 6, 2026
Phys.org / Hit songs fade faster from the Billboard charts than albums

Favorite songs can stay with us for a lifetime, but their shelf life on the music charts is fleetingly short. Tracks that shoot up the U.S. Billboard charts may flood the airwaves for a short while, but just a few weeks later, ...

Oct 6, 2026
Phys.org / Nature's capacity to 'bounce back' when species are lost is vastly overestimated, global analysis finds

The idea that ecosystems carry plenty of backup, so if a small number of species become extinct there is little harm, has been greatly overestimated, according to the largest global study of its kind.

Oct 6, 2026
Phys.org / Richer people have an edge when it comes to getting national park permits

Many outdoor enthusiasts have spent hours in front of a computer, racing to reserve a campsite, backpacking permit or national park entrance ticket. A recent study suggests that the way these reservation systems are designed ...

Oct 6, 2026
Phys.org / 'Quiet firing' linked to higher levels of 'quiet quitting' among employees

A study of the oil, gas and petroleum industry has found that "quiet firing" by employers is associated with higher levels of "quiet quitting" among employees, while strong workplace relationships can weaken that effect. ...

Oct 6, 2026
Phys.org / Viewing honey bee colonies as superorganisms could reshape beekeeping practices

A new study seeks to challenge the conventional view of a honey bee colony. Viewing colonies as superorganisms redefines the fundamental biology of the honey bee colony. These insights may have implications for modern beekeeping.

Oct 6, 2026
Phys.org / Where are the best places for life in the cosmos? A universe in a supercomputer yields an answer

Earth seems like a troubled place right now, but at least our cosmic surroundings appear peaceful. This is not universally true, as explosions, collisions and other dangers lurk in other places and times.

Oct 6, 2026
Phys.org / Vanillin provides a sweet solution for chronic wound healing

A team from Flinders University's Biomedical Nanoengineering Laboratory has found that vanillin has pronounced antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, making it a good candidate for wound-healing formulations. ...

Oct 6, 2026