Phys.org news
Phys.org / Mother's breasts may protect a newborn from the cold—a new perspective on breast evolution
Humans differ from other primates due to their relatively large, permanent breasts, and their development has so far not been conclusively explained. According to a study conducted at the University of Oulu, Finland, the ...
Phys.org / Ion bombardment triggers a reliable quantum switch in tantalum disulfide crystals
When you toss a coin, you put it into a higher-energy state until it falls back down again. It can then end up in one of two possible states: heads or tails. No matter which state the coin was in before, after the toss both ...
Phys.org / 'Lock-and-key' chemistry keeps cancer drugs inactive until they reach tumor sites
Many therapeutic molecules used in cancer treatments are highly toxic, often harming healthy tissues and causing significant side effects. This creates a critical need for strategies that localize their toxic activity to ...
Phys.org / Plants stay neatly patterned as they grow, and PLETHORA proteins may explain why
How do plants achieve their remarkably regular arrangement of leaves and flowers? And why does this pattern remain so stable, even as plants grow and respond to their environment? Researchers at Wageningen University & Research ...
Phys.org / Ocean warming drives a nearly 20% annual decline in fish biomass, research confirms
According to a new study by the Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC) and the National University of Colombia, chronic ocean warming is driving a nearly 20% annual decline in fish biomass. However, the researchers ...
Phys.org / How a 3D-printed synthetic sea lion pelvis enhances veterinary capabilities to counter ongoing beaching
Scores of sea lions continue to beach themselves along the Southern California coastline, stricken with sickness. Toxic algae blooms are to blame, though a mechanical engineering innovation could shift the tide in favor of ...
Phys.org / First cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza in northern elephant seals confirmed in California
Seven weaned elephant seal pups in California's Año Nuevo State Park tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Veterinary Services Laboratory confirmed ...
Phys.org / Heat relief means higher emissions: How air conditioning complicates 1.5°C goals
While air conditioning protects people from dangerous heat, it also significantly worsens global warming—by 2050, potentially producing more carbon dioxide than the current annual emissions of the United States, a new study ...
Phys.org / An endangered natural pharmacy hidden in coral: Hundreds of reef-dwelling microbes reveal untapped potential
Coral reefs are teeming with life: they are home to over a third of all marine animal and plant species on Earth, despite covering less than one percent of the ocean floor. However, this immense diversity is under threat ...
Phys.org / Lab tests investigate how house fire emissions differ from forest fires
Wildfires have increased in frequency and severity over the past few decades. More fires are burning at the wildland-urban interface (WUI), where homes and other buildings meet the natural landscape—but our understanding ...
Phys.org / Robot pollinator uses computer vision to shake flowers and boost indoor farm yields
Indoor farms, also known as vertical farms, are popular among agricultural researchers and are expanding across the agricultural industry. Some benefits they have over outdoor farms include the year-round production of food ...
Phys.org / Iron and blue LEDs synthesize natural molecules, cutting the need for expensive chiral components
Photocatalysts facilitate chemical reactions by absorbing light. Metal-based photocatalysts are widely used in organic synthesis due to their durability and the ability to tune their function by modifying the ligands attached ...
