Phys.org news
Phys.org / Extreme weather events are accelerating tidal wetland loss, satellite data show
Tidal wetlands are critical, yet vulnerable ecosystems. Tidal marshes, mangrove forests, and tidal flats support biodiversity, protect against flooding and storm surges, sequester carbon, and improve water quality. Due to ...
Phys.org / Seabird world shrinks as oceans warm, forcing longer flights to survive
Seabirds such as albatrosses and petrels are retreating into smaller areas of ocean and traveling further to find new places to live as the climate warms. Scientists from the University of Reading studied more than 120 species ...
Phys.org / Bats create 'silent frequency zones' to detect prey in noisy flight, researchers reveal
Sound plays an important role for many animals, helping them navigate and hunt. Echolocation is the ability of animals like bats and dolphins to locate objects by emitting sound waves and interpreting the returning echoes. ...
Phys.org / Urban life makes animals bolder, more aggressive across 133 species, analysis finds
A global analysis has found that urban animals are bolder and more aggressive, exploratory and active than their rural counterparts. The findings are published in the Journal of Animal Ecology.
Phys.org / DNA floating in seawater is now enough to let scientists monitor the health of America's dolphin populations
DNA is everywhere in the world's oceans—not only packaged inside cells from skin, scales, mucus, feces, and blood, but also floating freely. Sequencing such "environmental DNA" (eDNA) from open water has long been used as ...
Phys.org / Bioengineers condense protein engineering and testing to a single day
Proteins are critical to life—and to industry. There are countless proteins that could be engineered to treat and even cure serious diseases and cellular dysfunctions. Industrial applications are similarly promising, with ...
Phys.org / How much worse could western wildfires get? New modeling changes projections
Across the western United States, wildfires are increasing in size and intensity. As the climate continues to warm, more extreme wildfires will reshape landscapes and pose a growing risk to human health and natural ecosystems ...
Phys.org / Ancient burial practices emerge from Laos' mysterious Plain of Jars
Hundreds of stone jars, some weighing several tons, are scattered across the remote uplands of northern Laos. Despite being researched for nearly a century, their purpose remains uncertain. "Archaeologists generally agree ...
Phys.org / Careful crystallization unlocks well-ordered perovskite layers for transistors
Perovskites are a class of materials with a unique crystal structure that suits applications such as fabricating solar cells, light-emitting diodes and transistors. However, molecules in thin layers often cannot arrange themselves ...
Phys.org / Mapping how 'Big AI' influences AI laws and oversight
Artificial intelligence (AI) companies influence policy and regulation using similar techniques to Big Tobacco, Big Pharma and Big Oil, according to a new study.
Phys.org / Reconfigurable Ge-Si photodetector achieves ultrahigh-speed data transmission using low-loss packaging
The rapid growth of large language models is placing increasing demands on data centers, where large volumes of data must be transferred efficiently between servers. Optical interconnects are essential for enabling this communication, ...
Phys.org / MatterChat model helps AI to 'see' the language of atom-scale physics to sharpen materials predictions
From writing emails to generating computer code, much of the artificial intelligence prevalent in our daily lives has succeeded by mastering one domain: text. However, this leaves a major blind spot in the physical sciences, ...