Phys.org news

Phys.org / Twenty years and 7,500 fossils reveal what blurs Earth's marine fossil record

In productive marine environments, a square meter (10.8 square feet) of seafloor can be perforated by hundreds to thousands of isolated and interconnected tunnels through which crawl and writhe a cornucopia of clams, shrimp, ...

Aug 21, 2026
Phys.org / Complex odors prove easier to map than expected with machine learning

If you want to describe a particular color, you could look to the Pantone color wheel to find its exact hue, saturation and brightness, and how it compares with other colors. But nothing like that has existed for complex ...

Aug 21, 2026
Phys.org / Ocean plankton reveal sugar-for-nutrients partnership that sustains life in barren seas

In the vast, nutrient-poor regions of the world's oceans, there is a constant struggle for survival. Yet tiny organisms known as Collodaria have thrived there for millions of years. These Collodaria host microscopically small ...

Aug 21, 2026
Phys.org / Breaking up of swan families in winter disrupts spring migration

Young Bewick's swans only survive their first spring migration if they stay with their parents long enough. If they lose their parents in winter, they leave later and are unable to keep up with the rest of the population. ...

Aug 21, 2026
Phys.org / We're building a New York‑sized city every month. That's worrying for our climate

We each need a roof over our heads, classrooms to learn in and offices or spaces to work in. To meet this unprecedented demand for new buildings, globally, we're constructing the equivalent of an entire New York City every ...

Aug 21, 2026
Phys.org / Shark DNA could hold answers to how we age

Age isn't just a number for one of the ocean's top apex predators. It's a mystery University of Georgia researchers are solving. A new UGA study has determined how to estimate the age of sharks by analyzing changes to individual ...

Aug 21, 2026
Phys.org / Patience predicts longer education paths and faster earnings growth, real-money experiment finds

Some teenagers are happy to wait for a bigger reward tomorrow rather than cash in today. Others would rather take the sure thing now—or gamble on a risky, high-payoff bet. According to a new study, these everyday differences ...

Aug 21, 2026
Phys.org / Scientists uncover environmental cues behind black bear hibernation

New research from Virginia Tech scientists in the College of Natural Resources and Environment provides fresh insight into how environmental conditions influence black bear hibernation, with implications for wildlife management ...

Aug 21, 2026
Phys.org / Blood-camouflaged nanoparticles defeat drug-resistant breast tumors in mouse model

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is one of the most aggressive and treatment-resistant subtypes of breast cancer, accounting for 15% to 20% of all cases. Unlike other breast cancers, TNBC lacks targetable receptors, leaving ...

Aug 21, 2026
Phys.org / Quantum dots keep their glow under heat after dual modification

Quantum dots are semiconductor crystals only a few nanometers in size. Their ability to produce bright, precisely tunable colors has made them promising materials for light-emitting diodes, displays, solar cells and other ...

Aug 21, 2026
Phys.org / Dark energy and quantum gravity may be deeply intertwined

For close to a century, physicists have pursued a way to unite gravity with quantum mechanics. Known as quantum gravity, this goal has remained frustratingly out of reach so far. Similarly elusive is the force of dark energy, ...

Aug 20, 2026
Phys.org / Rising carbon dioxide is supercharging grass growth in African savannas, study finds

Rising atmospheric carbon dioxide is boosting grass growth in Africa's water-limited savannas, according to a new study led by the University of Sheffield.

Aug 20, 2026