Phys.org news

Phys.org / Drinking water at risk long after wildfires, study warns

Canada's drinking water can remain at risk long after wildfires burn out, according to a UBC-led global review that found water-quality impacts often emerge months or years later—not just immediately after a fire. Researchers ...

19 hours ago
Phys.org / Antibacterial coatings with short-term effect may fail over longer periods of time

Researchers from the Institute of Physics and the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology of the University of Tartu have shown in a recently published study that antibacterial coatings which initially appear highly effective ...

18 hours ago
Phys.org / Ctenophore research points to earlier origins of brain-like structures

New 3D reconstructions of a key sensory organ in ctenophores reveal an unexpected structural and functional complexity. The findings suggest that an elementary brain may have already appeared in our most ancient relatives, ...

23 hours ago
Phys.org / Just three molecules can launch gene-silencing condensates in stem cells

A new study has uncovered how an exceptionally scarce protein can orchestrate the assembly of large-scale gene-silencing structures inside cells, and what happens when that process breaks down. The findings, published today ...

19 hours ago
Phys.org / Understanding how cells take up and use isolated mitochondria to restore energy function

Mitochondria are essential for cell survival, repair, and adaptation. Not only do they generate most of the energy needed during a cell's life, but they also regulate cell death, calcium balance, and responses to stress. ...

20 hours ago
Phys.org / Female astronauts face clotting risks, five-day weightlessness simulation suggests

Just a few days in simulated microgravity can subtly change the way women's blood clots, sparking bigger questions about health monitoring protocols for astronauts who can spend six months or more in orbit, say Simon Fraser ...

21 hours ago
Phys.org / Vocal analysis and AI uncover two new Amazon antbirds in five-species complex

Scientists have discovered that a widely recognized Amazonian antbird is not one, but five distinct species—including two completely new to science. This revelation of hidden biodiversity was achieved by integrating artificial ...

19 hours ago
Phys.org / Oldest known bony fish fossils uncover early vertebrate evolution

A research team led by Profs. Zhu Min, Lu Jing, and Zhu You'an from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences published two back-to-back cover stories in the ...

23 hours ago
Phys.org / Evolution of new physical traits in mollusks has declined and grown more predictable over time

Paleobiologist Geerat Vermeij is enthralled with mollusks. Their shells line the surfaces and fill the cabinets and drawers in his office on the second floor of the Earth and Planetary Sciences Building at UC Davis. But Vermeij's ...

19 hours ago
Phys.org / Charred pot residues reveal prehistoric Europeans' surprisingly complex cuisines

Thousands of years ago, European communities used a variety of plant and animal products to create elaborate meals, according to a study published in the open-access journal PLOS One by Lara González Carretero of the University ...

23 hours ago
Phys.org / How pro- and anti-gun PAC contributions after school shootings effectively neutralize each other

Polls consistently show overwhelming support for measures like universal background checks and raising the minimum age for gun purchases. But Congress rarely acts. A new study published in Proceedings of the National Academy ...

21 hours ago
Phys.org / The forest is our pantry: Alaska national forests support abundant wild foods

Rural communities bordering the Tongass National Forest harvest more than 4.5 million pounds of wild food per year, including 100 different species that our public lands help support. Just how much food is this? An average ...

22 hours ago