Phys.org news
Phys.org / Why the hepatitis E virus cannot infect mice
Many viruses can infect both humans and animals, including hepatitis E virus. This virus is often transmitted to humans via contaminated meat products, such as by ingesting raw or undercooked pork or wild game. However, mouse ...
Phys.org / Oil beetle larvae smell like flowers to manipulate bees and sneak into their nests
For the first time, a research team from the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology and Friedrich Schiller University in Jena, Germany, has demonstrated that insects can mimic floral scents to manipulate pollinators.
Phys.org / The cost of memory: How organisms balance thinking and sensing
Remembering the past can help living organisms make better decisions, but memory comes at a cost. Whether it is an animal searching for food or a single cell responding to its surroundings, storing and using information requires ...
Phys.org / Mosquitoes are rapidly activating enzymes against common insecticide, researchers warn
Traditionally, public health programs have relied on chemicals for mosquito management, which may be why combating mosquitoes is becoming more difficult. Over time, insecticides trigger biochemical and genetic variations ...
Phys.org / DNA studies uncover a forgotten population at the top of the world
Scientists have uncovered an ancient population previously unknown to science in Ladakh, a high-altitude region in northern India. Their studies revealed individuals with a nearly perfect 50–50 mix of South Asian-related ...
Phys.org / New theory on how six‑tonne Stonehenge rock was transported from Scotland thousands of years ago: On a glacier
Built from stones weighing between 2 and 25 tonnes (2 to 28 tons), the structure of Stonehenge demonstrates a scale of construction hard to imagine before the invention of the wheel. The mystery deepens when you consider ...
Phys.org / Deformed head shapes in fossilized humans show their infants were probably just as helpless as modern human babies
Archaic human parents had to look after helpless infants like modern-day parents do, according to new research. Human babies are born less developed than those of other great apes and are therefore unable to move as freely. ...
Phys.org / 100% organic free-range egg production could have negative consequences for climate and nature
A study published in Royal Society Open Science reveals striking trade-offs when it comes to different methods of egg production. Using UK data, the study compared several possible scenarios for the egg industry, including ...
Phys.org / 'Bag of Bones' preserves rare three-tier prehistoric meal in Outback Queensland
An ancient marine 'crime scene' discovered near Richmond captures the world first evidence of a flying reptile being eaten by a sea monster… before that predator became dinner itself.
Phys.org / Scientists' biographies may demotivate, not inspire, children to study science
Currently popular biographies of famous scientists may demotivate—rather than inspire—children's desire to study or pursue careers in science, according to researchers who studied the messages in 422 bestselling children's ...
Phys.org / Queen bee pheromones help daughters decide whether to stay or leave the nest
Female sweat bees need to make a pivotal life decision: remain in the nest to help their mother raise more offspring or leave to establish nests of their own. New research from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute ...
Phys.org / Algal blooms accelerate plastic weathering, potentially fueling microplastic formation
Every summer, algal blooms turn rivers and lakes green. Although they are widely known as a major form of water pollution that makes water murky, a KAIST research team has now shown for the first time that algal bloom conditions ...
