Phys.org news

Phys.org / Small optical component could change how telescopes view the sun

A new telescope technology—measuring just 6 millimeters (0.24 inches) in diameter—could improve how future space missions study and monitor the sun while simplifying onboard hardware and reducing costs.

13 hours ago
Phys.org / How bacteria organize themselves to 'hitchhike' across large distances

While scientists have studied how bacteria move toward food using a chemical radar known as chemotaxis, they have only watched single species swim in isolated environments over distances of only a few centimeters.

12 hours ago
Phys.org / A meteorite impact may have once rained gold on Western Australia

We're used to a lot of different natural things falling out of the sky. These can include snow, rain and sometimes even frogs (yes, really). All of these relate to weather phenomena.

14 hours ago
Phys.org / Extreme coastal flooding surges worldwide as rising seas rewrite 100-year odds

Human-caused sea-level rise has significantly increased the frequency of extreme coastal flooding worldwide, according to a new study led by a Tulane University researcher. The research, published in the journal Nature Climate ...

13 hours ago
Phys.org / DNA tetrahedrons unlock sharper cancer targeting with vitamin E tweak

Conventional cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy, often lack specificity and can damage both cancerous and healthy cells, leading to severe side effects. With this in mind, researchers at Indian Institute of Technology ...

13 hours ago
Phys.org / Fossil discovery shows the interaction between giant marine reptiles

Approximately 160 million years ago, during the Age of Dinosaurs, giant marine reptiles ruled the seas. One such creature, an ichthyosaur, swam in a sea near present-day Peterborough, England. This huge animal, shaped like ...

17 hours ago
Phys.org / One storm pushed world's rarest great ape closer to extinction in Sumatra

Climate change-fueled landslides wiped out nearly one in 10 remaining members of the world's rarest great ape species on Indonesia's Sumatra island, scientists said Wednesday.

14 hours ago
Phys.org / How biodiversity loss could raise borrowing costs and deepen debt risks worldwide

Financial markets are blind to the economic costs of biodiversity loss, leaving several countries at risk of defaulting on debt, according to new research published in Nature. While environmental degradation is recognized ...

13 hours ago
Phys.org / 'Basketball Mathematics' help children boost math skills without extra class time

A dribble and a jump shot, followed by a fractions task. That is what physical education classes looked like for a group of pupils, and the pupils not only found the lessons more engaging than usual—they also became better ...

14 hours ago
Phys.org / Dead organisms have a lasting ecological legacy, new research shows

Trees, grasses, corals, and oysters are foundational to the structure of an ecosystem while they are alive. But new research led by the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) at the University ...

13 hours ago
Phys.org / What happens when cartoon villains have an accent? Research reveals impact on kids

When kids watch cartoons, they're absorbing much more than a plot. Thanks to the use of foreign accents in shows, they're also learning a shorthand for moral character, new research from the University of Toronto Mississauga ...

14 hours ago
Phys.org / Newfound 'whale necropolis' reveals 5.3 million years of seafloor life

Whale falls form when whale carcasses sink to the seafloor, creating localized concentrations of biodiversity in the deep ocean. Besides playing a role in long-term carbon sequestration, whale falls help scientists understand ...

16 hours ago