Phys.org news
Phys.org / Red flowers have a 'magic trait' to attract birds and keep bees away
For flowering plants, reproduction is a question of the birds and the bees. Attracting the right pollinator can be a matter of survival—and new research shows how flowers do it is more intriguing than anyone realized, and ...
Phys.org / Global health impacts of plastics systems set to double by 2040
The adverse health impacts associated with emissions across the full life cycle of plastics could double by 2040 unless immediate action is taken, new research suggests. The study identified health harms at every stage of ...
Phys.org / Ancient Martian beach discovered, providing new clues to red planet's habitability
New findings from NASA's Perseverance rover have revealed evidence of wave-formed beaches and rocks altered by subsurface water in a Martian crater that once held a vast lake—considerably expanding the timeline for potential ...
Phys.org / Ocean fronts revealed as key players in Earth's carbon cycle
Narrow bands of ocean covering just over one-third of the world's seas are responsible for absorbing nearly three-quarters of the carbon dioxide that oceans pull from the atmosphere, new research shows. The study, published ...
Phys.org / Hafted stone tools in China suggest early hominins were more inventive than thought
A newly excavated archaeological site in central China is reshaping long-held assumptions about early hominin behavior in Eastern Asia. Led by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, an international team of researchers conducted ...
Phys.org / Footprint tracker identifies tiny mammals with up to 96% accuracy
It might be less visible than dwindling lion populations or vanishing pandas, but the quiet crisis of small mammal extinction is arguably worse for biodiversity. These species are crucial indicators of environmental health, ...
Phys.org / Oddball flower challenges long-held rule about how new plant species evolve
Lipstick vines get their name from their bright red, tube-shaped flowers. But one member of this group of plants has lost its lipstick-like appearance—its flowers are shorter, wider, and yellowish green in color. It also ...
Phys.org / AI model accelerates defect-based material design
Across the physical world, many intricate structures form via symmetry breaking. When a system with inherent symmetry transitions into an ordered state, it can form stable imperfections known as topological defects. Such ...
Dialog / The hidden physics of watersheds: Why some are more sensitive to climate variability than others
Water is everywhere, from the snowpack in the mountains to the tap in our kitchens. But while we often think about rainfall and snow as the main drivers of our water supply, it turns out that something we rarely see has just ...
Phys.org / Nanoplastics in water help bacteria form stronger, disinfectant-resistant biofilms
Human health risks from direct consumption of toxic nanoplastics are already scary, but researchers have confirmed that nanoplastics in water give rise to an additional threat: They strengthen bacteria.
Phys.org / High-resolution map shows dark matter's gravity pulled normal matter into galaxies
Scientists have created the highest resolution map of the dark matter that threads through the universe—showing its influence on the formation of stars, galaxies and planets.
Phys.org / Mapping cell development with mathematics-informed machine learning
The development of humans and other animals unfolds gradually over time, with cells taking on specific roles and functions via a process called cell fate determination. The fate of individual cells, or in other words, what ...
