Phys.org news

Phys.org / Scientists find evidence of vast hidden magma systems inside Mars

Researchers from the University of Oxford have uncovered evidence that Mars once hosted enormous, Earth-like magmatic systems deep beneath its surface—despite the planet lacking the plate tectonics long thought necessary ...

Jun 26, 2026
Phys.org / Ancient ocean circulation reversed Atlantic and Pacific oxygen patterns 15 million years ago

The eastern tropical Pacific Ocean is known for its large low-oxygen zones that are increasing in size, putting marine life at risk. New research shows that 15 million years ago, the opposite was true.

Jun 26, 2026
Phys.org / European heatwave's unlikely accomplice: An ocean 'cold blob'

The heat wave battering Europe may have an unlikely partner in crime: a patch of cold ocean water south of Iceland and Greenland that can influence weather patterns over the continent.

Jun 26, 2026
Phys.org / ROS-producing enzymes guide plant cell division and tissue patterning, gene-editing study shows

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced naturally during cellular metabolism often cause oxidative damage to cells. However, these molecules also play an important role in normal cellular signaling. While ROS are established ...

Jun 26, 2026
Phys.org / Elusive thorium–thorium bonding directly observed using Hirshfeld atom refinement

Researchers have directly visualized a rare type of chemical bond between some of the heaviest elements in the periodic table, providing experimental evidence of how these atoms share electrons in systems where this has been ...

Jun 26, 2026
Phys.org / Secrets of how we see color revealed at the molecular level

A global team has cracked a decades-old mystery, revealing the atomic structures of the molecules in our eyes that allow us to see colors. "To understand how we detect light and perceive colors, we need to know the exact ...

Jun 26, 2026
Phys.org / Wastewater management reverses widespread freshwater deoxygenation in China

Freshwater ecosystems worldwide have been suffering from declining oxygen levels—a trend known as deoxygenation—that threatens biodiversity, fisheries and ecosystem stability. However, a new study published in Nature Geoscience ...

Jun 26, 2026
Phys.org / Whitebait rapidly switch life cycles when earthquakes cut off route to sea

Aotearoa New Zealand whitebait can rapidly switch their life cycles in response to sudden environmental changes, new University of Otago—Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka research shows. The research is published in the journal Nature ...

Jun 26, 2026
Phys.org / Rising heat and humidity challenge energy-efficient data center cooling worldwide

Reliable operation of data centers has become essential to nearly all sectors of modern society, including health care, education, government services, power grid operation, banking, defense and disaster relief. New research ...

Jun 26, 2026
Phys.org / How bacteria use circadian clocks to colonize their world

Research has revealed how bacteria rely on circadian clocks to control the spread of their multicellular colonies. The findings provide important clues as to how we might improve soil health and plant growth. They may also ...

Jun 26, 2026
Phys.org / Tiny raptor, tiny range: GPS tracking reveals pygmy falcons use less than 1 km² to raise nestlings

A new study, published in the Journal of Raptor Research, reveals that Africa's smallest diurnal bird of prey, the pygmy falcon (Polihierax semitorquatus), operates within one of the smallest breeding home ranges ever recorded ...

Jun 26, 2026
Phys.org / Screen reveals new proteins that control RNA processing

Researchers at the University of California San Diego have developed a large-scale screening approach that identifies proteins controlling a fundamental step in gene expression known as alternative polyadenylation (APA). ...

Jun 26, 2026