Phys.org news
Phys.org / Why rainfall remains hard to predict in a warming world
A new study led by the University of Oxford and ETH Zurich reveals that a key part of the climate system—the large-scale wind patterns that determine where rain falls—can be underestimated by current climate models, helping ...
Phys.org / No brain required: This is how the single-celled Stentor learns
Scientists have known for more than a century that a single-celled organism with no nerve cells—much less a brain—can behave in ways that resemble learning. But those observations only went so far. How the organism did that ...
Phys.org / 'Ruthless predator' of red tide plankton reveals unusual bioluminescence
Scientists at UC San Diego's Scripps Institution of Oceanography have uncovered new insights into the bioluminescence of a unique species of marine plankton that feeds on other plankton, including the harmful algae responsible ...
Phys.org / Radioactive imaging reveals ants' secret food networks
Researchers at the National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology (QST) and the University of the Ryukyus have developed a new imaging method that makes it possible to see, in real time, how food is distributed and ...
Phys.org / How cells decide when to react could shape future treatments for cancer and fibrosis
Scientists have discovered how cells decide when to respond to physical forces, potentially opening new avenues for tackling diseases such as cancer and fibrosis.
Phys.org / Thinner than hair and stretchable like rubber, this new shield tackles a space-age problem in one layer
Shielding materials are essential in key modern industrial settings—such as spacecraft, nuclear power plants, semiconductor equipment, and advanced medical devices—to protect both equipment and personnel from electromagnetic ...
Phys.org / How a free flow of information can amplify incorrect ideas
The idea that information should flow freely is deeply embedded in the design of social media. The assumption is that the more information is produced and shared, the better. However, simulations by a team of scientists including ...
Phys.org / Ancient farming clues may finally expose where humanity's most important wheat first emerged
The exact origin of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) is still a mystery, but researchers believe they are edging closer to the source of one of the most important food staples worldwide. Using genetic studies and ancient plant ...
Phys.org / Invisible fertility crisis: Chemicals and climate change threaten reproduction across species
The rise in infertility is not limited to humans, as environmental stressors are quietly undermining the reproductive potential of different forms of life. A recent review published in npj Emerging Contaminants investigated ...
Phys.org / ALMA reveals giant molecular clouds across Needle galaxy's full disk
An international team of astronomers has employed the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) to perform high-resolution observations of the Needle galaxy. Results of the new observational campaign, presented ...
Phys.org / Atlantic Forest's top predator faces a hidden collapse, and protected areas are no longer enough
In addition to habitat loss and illegal hunting, the jaguar (Panthera onca) faces another threat that increases its risk of extinction in the South American Atlantic Forest: food scarcity. A study by Brazilian researchers ...
Phys.org / For decades, this bias test looked inside minds—now its biggest blind spot is coming into focus
People are known to implicitly create connections between different things or ideas in their mind, some of which can influence how they perceive others, themselves and the world at large. These implicit biases have been widely ...
