Phys.org news

Phys.org / Thousands of genomes reveal the wild wolf genes in most dogs' DNA

Dogs were the first of any species that people domesticated, and they have been a constant part of human life for millennia. Domesticated species are the plants and animals that have evolved to live alongside humans, providing ...

Nov 27, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Unprecedented levels of forever chemicals found in dolphins and whales

New research has revealed that marine mammals who live far below the ocean's surface are not immune from the burden of toxic forever chemicals, with whales and dolphins showing unprecedented levels of PFAS contamination.

Nov 27, 2025 in Earth
Phys.org / Scientists capture the crackling sounds of what they believe is lightning on Mars

Scientists have detected what they believe to be lightning on Mars by eavesdropping on the whirling wind recorded by NASA's Perseverance rover.

Nov 27, 2025 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Meteorite samples are time capsules from the early solar system

When a meteor streaks across the sky, it's not just beautiful. It's nature's way of delivering a time capsule to Earth. Contained within are hints about the very beginning of the solar system and how planets, including our ...

Nov 27, 2025 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Survey raises estimate of African forest elephant numbers

DNA pulled from the dung of African forest elephants has given experts a more accurate—and higher—population estimate for the elusive animal, but the species remains critically endangered, a study showed Thursday.

Nov 27, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Mystery foot belongs to ancient human relative: Scientists

Newly discovered fossils prove that a mysterious foot found in Ethiopia belongs to a little-known, recently named ancient human relative who lived alongside the species of the famous Lucy, scientists said Wednesday.

Nov 27, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / DNA transcription is a tightly choreographed event: How RNA polymerase II regulates the dance

Life's instructions are written in DNA, but it is the enzyme RNA polymerase II (Pol II) that reads the script, transcribing RNA in eukaryotic cells and eventually giving rise to proteins. Scientists know that Pol II must ...

Nov 27, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Instagram users overestimate their social media addiction, study suggests

Instagram users may overestimate the extent to which they are addicted to the platform, according to research conducted on 1,204 U.S. adults published in Scientific Reports. The findings suggest that for most social media ...

Nov 27, 2025 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / RNA in action: Filming ribozyme self-assembly

RNA is a central biological macromolecule, now widely harnessed in medicine and nanotechnology. Like proteins, RNA function often depends on its precise three-dimensional structure. A recent study published in Nature Communications ...

Nov 27, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Drones: An ally in the sky to help save elephants

They say an elephant never forgets—and it turns out they can learn to adapt to drones. Once seen as a source of alarm, drones are now proving to be surprisingly elephant-friendly and a valuable research tool. Previously, ...

Nov 27, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Satellites spot surprising tsunami patterns: Massive Kamchatka quake challenges old models

A satellite deployed to measure ocean surface heights was up to the challenge when a massive earthquake off the Kamchatka Peninsula triggered a Pacific-wide tsunami in late July.

Nov 27, 2025 in Earth
Phys.org / Electric discharges detected on Mars for the first time

On Mars, winds constantly stir up whirlwinds of fine dust. It was at the center of two of these dust devils that the SuperCam instrument's microphone, the first ever to operate on Mars, accidentally recorded particularly ...

Nov 26, 2025 in Astronomy & Space