Phys.org news

Phys.org / Endangered basking sharks rely on the ocean twilight zone during long-distance migrations

Endangered basking sharks aren't fasting during long-distance migrations. A new study led by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution shows that they may be foraging along the way, and in much deeper areas of the ocean than ...

Jun 4, 2026
Phys.org / On-demand Arctic observations with low-cost balloon systems could sharpen local storm forecasts

Arctic communities are increasingly exposed to dangerous weather events due to climate change and rely on accurate weather forecasts. However, conditions in the lower atmosphere remain poorly observed in the Arctic because ...

Jun 4, 2026
Phys.org / D&D-seq maps DNA-protein interactions in single cells with multi-omics compatibility

A new technology allows scientists to map, in single cells, the DNA binding sites of transcription factors and other regulatory proteins that control gene activity, according to a study led by investigators at Weill Cornell ...

Jun 4, 2026
Phys.org / Majestic manta rays dive deep to survive storm events, data reveal

New research led by the University of the Sunshine Coast has found that reef manta rays are diving deep in storm events to find food and stay alive. As World Environment Day is celebrated around the globe on June 5, the findings ...

Jun 4, 2026
Phys.org / Can fighting via text be good for a relationship?

Today, many of our social interactions are routed through technology: text messages, video calls, voice messages, emails and instant messaging apps. In romantic relationships, couples often use these methods to deal with ...

Jun 4, 2026
Phys.org / Not too sunny, not too shady, just right for Japanese macaques

As climate change alters the temperatures of animal habitats, it seems natural that endotherms, warm-blooded animals, would prefer to hang out in the shade during hot weather. The use of microhabitats in the sun and shade ...

Jun 4, 2026
Phys.org / New gold-palladium catalysis mechanism could advance bio-based chemical manufacturing

The building‐block chemicals behind everyday products—like shampoo bottles, food containers, and kitchen spatulas—are largely derived from oil. Researchers are now working to replace those fossil‐fuel‐based inputs with materials ...

Jun 4, 2026
Phys.org / Moms' learned fear of snakes gets inherited by offspring in a critically endangered mouse, biologists discover

Conservationists often raise the young of endangered species in captivity before releasing them into suitable habitats as adults. The benefits are obvious: survival to adulthood is typically high, as captive animals are safe ...

Jun 4, 2026
Phys.org / Warming unlocks ancient carbon in Tibetan permafrost, triggering climate tipping point

A new study in Nature Communications finds a critical climate tipping point in Tibetan permafrost ecosystems. Warming of 2–4 degrees Celsius triggers a self-reinforcing cycle of carbon release that could significantly accelerate ...

Jun 3, 2026
Phys.org / Violating the 3rd law of black hole mechanics in vacuum gravity

Black holes, regions in space where gravity is so strong that nothing can escape, have been widely studied over the past decades, due to their unique and intriguing properties. Einstein's theory of general relativity predicts ...

Jun 3, 2026
Phys.org / How honeybees really crown their queens

For generations, scientists believed a queen honeybee was made almost entirely by diet: feed an ordinary larva enough royal jelly and a ruler emerges. But new research suggests queens are created through a more elaborate ...

Jun 3, 2026
Phys.org / Extraordinary fossils solve a 500-million-year mystery: Bryozoans were there at the dawn of animal life

Bryozoans are tiny, filter-feeding colonial invertebrates that thrive in the world's oceans today, yet for decades their origins presented a puzzling gap in the fossil record. While nearly every other major animal group made ...

Jun 3, 2026