Phys.org news

Phys.org / First ever dinosaur found in Antarctica described for science

The first dinosaur fossil found on the Antarctic continent has been described scientifically. The fossil, a vertebra, was found on a British Antarctic Survey (BAS) expedition in 1985 but has only recently been recognized ...

Jun 29, 2026
Phys.org / Bronze Age boat carvings point to maritime links from Iberia to Scandinavia

Bronze Age rock carvings suggest communities across Europe were far more connected than previously thought, according to a new study led by the Department of Archaeology. The research compared ancient rock carvings, or "petroglyphs," ...

Jun 29, 2026
Phys.org / Ozone depletion began decades before discovery of ozone hole, scientists find

The Antarctic ozone hole was discovered in 1985, when scientists observed a severe depletion in Earth's protective layer of stratospheric ozone. Industrial chemicals known as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), then widely used as ...

Jun 29, 2026
Phys.org / Why Europe's rising plant diversity may signal habitat disruption, not ecological recovery

The number of plant species in many ecosystems in Europe has grown rather than shrunk over the last 100 years. However, this is not necessarily cause for celebration, as this local increase is primarily due to generalists ...

Jun 29, 2026
Phys.org / Great Barrier Reef drilling reveals repeated collapse, regrowth and migration since last ice age

An international expedition including University of Sydney researchers has pieced together the clearest picture yet of how the Great Barrier Reef responded to dramatic environmental change over the past 30,000 years. Multiple ...

Jun 29, 2026
Phys.org / Cultural values may decide when comforting others feels like real support

When someone you love is upset, your first instinct may be to comfort them. To reassure them. To make them feel better. But what if that instinct isn't universal?

Jun 29, 2026
Phys.org / Ultra-faint galaxy discovered near Andromeda may be 12.5 billion years old

A new ultra-faint dwarf galaxy has been discovered in the vicinity of Andromeda (M31), the Milky Way's large neighboring galaxy. The new study, published in Astronomy & Astrophysics suggests that the galaxy, named And XXXVI, ...

Jun 29, 2026
Phys.org / Urban growth may slow by 2100, leaving big cities smaller than expected

The world is urbanizing fast. In 1975, about 11% of the global population lived in cities with more than 1 million inhabitants. "Today, we estimate that share to be about 24%," says Andrea Musso, junior fellow at the Complexity ...

Jun 29, 2026
Phys.org / Red-tailed hawks maintain flight performance despite missing feathers

Red-tailed hawks can compensate for feather loss during molt by subtly changing their wing and tail movements, according to a new study by University of California, Davis, researchers in the College of Engineering and the ...

Jun 29, 2026
Phys.org / Analyzing avalanches on asteroid Vesta offers new method for understanding regolith processes

A study conducted at the Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris uses images from NASA's Dawn mission and a Bayesian inversion of the Hapke photometric model to analyze avalanches and ejecta deposits on the asteroid Vesta. ...

Jun 29, 2026
Phys.org / New cellular model for rare and deadly melanomas enables study of immunotherapy resistance

A research team at the University of Turku in Finland has developed a reliable laboratory model to study BAP1-deficient melanomas, which are a rare type of melanoma that evade the immune system once they have metastasized ...

Jun 29, 2026
Phys.org / Table sugar could hold a cheaper, quicker key to making vital drugs

Pioneering research has developed a new way of creating carbohydrate-based medicines that could ultimately replace costly drugs for common health conditions, using two cheap basic ingredients—table sugar and vinegar.

Jun 29, 2026