Phys.org news

Phys.org / Meadows reveal unexpected monotony in insect biodiversity study

According to a new study by the University of Würzburg, Bavarian meadows are the most monotonous insect habitats. Surprisingly, fields and settlements often offer more diversity than grassland.

Jan 22, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Sharktober: Scientists confirm spike in tiger shark bites in October

New University of Hawaiʻi research confirms that "Sharktober" is real, revealing a statistically significant spike in shark bite incidents in Hawaiian waters every October. The study, which analyzed 30 years of data (1995–2024), ...

Jan 22, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Resurrected ancient enzyme offers new window into early Earth and the search for life beyond it

By resurrecting a 3.2-billion-year-old enzyme and studying it inside living microbes, researchers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison have created a new way to improve our understanding of the origins of life on Earth ...

Jan 22, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Growth chambers could enable reproducible plant-microbe data across continents

Harnessing the power of artificial intelligence to study plant microbiomes—communities of microbes living in and around plants—could help improve soil health, boost crop yields, and restore degraded lands. But there's ...

Jan 22, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Accessing water on Mars: Examining the best technologies for future missions

A new study has examined how future human missions to Mars could access one of the planet's most vital resources—water. The "Martian aqua: occurrence of water and appraisal of acquisition technologies" paper, published ...

Jan 22, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Battery-free nano-sensors could pave the way for next-generation wearables

Nano-sensors that work without batteries or wires could pave the way for more comfortable, less obtrusive sleep and health care monitoring at home, according to scientists at the University of Surrey.

Jan 22, 2026 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / Entangled atomic clouds enable more precise quantum measurements

Researchers at the University of Basel and the Laboratoire Kastler Brossel have demonstrated how quantum mechanical entanglement can be used to measure several physical parameters simultaneously with greater precision.

Jan 22, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Stress-reduction molecule has potential to treat aging and metabolic disorders

University of Queensland researchers say the discovery of a new stress reduction role for a naturally occurring molecule in the body could lead to new drugs and treatment for metabolic disorders and aging.

Jan 22, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / AI model that found 370 exoplanets now digs into TESS data

Scientists have discovered over 6,000 planets that orbit stars other than our sun, known as exoplanets. More than half of these planets were discovered thanks to data from NASA's retired Kepler mission and NASA's current ...

Jan 22, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Aging zoo animals threaten long-term species conservation goals

Many mammal populations in European and North American zoos are aging—a trend that jeopardizes the long-term viability of so-called reserve populations and, with it, a core mission of modern zoos in global species conservation. ...

Jan 22, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Domestication has changed the chemicals that squash flowers use to attract bees

Flowers emit scented chemicals to attract pollinators, but this perfume—and how pollinators interact with the plant—can go through profound changes as a crop becomes domesticated.

Jan 22, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Nash equilibria: The hidden math behind predator–prey behaviors

Animal survival depends on effective attack and defense strategies, yet how these behaviors arise remains unclear. Addressing this question, a recent study shows that predator and prey behaviors emerge naturally as stable ...

Jan 22, 2026 in Biology