Phys.org news

Phys.org / Even small amounts of ocean plastic can affect petrel chicks

Ocean plastic pollution is accidentally on the menu for southern giant petrel chicks. Even small nibbles of it may affect their physiology during development, according to a study from the University of California, Davis, ...

Aug 31, 2026
Phys.org / Managing chronic conditions together may be key to longer lifespan, canine study finds

As dogs age, many develop more than one chronic health condition. New research from Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) shows those conditions can dramatically shorten a dog's lifespan, ...

Aug 31, 2026
Phys.org / Antarctica is home to microbes found nowhere else on Earth

Scientists have often wondered about species that are unique to Antarctica. But the focus has mainly been on animals, like feathery penguins. CIRES researchers wanted to dig deeper—into the soils—believing tiny organisms ...

Aug 31, 2026
Phys.org / Small-plane fuel raises lead levels up to sevenfold near Oregon airports, study suggests

Emissions from aircraft that use leaded aviation gasoline are a significant source of environmental pollution in neighborhoods near regional airports, according to a new study by researchers at Oregon State University and ...

Aug 31, 2026
Phys.org / Peptides can form well-defined structures in harsh, Venus-like conditions

When exploring solar system bodies for signs of past or present life, scientists have mainly focused on planets that have (or had) a liquid surface similar to Earth's. However, mounting evidence suggests that the ingredients ...

Aug 31, 2026
Phys.org / A 112°C test may separate 1,000-year-old pottery from recent forgeries

Museums around the world now have a new tool to distinguish real ancient clay artifacts from fakes. The research team at UC San Diego's Scripps Institution of Oceanography, led by postdoctoral scholar Yoav Vaknin, found a ...

Aug 31, 2026
Phys.org / Keeping cool saves thousands of lives yearly, but at a cost of worsening global warming, experts say

Cooling from air conditioning saves lives—more than 5,000 a year in the United States alone—but it also heats up the planet and taxes our electrical grid, scientists say.

Aug 31, 2026
Phys.org / Manganese's emission lines shine a light on galactic evolution

In a new study, a team of astronomers has identified wavelengths of light that could be useful for tracing the chemical evolution of the universe. Using computational modeling to simulate how electrons interact with manganese ...

Aug 31, 2026
Phys.org / Organic crystal reveals how Joule heating stabilizes resistive switching

Metal-insulator transitions (MITs), in which a material changes from a metallic state with low resistivity to an insulating state because of a change in an external parameter, such as temperature, pressure or an electric ...

Aug 31, 2026
Phys.org / Loss of kelp forests reverberates down to the microbial level

As one moves north, Maine's kelp forests are being overtaken by dense mats of carpet-like turf algae. The steady decline of kelp and transition into this new state are altering the ecosystem all the way down to the microbial ...

Aug 31, 2026
Phys.org / No smartphone, no problem: Plants have their own built-in 'Season-Meter'

You may check your phone before deciding what to wear tomorrow. Plants do something similar: they carry an internal gadget called a "Season-Meter" that tracks temperatures over the preceding weeks or months to help determine ...

Aug 31, 2026
Phys.org / Why some AI ads fail while others succeed

Artificial intelligence can create realistic depictions of just about anything, but that does not mean advertisers should lean on the technology, according to a study led by University of Mississippi professors.

Aug 31, 2026