Phys.org news

Phys.org / Silver European eel discovered in Cyprus for the first time

As part of a new study, researchers from Bournemouth University (BU) have discovered European eels, Anguilla anguilla, at the stage of silvering living in the inland waters of Cyprus for the first time. The paper is published ...

Feb 12, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / White-nose syndrome puzzle solved: Biological mechanisms behind devastating bat disease revealed

Millions of bats in North America have died from white-nose syndrome, and a new study from the University of Waterloo explores why and how the fungal disease has devastated bat populations on this continent, while it has ...

Feb 12, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Rolling out the carpet for spin qubits with new chip architecture

Researchers at QuTech in Delft, The Netherlands, have developed a new chip architecture that could make it easier to test and scale up quantum processors based on semiconductor spin qubits. The platform, called QARPET (Qubit-Array ...

Feb 12, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Strawberry guava prevents natural forest generation in Madagascar, project reveals

Rice University biologist Amy Dunham has spent decades studying the mountainous rainforests of Madagascar's Ranomafana National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site that was designated a national park in 1991. In a project ...

Feb 12, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Mapping where local pollution and fishing suppress climate refugia for world's coral reefs

As ocean temperatures rise due to climate change, corals and other sensitive organisms survive where temperatures are less extreme. But a new study from researchers at Florida Tech, published this month in the journal Communications ...

Feb 12, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / New perspectives on how physical instabilities drive embryonic development

Multicellularity is one of the most profound phenomena in biology, and relies on the ability of a single cell to reorganize itself into a complex organism. It underpins the diversity in the animal kingdom, from insects to ...

Feb 12, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Fentanyl makeover: Core structural redesign could lead to safer pain medications

Fentanyl is one of the most effective drugs for managing severe pain, yet it carries substantial risks of addiction and respiratory depression, the dangerous and sometimes fatal slowed breathing. These safety concerns have ...

Feb 12, 2026 in Chemistry
Phys.org / mRNA fragments reveal a hidden process that protects cells from harmful mutations

Some genetic mutations that are expected to completely stop a gene from working surprisingly cause only mild or even no symptoms. Researchers in previous studies have discovered one reason why: cells can ramp up the activity ...

Feb 12, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Ambitious climate action could save 1.32 million lives a year by 2040

Ambitious climate action to improve global air quality could save up to 1.32 million lives per year by 2040, according to a new study. The research, led by Cardiff University, shows how developing countries rely heavily on ...

Feb 12, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / Exploring how the Gulf Stream affects the climate system and the carbon cycle

It is well documented that the Gulf Stream plays a pivotal role in the climate system through its transfer of heat, which ultimately supplies warmth to northern latitudes in the North Atlantic. What remains less well understood ...

Feb 12, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / How AI is distorting online research, from polls to public policy

Artificial intelligence is increasingly able to simulate human behavior and answer online surveys and political polls, putting the reliability of survey-based research at risk. Consequences can be serious, not only for science ...

Feb 12, 2026 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / A DNA 'on-off' switch? Light and redox cues reversibly link strands for nanotech

DNA, the blueprint of life, is best known for its fundamental role as genetic material—storing and transmitting biological information through the precise sequence of its bases. For decades, this information-storage function ...

Feb 12, 2026 in Nanotechnology