Phys.org news
Phys.org / Small seabirds rely on crosswinds to navigate the open ocean
Storm petrels are among the smallest and most mysterious seabirds. Until recently, the use of biologgers to track their movements was impossible. A new study published in Biology Letters reveals that they routinely travel ...
Phys.org / Tiny forces, big effects: How particle interactions control the flow of soft materials
Sitting in a restaurant, you reach for the ketchup bottle, eyeing the basket of fries in front of you. You give the bottle a shake, then a tap. For a moment, nothing happens—the ketchup clings stubbornly to the glass. Then, ...
Phys.org / The stability paradox: How do organisms change shape over the course of evolution?
Researchers at the Technion have discovered how changes in genetic regulatory sequences can lead to alterations in the form and structure of animals—even when genetic regulatory systems are stable and resistant to change. ...
Phys.org / Fire that scorched African mountain range was unprecedented in the last 12,000 years, research shows
In 2012, a wildfire ripped through 42 square kilometers of alpine moorland in Africa's Rwenzori Mountains, a range of glaciated peaks on the border of Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The blaze, which occurred ...
Phys.org / Why heavier rain can mean less usable water as global warming intensifies
A Dartmouth study shows that annual rainfall in much of the world has consolidated over the past four decades into heavier storms with longer dry periods in between.
Phys.org / Sustainable electrosynthesis enables production of amines directly from airborne nitrogen
Amines are a functional group characterized by the presence of a nitrogen atom bonded to one or more alkyl or aryl (aromatic ring) groups. Derived from ammonia, amines play crucial roles in biological systems and various ...
Phys.org / How water fleas detect their predators
Daphnia, also known as water fleas, are artists of defense. When their predators live nearby, the water fleas change their body structure to make themselves more difficult to eat. Professor Linda Weiss from Ruhr University ...
Phys.org / Slower winds help grasslands enhance carbon gain while saving water, study finds
Grasslands, covering 40% of Earth's vegetated surface, play a crucial role in the global carbon balance but are increasingly threatened by climate-driven water scarcity. A new study published in Science Advances finds, however, ...
Phys.org / Methane fingerprints sharpen global emissions map, pointing to China, India and Central Africa
Atmospheric methane levels have surged to record highs in recent years and are projected to increase by as much as 13% by 2030, according to a report from the Climate & Clean Air Coalition. As scientists work to better understand ...
Phys.org / Earth system AI closes data gaps to shows how extreme weather emerges
The impacts were severe: Within a very short time, tropical storm Doksuri intensified into a super typhoon in July 2023. Exceptionally strong winds tore roofs from houses along the coasts of China and the Philippines, trees ...
Phys.org / More selective breeding might help flat-faced dogs to breathe easier
Breeding programs could alter heritable dog characteristics to reduce the rates of brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS), a breathing disorder common in dogs such as Bulldogs, French Bulldogs and Pugs—according ...
Phys.org / Climate emulator recreates 2.6 million years of ice-age cycles on a laptop
Researchers at the University of Bristol have developed a new method which could help scientists perform large-scale climate simulations at a fraction of the cost and time needed compared to traditional climate models. The ...