Phys.org news

Phys.org / New peanut genome map uncovers hidden gene, boosts dense-planting yields 20%

An international team that includes researchers from Murdoch University's Centre for Crop and Food Innovation (CCFI) has built the most comprehensive genetic map of the peanut yet and used this new genomic resource to breed ...

Sep 15, 2026
Phys.org / Home advantage or pastures new? High-Arctic shorebirds rarely return to the same breeding area

Shorebirds are capable of some of the longest migrations on Earth, yet most return year after year to the same area to breed. Coming back has distinct advantages, including knowing the best spots to feed or roost, having ...

Sep 15, 2026
Phys.org / Record-breaking levels of plastic found in seabirds, with almost 900 pieces found in one bird alone

For more than a decade, it was thought that the world's most plastic-polluted birds couldn't get any more contaminated by the man-made material. But then, from 2023–2026, the record was broken every single year.

Sep 15, 2026
Phys.org / Adaptive crystal can selectively capture CO₂ and recognize similar molecules

Chemical separation can be energy-intensive when molecules have similar sizes and properties. Researchers from Shibaura Institute of Technology, Japan, have now developed an interlayer adaptive crystal that changes its spacing ...

Sep 15, 2026
Phys.org / Indigenous Australian population was much larger than previously thought and decimated after First Fleet's arrival

Australia had a much larger Indigenous population before the arrival of Europeans than previously thought, according to new research. The research also demonstrates much larger population losses resulting from colonization ...

Sep 15, 2026
Phys.org / Mitotic chromosomes may assemble from pre-existing chromatin 'building blocks' during cell division

Inside each human cell, about 2 meters (6.6 feet) of genomic DNA must be accurately copied and equally transmitted to two daughter cells during cell division. To achieve this, the copied DNA is condensed into thick, short ...

Sep 15, 2026
Phys.org / Examining Americans' complicated relationship with science

A new study finds that while most Americans are interested in science and believe it benefits society, the public's relationship with science is more complicated than those positive views suggest.

Sep 15, 2026
Phys.org / Laser altimeter BELA ready to explore Mercury's surface

Launched on Oct. 20, 2018, the joint ESA/JAXA BepiColombo mission has traveled for almost eight years, using a carefully planned but eventful sequence of planetary flybys and solar-electric propulsion to gradually approach ...

Sep 15, 2026
Phys.org / Scientists create 'super ice' that is ten times stronger and far harder to shatter

Ice is cheap, abundant and surprisingly strong. But it has one major weakness: Cracks can race through it, causing it to shatter without warning. Now, scientists have developed a new material that could overcome that problem. ...

Sep 15, 2026
Phys.org / Robots and AI uncover unexpected pathway in classic 135-year-old chemical reaction

Chemical reactions are often written as simple equations: Starting materials go in, and a product comes out. In reality, the same substrates can follow many different pathways depending on their concentrations, temperature, ...

Sep 15, 2026
Phys.org / How individual cells 'surf' chemical waves to form a collective

Researchers have developed an innovative imaging technique to visualize the transition of single cells into multicellular organisms in new detail.

Sep 15, 2026
Phys.org / Satellite data reveal ESG scores track public image more than actual forest loss

Environmental sustainability researchers at NUS found that widely used environmental, social and governance (ESG) ratings often fail to reflect companies' actual exposure to deforestation, highlighting the need to integrate ...

Sep 15, 2026