Phys.org news

Phys.org / Genomic study uncovers button mushroom's evolutionary and domestication history

A large-scale population genomic study has shed new light on the evolutionary and domestication history of the button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus), one of the most widely cultivated edible fungi in the world.

Jan 12, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Surprise discovery reveals silica's hidden potential in flat optics

An unexpected discovery in a Harvard lab has led to a breakthrough insight into choosing an unconventional material, silica, to make optical metasurfaces—ultra-thin, flat structures that control light at the nanoscale and ...

Jan 12, 2026 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / El Niño events projected to cut life expectancy gains and cost trillions by 2100

The El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), the planet's greatest driver of year-to-year climate swings, shapes temperature, rainfall, and extreme weather around the world. Its impact ranges from heat waves and floods to air ...

Jan 12, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / Major gaps in global satellite maps of forests raise policy concerns

For decades, global efforts to combat climate change and protect biodiversity have relied on a high-tech promise: that satellite-derived maps can tell us exactly where the world's forests are.

Jan 12, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / Queen conch's hopping behavior helps set new conservation guidance

A new study published in Conservation Biology examines the behavior and distribution of queen conch (Aliger gigas) to guide conservation management for the threatened sea snail.

Jan 12, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Eye for trouble: Automated counting for chromosome issues under the microscope

Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have developed a suite of algorithms to automate the counting of sister chromatid exchanges (SCE) in chromosomes under the microscope. Conventional analysis requires trained ...

Jan 12, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Scientists observe infections by cancer-causing retroviruses in koalas as they occur

An international team of scientists has analyzed the ongoing colonization by two retroviruses of the germline of koalas and resulting deaths from cancer in multi-generational pedigrees of over 100 koalas in US and European ...

Jan 12, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Global 60-year study sheds light on staple crops' nutrient use inefficiency

A 60-year study covering 205 countries and regions worldwide has systematically uncovered the evolutionary patterns of nitrogen and phosphorus use efficiency (NUE and PUE) in the four major staple crops—rice, wheat, maize, ...

Jan 12, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Vaccinia virus breaks textbook rules by ditching its cap

A research team led by Václav Vopálenský and Martin Pospíšek from the Faculty of Science, Charles University, has discovered a surprising way in which the vaccinia virus handles its genetic messages.

Jan 12, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Regular email reminders can help bank customers save more money

Wish you could save more money? A new study led by Katy Milkman, a Wharton professor of operations, information and decisions and the co-director of Penn's Behavior Change for Good Initiative (BCFG) finds that simple reminder ...

Jan 12, 2026 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Living sensor display turns engineered skin into a biological monitor

Wearable health devices, such as smartwatches, have become commonplace, enabling the continuous monitoring of physiological signals at the skin's surface. A research team in Japan has developed a biohybrid approach that works ...

Jan 12, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Physicists create resilient 3D solitons in the lab

For the first time, physicists in Italy have created a 'lump soliton': an extremely stable packet of light waves which can travel through 3D space, and even interact with other solitons without losing its shape.

Jan 11, 2026 in Physics