Phys.org news

Phys.org / Chasing the ghost dog of the Amazon: New insights into a mythical canid

For decades, the short-eared dog (Atelocynus microtis) has been considered one of the least-known carnivores in Latin America, and potentially one of the least-known canids in the world. Because of its highly secretive nature, ...

Jun 9, 2026
Phys.org / Scientists uncover RNA's hidden role as protein chaperone

Proteins are how cells get work done. They carry out nearly every important cellular task, from ferrying messages to controlling which genes are turned on or off. And in order for proteins to perform their various roles, ...

Jun 9, 2026
Phys.org / Silent volcanic gas buildup revealed six months before La Palma eruption

Researchers at Geosciences Barcelona (GEO3BCN-CSIC) have developed a novel way to monitor the silent accumulation of volcanic gases beneath Earth's surface using seismic ambient noise. The results could significantly improve ...

Jun 9, 2026
Phys.org / A lack of sex held back life's diversity for millions of years, fossil study finds

The way that Earth's first animals reproduced held back life's diversity for millions of years, until stress and competition led to the development of sexual reproduction, which in turn accelerated the pace of evolution.

Jun 9, 2026
Phys.org / Children's motivation and attitudes towards learning play a key role in academic success, study finds

A major new study led by researchers at Queen Mary University of London has revealed that noncognitive skills—such as motivation, curiosity, academic interest and self-belief—play a key role in translating children's genetic ...

Jun 9, 2026
Phys.org / 'Seismic champagne effect' may explain why fires break out long after earthquakes

Following the devastating urban fire that broke out in Wajima City after Japan's 2024 Noto Peninsula earthquake, investigators struggled to identify a clear ignition source, despite widespread destruction and unusual reports ...

Jun 9, 2026
Phys.org / Zoned tourist vessel routes could curb invasive marine pests across Galápagos Islands

New research from Edith Cowan University (ECU) has identified a smarter, more effective way to protect fragile marine ecosystems from invasive species—an approach with global relevance for island regions around the world. ...

Jun 9, 2026
Phys.org / MeerKAT reveals three electron acceleration sites in one solar flare

Solar flares are the most explosive energy-release events in the solar corona, leading to intense particle acceleration, plasma heating and bulk plasma motions on short timescales. Core questions during solar flares remain ...

Jun 9, 2026
Phys.org / Tea compound boosts seaweed hydrogel strength fivefold, while tuning adhesion and breakdown

Could wound healing dressings adhere better, and could drug delivery patches become more sophisticated? A KAIST research team has developed a technology that leverages natural ingredients derived from plants to increase the ...

Jun 9, 2026
Phys.org / Why are sloths slow? It's in their DNA

Sloths are the slowest mammals on the planet, but living in dense jungles has made them notoriously difficult to study. For the first time, scientists have now sequenced and analyzed the two-toed sloth genome and revealed ...

Jun 9, 2026
Phys.org / New dating of Spain's Sala Keimada rock art sanctuary reveals thousands of years of continuous use

The Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana (CENIEH) has participated in a study published in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports on Sala Keimada, one of the rock art sanctuaries in Cueva Palomera, ...

Jun 9, 2026
Phys.org / Ancient ground squirrel droppings reveal Arctic's rich evolutionary history

Ground squirrel droppings, preserved for millennia in the Yukon's deep permafrost, have yielded an enormous amount of environmental DNA from dozens of species of plants, insects, microbes and large mammals, offering detailed ...

Jun 9, 2026