Phys.org news

Phys.org / Starquakes reveal red giant's turbulent history and rapid spin in black hole system

Astronomers from the University of Hawaiʻi Institute for Astronomy (IfA) have uncovered the turbulent past of a distant red giant by listening to its celestial "song." Subtle variations in the star's brightness suggest that ...

Nov 26, 2025 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Helping to grow plants in space for NASA missions to the moon and mars

Imagine biting into a crisp, garden-fresh salad and savoring juicy strawberries for dessert. But instead of your backyard, you're gazing out at a stark lunar landscape, Earth hanging like a precious blue marble in the inky ...

Nov 26, 2025 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Meteorite crater hosts methane-making microbes—a clue to life on Mars?

Scientists have discovered living microbes producing methane in the fractured rocks deep inside Sweden's Siljan impact crater, offering insights into Earth's earliest life and the search for life beyond our planet.

Nov 26, 2025 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Plants use engineering principles to push through hard soil

Across the globe, soil compaction is becoming an ever more serious challenge. Heavy vehicles and machinery in modern agriculture compress the soil to such an extent that crops struggle to grow. In many regions, the problem ...

Nov 26, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Exceptional points alter the order of lasing modes

Exceptional points (EPs) are non-Hermitian singularities where two or more eigenstates coalesce, resulting in the eigenspace collapsing in dimensionality. Over the past decade, researchers have uncovered a wealth of exotic ...

Nov 26, 2025 in Physics
Phys.org / Global bird study reveals declining ecosystem resilience

Human-driven changes to landscapes worldwide are 'thinning out' the ecological services supplied by wild birds, eroding the functions that support stable and resilient ecosystems.

Nov 26, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Cellular 'nanodomains' act as hidden hubs for protein clusters linked to ALS and dementia

Inside the cell reside many tiny assembly factories and warehouses that gather together all of the proteins and RNAs—which carry out instructions from our DNA—that a living being needs.

Nov 26, 2025 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / Avalanches are of key importance to glaciers worldwide

An international research team has shown that avalanches are crucial to the survival of many glaciers worldwide. The study aims to contribute to better predictions of water resources and natural hazards in the context of ...

Nov 26, 2025 in Earth
Phys.org / New deep-learning tool can tell if salmon is wild or farmed

A paper published in Biology Methods and Protocols, finds that it is now possible to distinguish wild from farmed salmon using deep learning, potentially greatly improving strategies for environmental protection. The paper ...

Nov 26, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Making LAZY plants stand up: Research reveals new pathway plants use to detect gravity

A study by researchers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison has revealed a previously unknown pathway plants use to detect gravity and orient the direction they grow in. Publishing in Proceedings of the National Academy ...

Nov 26, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Enzyme discovered in cyanobacteria can add phosphate groups to therapeutic peptides

Researchers from CIIMAR and the University of Helsinki have discovered a new biochemical modification in natural cyanobacterial products, revealing an unprecedented tool with promising applications in biotechnology and drug ...

Nov 26, 2025 in Chemistry
Phys.org / What meadows reveal about the future: Spatial data can predict biodiversity loss before species disappear

Meadows once teeming with buzzing insects and colorful plants are quietly losing their diversity. But how fast is this change happening and can we detect it before species disappear? A German-Swiss research team led by Professor ...

Nov 26, 2025 in Biology