Phys.org news
Phys.org / Organic matter diversity determines how much iron is available for marine life, study finds
How much of the essential trace element iron remains available for marine life in the ocean depends critically on the diversity of organic molecules in seawater, according to new research published in Nature Communications ...
Phys.org / Deep-ocean heat has been marching closer to Antarctica, reveals long-term study
A new decades-long study of oceanographic data provides the first evidence that deep-ocean heat has moved closer to Antarctica, threatening the fragile ice shelves that fringe the continent.
Phys.org / Zinc–redox crosstalk: A new key to cellular protein quality control
Zinc is an essential trace element that controls myriad biological processes. The delicate balance of its concentration in the body is critical; both deficiency and excess are linked to severe pathological states such as ...
Phys.org / Stick-on gel delivers drugs directly to plants to clear infections quickly
A stick-on gel for plants could one day offer a simple, safe and targeted way to treat diseases and pests. Engineers at the University of California San Diego have developed an adhesive gel that can be loaded with substances, ...
Phys.org / Airborne desert dust may warm climate far more than expected, new analysis shows
Atmospheric dust plays a dual role in Earth's climate: it reflects some sunlight back into space while also absorbing and retaining the planet's heat like an insulating blanket. But while dust likely cools the planet overall, ...
Phys.org / Soil, not fertilizer, is primary source of nitrogen gas loss in rice paddies, study reveals
Rice production is heavily dependent on nitrogen fertilizers, particularly in China, where application rates are two to three times the global average. At the same time, a large amount of nitrogen is lost to the environment—mainly ...
Phys.org / Tiny DNA fragments, big agricultural insights: New genomic approach helps improve crop resilience
The genes that could help the world's crops survive drought, heat, and disease probably already exist. But much of this genetic diversity remains hidden within ancient plant varieties and forgotten seed collections, among ...
Phys.org / Two whale groups separated by seas—but not by genes, study finds
A paper in Genome Biology and Evolution discovers that the endangered Mediterranean fin whale is not completely isolated from Atlantic groups. Both Atlantic and Mediterranean populations have declined for the past 200,000 ...
Phys.org / Research reveals why beavers are getting busy sooner in spring
A University of Alberta study has whittled down climate-related reasons beavers are emerging earlier onto the ice from their lodges in the spring—a shift that helps them store more winter food but could also lead to more ...
Phys.org / Rainforests can buffer rising CO₂ in the short term—but this comes at a cost
Tropical forests are among the world's most important carbon sinks. A new study by the Technical University of Munich (TUM), the University of Vienna, and Brazil's National Institute for Amazonian Research suggests that even ...
Phys.org / Handle with care: Mobile microgrippers pick up cells in a pinch
In tissue engineering, the tiniest bit of improper force can harm a living culture. Spheroids—3D clumps of cells—can be used to model complex human tissues, because they can re-create specific cell-to-cell and cell-to-matrix ...
Phys.org / Why do high-speed particles bounce higher in wet collisions?
Researchers have uncovered a counterintuitive phenomenon in collision dynamics: high-speed particles bounce back from wet walls much more strongly than expected. Integrating experimental observations with advanced numerical ...
