Phys.org news

Phys.org / Hidden ocean feedback loop could accelerate climate change

The world's oceans may be quietly amplifying climate change in ways scientists are only beginning to understand. In a new study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, University of Rochester scientists—including ...

Apr 9, 2026
Phys.org / Great apes mirror facial expressions with surprising precision, study shows

New research from the University of Portsmouth has found that great apes exhibit exactness in mimicking one another's facial expressions in social contexts. The study, published in Scientific Reports, explored how orangutans ...

Apr 9, 2026
Phys.org / Non-producing oil and gas wells may emit microbial methane at rates 1,000 times higher than previously estimated

Microbial methane leaking from non-producing oil and gas wells is being emitted at rates about 1,000 times higher than previously estimated, according to a new study led by McGill University researchers. "Origins of Subsurface ...

Apr 9, 2026
Phys.org / Medieval Japanese poetry and buried trees help elucidate volatile space weather

On Earth, extreme solar activity often appears as beautiful, benign auroras. But venturing beyond the safety of the Earth's magnetic field, one faces the full brunt of a temperamental star that can suddenly erupt with flares ...

Apr 9, 2026
Phys.org / Ancient Māori remains point to largely plant-based diets before colonization

New research led by the University of Otago—Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka, in close partnership with mana whenua, is shedding new light on Māori diet and burial practices in Aotearoa New Zealand prior to European colonization. The ...

Apr 9, 2026
Phys.org / Hat wars of early modern England reveal how manners make the rebel

From refusing to doff hats in court to resisting hat-snatching highway robbers, England's relationship with hats goes far deeper than fashion, new research shows.

Apr 9, 2026
Phys.org / AI diffusion models tailor drug molecules to custom-fit protein targets, speeding drug development and evaluation

University of Virginia School of Medicine scientists have developed a bold new approach to drug development and discovery that could dramatically accelerate the creation of new medicines. UVA's Nikolay V. Dokholyan, Ph.D., ...

Apr 9, 2026
Phys.org / Dragonflies share humans' red-light sensing trick, detecting wavelengths near 720 nm

Sometimes, different organisms can evolve the same ability independently, a process called parallel evolution. A new study from Osaka Metropolitan University (OMU) has found that dragonflies sense red light similarly to mammals, ...

Apr 9, 2026
Phys.org / Single-shot imaging captures more information about ultrafast microscopic processes than previously possible

Researchers have developed a new imaging technique that captures more information about ultrafast processes in the microscopic world than was previously possible. The technique offers scientists a powerful new tool to observe ...

Apr 9, 2026
Phys.org / One DNA letter can trigger complete sex reversal

Researchers at Bar-Ilan University have discovered that changing just one letter in DNA can completely alter sex development in mice. In the new study, published in Nature Communications, a single-letter insertion in a non-coding ...

Apr 9, 2026
Phys.org / Liquid-like histone H1 'glues' nucleosomes, reshaping how DNA compacts

DNA inside the nucleus is not packed as a rigid regular fiber—linker histone H1 dynamically binds and loosely "glues" nucleosomes together, creating a dynamic, fluid organization that can still support essential genome functions.

Apr 9, 2026
Phys.org / Carbon nanotube fiber sensors achieve record measurement error below 0.1%

Skoltech scientists, in collaboration with colleagues from China and Iran, have taken a major step toward creating highly precise carbon nanotube fiber (CNTF)-based sensors. In a paper published in the iScience journal, the ...

Apr 9, 2026