Phys.org news

Phys.org / A hearing test for the world's rarest sea turtle: Understanding its vulnerability to human-caused noise

Kemp's ridley sea turtles are among the most endangered species of sea turtles in the world. They reside along the east and Gulf coasts of North America, alongside some of the world's most active shipping lanes. While the ...

Feb 3, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Accurately predicting Arctic sea ice in real time

Arctic sea ice has large effects on the global climate. By cooling the planet, Arctic ice impacts ocean circulation, atmospheric patterns, and extreme weather conditions, even outside the Arctic region. However, climate change ...

Feb 3, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / Superconductivity exposes altermagnetism by breaking symmetries, study suggests

How are superconductivity and magnetism connected? A puzzling relation between magnetism and superconductivity in a quantum material has lingered for decades—now, a study from TU Wien offers a surprising new explanation.

Feb 3, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / High-tech scans of an enigmatic 400-million-year-old lungfish reveal new details

New pieces have been added to the puzzle of the evolution of some of the oldest fish that lived on Earth more than 400 million years ago. In two separate studies, experts in Australia and China have found new clues about ...

Feb 3, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Probiotics for plants: Microorganisms boost growth and nitrogen uptake

Researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have identified a bacterial genus that promotes root growth and nitrogen uptake in plants. The findings open new possibilities for developing customized "plant probiotics" ...

Feb 3, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Are cats 'vegan' meat eaters? Why isotopic signatures of feline fur could trick us into thinking that way

Cats—unlike humans—are true carnivores: they must eat meat to survive because their bodies can't draw some essential nutrients from plants. By looking at tissues, researchers can get a good understanding of what foods ...

Feb 3, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Tiny droplets navigate mazes using 'chemical echolocation,' without sensors or computers

A recent study by a team of researchers led by TU Darmstadt has found that tiny amounts of liquid can navigate their way through unknown environments like living cells—without sensors, computers or external control. The ...

Feb 3, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Shrinking shellfish? Study uncovers acidic water risks in Indian River lagoon

Florida's Indian River Lagoon (IRL), one of the state's most ecologically productive estuaries, is facing a growing but invisible threat that could reshape its marine ecosystems. Over the past decade, the lagoon has suffered ...

Feb 3, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Stable boron compounds pave the way for easier drug development

A major step toward simpler drug development has been taken at the University of Gothenburg. In a new study, researchers have developed stable boron-fluorine compounds that make it possible to increase the effect or reduce ...

Feb 3, 2026 in Chemistry
Phys.org / Niobium's superconducting switch cuts near-field radiative heat transfer 20-fold

When cooled to its superconducting state, niobium blocks the radiative flow of heat 20 times better than when in its metallic state, according to a study led by a University of Michigan Engineering team. The experiment marks ...

Feb 3, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Chromosome-level genome unlocks evolution of endangered fern Brainea insignis

Ferns, defined by large genomes, high chromosome counts, and pervasive aneuploidy as well as intraspecific polyploid complexity, diverge significantly from the classical genetic theories and analytical frameworks largely ...

Feb 3, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / From leadership to influencers: New study shows why we choose to follow others

For a long time, most scientists believed that early human hunter-gatherer societies were mostly equal, with little hierarchy or leadership, and that strong inequalities only emerged later with farming and complex societies. ...

Feb 3, 2026 in Other Sciences