Phys.org news

Phys.org / Climate change is forcing amphibians to change their diet—but they can only adapt so far

New research involving Queen Mary University of London reveals that amphibians can change what they eat to cope with rising temperatures, but that this natural survival strategy has limits.

Jul 14, 2026
Phys.org / Human noise pushes Alaska predators toward night foraging, altering salmon nutrient pathways

The age-old question asks, "If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?" While philosophers and scientists alike have pondered this question for centuries, the more relevant question ...

Jul 14, 2026
Phys.org / How tides and river water combine to amplify floods

Ocean tides push upstream along coastal rivers, in some cases reaching hundreds of kilometers (hundreds of miles) inland. These inland stretches are known as tidal rivers, and they're the scene of complex interactions between ...

Jul 14, 2026
Phys.org / New cell imaging method shines a light on blind spots

Cells are crowded, dynamic places where thousands of molecules interact in tight quarters. Until now, scientists lacked a reliable way to see many of these molecular interactions as they happen. Researchers at the University ...

Jul 14, 2026
Phys.org / First-of-its-kind computer model tackles antibiotic resistance

Faster and more effective ways to treat Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a bacterium identified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as one of the most life-threatening pathogens, could be possible thanks to a first-of-its-kind ...

Jul 14, 2026
Phys.org / Heavy-element exotic dust may solve a neutron star merger mystery

When neutron stars merge, they create a powerful explosion called a kilonova that flings out neutron-rich material, some of which decays into heavy elements through a process called the r-process. Recent observations of kilonovae ...

Jul 14, 2026
Phys.org / Researchers develop harder, longer-lasting silver plating

A research team led by Seil Kim of the Korea Institute of Materials Science (KIMS) Energy & Environmental Materials Research Division has developed an Ag–PTFE composite plating technology that produces silver coatings with ...

Jul 14, 2026
Phys.org / Bio-metal: Exploring the metallic mystery of an ancient maw

When playing the classic game "20 Questions," one may begin with the common opener: "Animal, vegetable, or mineral?"

Jul 14, 2026
Phys.org / Space cargo costs could fall more than 90% by 2040, study suggests

The expense of launching cargo into space will plummet over the next few years, with the cost of reaching orbit forecast to more than halve between now and the end of the decade, and fall by around 93% by 2040, according ...

Jul 14, 2026
Phys.org / Research brings the era of microbial cell factories one step closer

The era of "biomanufacturing," in which microbes, not petroleum, produce chemical products, is one step closer. A KAIST research team has analyzed the key challenges limiting the commercialization of biomanufacturing and ...

Jul 14, 2026
Phys.org / Evolutionary history shapes plant carbon storage strategies worldwide

Two types of carbohydrates are important to plants—structural carbohydrates (which form cell walls) and nonstructural carbohydrates (NSCs). The latter group represents plants' stored energy reserves, which can be used to ...

Jul 14, 2026
Phys.org / Onion-like chemical halos may surround phytoplankton that power half of global photosynthesis

The interactions between microscopic algal cells and bacteria in the oceans play a pivotal role in the global carbon cycle. Researchers at ETH Zurich have now taken an important step toward deciphering the chemical language ...

Jul 14, 2026