Phys.org news

Phys.org / Coral skeletons left by a medieval tsunami whisper a warning for Caribbean region
Sometime between 1381 and 1391, an earthquake exceeding magnitude 8.0 rocked the northeastern Caribbean and sent a tsunami barreling toward the island of Anegada.

Phys.org / Humans driving extinctions on scale not seen since dinosaurs, scientists say
Human activity may be triggering the greatest extinction event since the asteroid impact that wiped out the dinosaurs, according to scientists. Their study, based on a review of decades of research on environmental change, ...

Phys.org / Researchers debunk new sex selection method
In 2019, a group of researchers in Japan published a study that promised the potential to revolutionize sex selection for scientists, farmers, and potentially even human fertility treatments.

Phys.org / Stinkbug's 'ears on legs' are really symbiotic organs that nurture fungi for guarding eggs against enemies, study finds
Like humans, insects possess sensory organs responsible for vision, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. For vision, insects primarily rely on compound eyes. But what about hearing? For example, crickets develop tympanal organs ...

Phys.org / Record spin waves thanks to flux quanta
Spin waves are considered to be promising candidates for a new form of electronics. Instead of electrons, the focus here is on magnons. These quantized units of spin waves describe how spin precession propagates. Similar ...

Phys.org / Global research shows how Dust Bowl-type drought causes unprecedented productivity loss
A global research effort led by Colorado State University shows that extreme, prolonged drought conditions in grasslands and shrublands would greatly limit the long-term health of crucial ecosystems that cover nearly half ...

Phys.org / Climate whiplash effects due to rapidly intensifying El Niño cycles
A new study published in the journal Nature Communications reveals that the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), a key driver of global climate variability, is projected to undergo a dramatic transformation due to greenhouse ...

Phys.org / Large fluctuations in sea level throughout the last ice age challenge understanding of past climate
Large changes in global sea level, fueled by fluctuations in ice sheet growth and decay, occurred throughout the last ice age, rather than just toward the end of that period, a study published in the journal Science has found.

Phys.org / Overheating bat boxes place bats in mortal danger during heat waves
Staying cool during heat waves is challenging for small creatures, but the problem could be even more extreme for nocturnal creatures that are unable to move to cooler locations while slumbering.

Phys.org / What vibrating molecules might reveal about cell biology
Infrared vibrational spectroscopy at BESSY II can be used to create high-resolution maps of molecules inside live cells and cell organelles in their native aqueous environment, according to a new study by a team from HZB ...

Phys.org / Mitochondria play an unexpected role in regulating cell death, study reveals
A new study from The University of Texas at Arlington has revealed how cells control their mitochondria—the "energy producers" of cells—during the process of cell death. The discovery sheds light on how the body manages ...

Phys.org / Learning the language of lasso peptides to improve peptide engineering
In the hunt for new therapeutics for cancer and infectious diseases, lasso peptides prove to be a catch. Their knot-like structures afford these molecules high stability and diverse biological activities, making them a promising ...