Phys.org news

Phys.org / Homo antecessor skull layers resemble modern humans and Neanderthals, fragments suggest

A new study provides quantitative data on cranial vault thickness in Homo antecessor, based on the analysis of three parietal fragments recovered from the Gran Dolina site in the Sierra de Atapuerca, Burgos, Spain.

Aug 3, 2026
Phys.org / Bringing it all into focus—computational microscope captures 25.2 billion pixels per second across a wide field of view

When designing microscopes, optical engineers have long faced a trade-off between speed, field of view and resolution. But improving one of these properties typically comes at the expense of another. Now, a UC Berkeley–led ...

Aug 3, 2026
Phys.org / Stomach stone hypothesis sheds light on the evolution of dinosaur digestive systems

An international research team led by Assistant Professor Ryuji Takasaki of the Faculty of Biosphere-Geosphere Science at Okayama University of Science has published a paper proposing a new hypothesis on the evolutionary ...

Aug 3, 2026
Phys.org / Male sperm whales produce loudest communication sounds ever measured in any mammal

Deep in the world's oceans, large male sperm whales emit slow, low-frequency clicks with the highest source levels of any animal communication sounds. These slow clicks are not the echolocation clicks the whales use to locate ...

Aug 3, 2026
Phys.org / Seven new diamond frog species reveal Madagascar's hidden amphibian diversity

An international team of scientists has described seven new species of Madagascar's elusive diamond frogs (Rhombophryne), revealing that one of the island's most mysterious groups of amphibians is even more diverse than previously ...

Aug 3, 2026
Phys.org / Mechanical shortcut' rapidly carries organic particles into the deep ocean

The processes that capture carbon from the atmosphere and store it on the seabed are crucial for climate balance. However, assessing these mechanisms is often complicated because it requires measurements ranging from the ...

Aug 3, 2026
Phys.org / Life speaks one universal language to activate genes: It speaks many more to silence them

The signals that cells use to switch genes on have remained almost unchanged across 2 billion years of evolution, but the ones used to switch genes off vary dramatically from one branch of life to another, according to a ...

Aug 3, 2026
Phys.org / Four labs find experimental differences can undermine AI catalyst predictions

To turn abundant carbon dioxide into valuable fuel, we need a fast and efficient way to determine which catalysts work best over the longest time. AI models have the potential to help guide catalyst selection, but as with ...

Aug 3, 2026
Phys.org / Why we overestimate the positive impact of our actions on the climate

Why is recycling waste or switching off the lights sometimes perceived as more effective for the climate than giving up air travel? A team from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) surveyed nearly 3,000 people and identified ...

Aug 3, 2026
Phys.org / Pluto's hazy atmosphere may be collapsing as it moves farther from the sun

Pluto is on an icy march away from the sun. In 2114, it will turn back, but until then, its elliptical orbit will carry it to colder and darker parts of the outer solar system. This is Pluto's first time entering the outer ...

Aug 3, 2026
Phys.org / Underground fungal networks come into 3D view without disturbing plant roots

Symbioses between plants and fungi are essential for most plants. Fungal structures known as mycorrhizae extend the area from which plants can draw water and nutrients from the soil. In return, plants supply the fungi with ...

Aug 3, 2026
Phys.org / Metal deposits reveal how ice ages reshaped oxygen levels across Earth's oceans

Earth's oceans repeatedly lost oxygen and produced metal deposits during the planet's deepest ice ages. An international team of researchers analyzed manganese and other chemical signatures preserved in more than 27,000 ancient ...

Aug 3, 2026