Phys.org news

Phys.org / Proteins can be selectively controlled with radio waves

In a significant advance in biological quantum sensing, a research team led by the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has discovered and tested a new mechanism of action in which proteins can be controlled with radio waves. ...

Jun 2, 2026
Phys.org / Canadian forest fires are losing their climate cooling power, says study

Diminishing periods of snow cover in northern forests, shortened by climate change, are poised to disrupt a delicate balance in some of the planet's most climate-sensitive regions—according to new research from McMaster University, ...

Jun 2, 2026
Phys.org / Leafy camouflage reshapes katydid love songs, making males more attractive to females

New research from the University of St Andrews has discovered that insects who conceal themselves as leaves also use their leafy camouflage to amplify mating calls, making themselves more attractive to the opposite sex. The ...

Jun 2, 2026
Phys.org / First human SMUG1 atomic snapshots reveal how cells repair DNA

Researchers have captured the first atomic structures of human SMUG1, an enzyme that helps cells repair damaged DNA. The findings provide new insight into how cells recognize and remove harmful DNA bases, and may support ...

Jun 2, 2026
Phys.org / Animals were sharpening their senses long before the Cambrian explosion, ancient tracks reveal

Tracks left by some of the earliest complex animals are giving new insights into how they experienced the world. New research reveals how these creatures started to understand their surroundings, paving the way for animal ...

Jun 2, 2026
Phys.org / Climate-based tool predicts coral bleaching months in advance, offering critical lead time for reef protection

Researchers at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) have developed a new method to predict coral bleaching five to six months before it occurs, giving reef managers valuable time to protect vulnerable ecosystems. ...

Jun 2, 2026
Phys.org / Faster lower-cost PFAS testing could reshape how US drinking water is monitored

A new investigation from the University of Kansas improves detection of PFAS, a family of so-called "forever chemicals" in drinking water supplies. The method, which can measure trace pollution levels of PFAS in water more ...

Jun 2, 2026
Phys.org / Meteor as heavy as an elephant causes widespread speculation across New England

When the double boom rang out in New England over the weekend, shaking homes and sending pets fleeing, questions started flooding social media.

Jun 2, 2026
Phys.org / Environmental engineers reshape understanding of airborne pollution particles

From sizzling bacon in the kitchen to wildfire smoke in the sky, cooking and pollution release microscopic particles that affect humans' health, the air they breathe, and even weather and climate. New research from Virginia ...

Jun 2, 2026
Phys.org / Nine decades of changing insect diversity in Switzerland expose a striking divide

Thanks to a historical data archive, Swiss researchers are able to draw conclusions about the changes in the diversity of two insect groups over the past 90 years. The study, led by Agroscope, identified a significant decline ...

Jun 2, 2026
Phys.org / UN warns world to prepare for El Nino extreme weather

There is an 80% chance of the warming El Niño phenomenon developing between June and August, increasing the risk of extreme weather events, the World Meteorological Organization said Tuesday.

Jun 2, 2026
Phys.org / Ancient altercations between musk turtles and alligator gar recorded in Florida's fossil record

Sometime between 5.5 and 5.6 million years ago, two shell crushers squared off in the languid currents of an ancient Florida river. The fossils they left behind, discovered by paleontologists at the Florida Museum of Natural ...

Jun 2, 2026