en-us Science X internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Physics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine. Researchers in Germany have found that solar panels on rewetted peatland provide a unique habitat for bird species along with generating green energy and potentially locking up carbon. Installing solar panels on rewetted peatlands is a new type of land use, providing a way to generate green energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Now, research from the University of Greifswald has found that this novel land use may also benefit nature. The findings are published in Ecological Solutions and Evidence. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-solar-panels-rewetted-peatland-climate.html Mon, 08 Jun 2026 00:10:01 EDT news699811142 By borrowing a trick from tiny jumping spiders, Northwestern University engineers have developed an extremely energy-efficient 3D camera. Called SpiderCam, the new device senses depth the same way that jumping spiders judge distances before making a high-precision hop. To estimate depth, the system captures two images of the same scene with slightly different focus settings and measures subtle differences in blurriness between the two images. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-spiders-ultra-efficient-3d-camera.html Sun, 07 Jun 2026 16:50:01 EDT news699810781 Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have used simulations to show that a newly developed, compact X-ray telescope could be used to map the chemical composition of the entire lunar surface, a vital breakthrough for understanding its geological evolution. Detailed modeling of the detector and a realistic satellite mission show that two years would be enough to map five key elements, while an array of 5-by-5 detectors could improve resolution and get results faster. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-lunar-orbiter-concept-reveal-key.html Sun, 07 Jun 2026 15:48:23 EDT news700066069 When we think of wildlife trafficking, we might think of rhino horns or baby orangutans sold as pets—but the smuggling of sea creatures, a less well-known crime, is just as damaging to marine ecosystems. Unfortunately, many commonly smuggled marine wildlife items, like shark fins, can be hidden in baggage or parcels and carried across borders with relative ease, without being detected. To get around this, scientists used AI to develop an algorithm that can detect samples of commonly trafficked sea creatures—shark fins, seahorses, and sea cucumber—with 92% accuracy. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-ai-smuggled-seahorses-shark-fins.html Sun, 07 Jun 2026 19:00:02 EDT news699811861 Uncrewed vessels can navigate themselves and notify operators when they need support from shore-based navigators. However, such ships also require an international regulatory framework. Now, the first version is in place, largely thanks to Norwegian research. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-technology-seafarer.html Sun, 07 Jun 2026 20:30:01 EDT news699873104 A major goal of modern crop breeding is to efficiently combine multiple desirable traits by "stacking" the favorable gene variants (alleles) that contribute to those traits in a single crop variety. However, current strategies are often time-consuming and inefficient. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-platform-multiple-trait-stacking-crops.html Sun, 07 Jun 2026 18:00:02 EDT news699875763 Biophotonics is a multidisciplinary field that involves the development and application of light-based technologies to study, monitor and treat biological systems. The ability to directly image cells and molecules has led to many fundamental discoveries in the past century. More recently, the terahertz (THz) region of the electromagnetic spectrum has attracted growing interest as a promising frontier for advancing biological research. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-terahertz-biophotonics-path-applications-biological.html Sun, 07 Jun 2026 09:40:01 EDT news699874978 Incorporating more plant-based proteins could help people save on their grocery bill, but new research has found that it's not so simple when it comes to choices at the supermarket. Simon Fraser University researchers peeked into more than 87,000 grocery carts in Canada and Finland to study how much price influenced the type of protein people bought: animal-based or plant-based. Researchers discovered that while the price had to be right, having a variety of options also played a role. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-shoppers-based-proteins.html Sun, 07 Jun 2026 10:30:03 EDT news699624325 Self-driving taxis, already booming in the United States and China, are emerging in Europe, with major companies launching trials this year in several capitals and the European Union set to step on the accelerator Monday. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-europe-taxis.html Sun, 07 Jun 2026 15:25:02 EDT news700064676 Working from home comes with some major pluses. It's more flexible, there's no more pesky commute, work-life balance improves, and you can even stay in your pajamas all day if you want. But according to a major study of more than 580,000 American workers published in Science, remote work is taking its toll on people's mental health. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-remote-toll-mental-health-american.html Fri, 05 Jun 2026 12:20:03 EDT news699871293 Birth rates have been declining worldwide since the peak of the post-Second World War baby boom. Birth rates have now reached below replacement in most of the world, including Australia. Put simply, populations on average aren't replacing themselves. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-birth-declining-world.html Sat, 06 Jun 2026 08:00:05 EDT news699529233 A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences demonstrates how radiocarbon dating can reveal the maximum lifespan of Mediterranean hardwoods, uncovering hidden links between human history and long-term ecosystem dynamics. By analyzing mature and ancient oak trees across Italy, researchers found that a millennium of age is attainable from the Mediterranean coast to mountain environments. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-medieval-pandemic-left-hidden-legacy.html Sat, 06 Jun 2026 19:40:01 EDT news699875318 The supergiant bathynomid is a deep-sea isopod famous for surviving more than five years without food. Despite residing in an extremely low-nutrient habitat, these organisms exhibit pronounced body gigantism, a trait that requires substantial energy. This raises an energy paradox: How do these apparently energy-hungry isopods sustain their enormous size given the sporadic availability of food in the deep sea? https://phys.org/news/2026-06-deep-sea-supergiant-isopods-years.html Fri, 05 Jun 2026 11:00:04 EDT news699867498 Aviation is one of the sectors that contributes most to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change on Earth. One proposed strategy for mitigating or counterbalancing the effects of these emissions is to substitute existing jet fuel with a more sustainable alternative made from plastic waste, another source of pollution on Earth. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-plastic-yields-jet-fuel-kilogram.html Fri, 05 Jun 2026 11:20:05 EDT news699873834 Taiwan, historically known as Formosa, holds a secret deep within its rugged interior: it is one of the rare locations on Earth capable of supporting "giant" trees—specimens that tower over 80 meters in height. Since 2014, a dedicated group, the "Taiwan tree seekers," has been on a mission to locate and document these sky-piercing giants. The multidisciplinary team is a unique blend of professional tree climbers, ecologists, geologists, and remote sensing specialists. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-heaven-sword-crowned-east-asia.html Fri, 05 Jun 2026 00:00:01 EDT news699781621 European fallow deer have faced a dramatic loss of genetic diversity since the last interglacial period. This was revealed by 120,000-year-old fossils from central Germany's Neumark-Nord site in Saxony-Anhalt, analyzed by researchers from the University of Potsdam, the MONREPOS Research Center and Museum in Neuwied, and Leiden University. Their results have been published in the journal iScience. Modern fallow deer thus represent just a fraction of their Ice Age ancestors' variety. The study highlights how climate and human actions substantially reshaped a once-diverse species and may help inform conservation action. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-year-european-fallow-deer-loss.html Sat, 06 Jun 2026 17:40:02 EDT news699874805 What if a common herb found in the kitchen could help farmers grow healthier crops? As the global population grows and agriculture faces increasing environmental challenges, scientists are searching for innovative ways to improve crop productivity while reducing reliance on chemical inputs. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-sweet-basil-carbon-dots-potential.html Sat, 06 Jun 2026 12:40:02 EDT news699871272 This week, researchers reported that GLP-1 medications may influence the biology of aging. Hidden meltwater in deep Antarctic coastal waters has a strong climate impact. And a novel prostate cancer treatment reduced risk of disease progression by half in a clinical trial. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-saturday-citations-greenland-sharks-quantum.html Sat, 06 Jun 2026 09:00:01 EDT news699879140 Forest restoration can help fight climate change and restore lost biodiversity, but the satellite-based techniques used to measure successful forest restoration have been less-than-helpful for measuring changes in biodiversity. Instead, a team of researchers listened to the sounds of life in the restored forests. Their new study, published in Global Change Biology, reveals that forest restoration efforts in Costa Rica seem to be working to both regrow forests and restore lost biodiversity. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-costa-rica-paid-landowners-forests.html Thu, 04 Jun 2026 13:00:03 EDT news699795468 Recent technological advances and the introduction of new digital media platforms have dramatically changed how people learn and source information about topics that interest them. Some recent studies have found that while browsing online or scrolling down social media platforms, users tend to spend under one minute on average on individual videos. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-short-videos-hinder-fragmenting-attention.html Thu, 04 Jun 2026 08:40:04 EDT news699715452 For generations, scientists believed a queen honeybee was made almost entirely by diet: feed an ordinary larva enough royal jelly and a ruler emerges. But new research suggests queens are created through a more elaborate process. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-honeybees-crown-queens.html Wed, 03 Jun 2026 11:00:05 EDT news699695221 Having Black teachers and other educators of color improves students' classroom experiences, research shows. They often serve as role models, set high academic expectations and teach material that connects to students' lives outside of schools. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-black-teachers-outcomes-students-largely.html Sat, 06 Jun 2026 20:30:03 EDT news699540038 How can plants that compete for the same resources grow in the same area without one driving the other to extinction? Ecologists have been trying to answer this question for decades, and a surprising new explanation has now emerged: the soil surrounding oak trees acts as a silent mediator that restrains the dominant species and gives an advantage to weaker ones, allowing both to coexist. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-rival-coexist-secret-soil-beneath.html Fri, 05 Jun 2026 20:00:01 EDT news699875509 Americans rarely marry outside of their race or class in a nation where residential segregation is relatively common. It is a dynamic widely viewed as a contributing factor to income inequality and intergenerational social mobility. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-qa-white-black-marriage.html Sat, 06 Jun 2026 18:30:02 EDT news699707115 When you picture a cave, you probably think of an environment devoid of life. But for most caves on Earth, this couldn't be further from the truth. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-cave-cricket-australia-species-spindly.html Sat, 06 Jun 2026 17:00:03 EDT news699624134 This is not science fiction or some perverse prank. A Silicon Valley tech giant is seeking federal approval to release up to 64 million sterilized male mosquitoes in California and Florida over the next two years. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-dengue-longer-google-mosquito-summer.html Fri, 05 Jun 2026 14:40:02 EDT news699885963 Octopuses are remarkably intelligent creatures, as was demonstrated by Inky the Octopus's famous escape from the National Aquarium of New Zealand through a drainpipe back to sea in 2016. A new Dartmouth study shows octopuses can use mirrors to find food out of sight, demonstrating spatial cognitive abilities. The results are published in Current Biology. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-octopuses-mirror-prey.html Wed, 03 Jun 2026 13:40:07 EDT news699709322 The first comprehensive map of nearly the entire Greenland shark genome is beginning to reveal some of the genetic clues behind its incredibly long life. The work could one day help scientists develop new cures and treatments for cancer and other age-related diseases. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-greenland-shark-genome-reveals-clues.html Wed, 03 Jun 2026 14:40:06 EDT news699710028 From planetary rovers and asteroid sample return missions to the recent Artemis II flight above the far side of the moon, we are seemingly good at doing space. But our achievements still do not match many of our space dreams, science fiction or otherwise. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-solar-edge-closer-reality-interstellar.html Wed, 03 Jun 2026 10:20:02 EDT news699698513 A research team led by Davoud Jafari at the University of Twente, in collaboration with the University of Pisa, has completed a series of parabolic flight experiments to investigate advanced smart surfaces under rapidly changing gravity conditions. Conducted aboard the Air Zero G aircraft operated by Novespace, the campaign integrated additive manufacturing, boiling heat transfer and electric field control into a single experimental platform as part of the #SmartSkin project. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-smart-surfaces-gravity.html Sat, 06 Jun 2026 12:30:01 EDT news699873176 Hookworms, intestinal parasites that infect hundreds of millions of people in under-resourced tropical regions around the globe, have evolved to survive inside the human gut for years, secreting molecules that enable coexistence with their hosts. Now, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have harnessed that biological mechanism for potential human benefit, engineering a hookworm to produce and deliver a drug within a living host. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-genetically-hookworms-therapeutics.html Wed, 03 Jun 2026 05:00:03 EDT news699611130 A seven-year collaborative study has revealed alarming fluctuations in the health of Hawaii's endangered insular false killer whales, with some individuals losing nearly a quarter of their body weight in just a few months. Published in Endangered Species Research, the findings provide the first quantitative evidence that nutritional stress and environmental shifts may be driving the decline of this iconic population, which now numbers fewer than 140 individuals. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-hawaii-false-killer-whales-threatened.html Fri, 05 Jun 2026 11:20:01 EDT news699875865 Artificial intelligence (AI)-generated images have become increasingly more sophisticated than early ones that showed humans with more than five fingers on a hand, making it even harder to determine whether photos are authentic. Now, a team of computer scientists in the McKelvey School of Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis has developed a model that can detect fake images by learning which are real. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-grounded-reality-ai-fake-images.html Fri, 05 Jun 2026 13:00:06 EDT news699883022 One of the dilemmas facing anyone in a new and unfamiliar city is where to dine out. You might consult guides, speak to locals, check reviews, and ultimately, try your luck. But if you're there for a while, at some point you're going to be asking yourself whether to visit new eateries or stick to the ones you've already tried and liked. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-richard-feynman-formula-dining-habits.html Tue, 02 Jun 2026 12:20:01 EDT news699620074 Giving AI a classic psychological test reveals an inherent weakness in LLM decision-making abilities. Suketu Patel and colleagues explored how transformer-based machine attention differs from human attention by testing AI models on the "Stroop task," in which words for colors are printed in colored ink, and participants are asked to name the ink color of each word while ignoring its meaning. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-ai-classic-attention-longer-word.html Fri, 05 Jun 2026 12:00:06 EDT news699878522 SpaceX on Friday signed a blockbuster cloud computing agreement under which Google will pay the Elon Musk-founded rocket company $920 million per month for access to a massive cluster of AI chips, according to a disclosure in its initial public offering filing. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-spacex-pre-ipo-ai-google.html Sat, 06 Jun 2026 08:20:01 EDT news699949417 Northwestern Medicine scientists have developed a novel synthetic biomolecular condensate that can degrade intracellular disease-causing proteins, providing a framework for new therapeutic approaches for a wide range of diseases, as detailed in a recent study published in Nature Communications. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-synthetic-biomolecule-degrades-disease-proteins.html Thu, 04 Jun 2026 17:40:05 EDT news699804361 SpaceX has been denied a fast track into the S&P 500 when the rocket and satellite company goes public, in a ruling that cuts off quick access to one of the biggest pools of Wall Street money. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-spacex-denied-fast-track-sp.html Sat, 06 Jun 2026 07:26:02 EDT news699949551 Wildlife research projects worldwide could benefit from a new AI system which can automatically find, name, and follow individual animals in footage. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-visual-ai-tracks-wildlife-species.html Fri, 05 Jun 2026 13:00:04 EDT news699881221 In a new study, bumble bees solve a completely novel object-manipulation task. What makes this behavior especially remarkable is that the bees had never been trained. The findings challenge the long-standing assumption that spontaneous problem-solving is restricted to humans and other large-brained vertebrates. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-bumble-bees-spontaneous-problem-big.html Thu, 04 Jun 2026 14:00:07 EDT news699791281 A Yale-led research team has developed the first standalone device that produces the liquid fuel methanol using only sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide as the ingredients. The artificial "leaf," like its namesake in nature, is a chemistry marvel. It brings the scientific mimicry of photosynthesis—the process of converting sunlight and water into chemical energy—to a new level, converting sunlight to methanol 32 times more efficiently than the previous conversion record for artificial leaf technologies that generate alcohol products. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-standalone-leaf-liquid-fuel-sun.html Thu, 04 Jun 2026 13:20:01 EDT news699797941 NASA on Friday temporarily ordered astronauts to take shelter during repairs to fix a fresh leak aboard the International Space Station. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-astronauts-briefly-leak-international-space.html Sat, 06 Jun 2026 07:19:51 EDT news699949154 New research shows Cheviot goats are one of the UK's most genetically distinct goat populations. Led by Newcastle University, this is the first genetic study to determine the ancestry and genetic health of a UK feral goat population. It provides a genetic assessment of the Cheviot goats in Northumberland's College Valley, identifying them as a historically significant and genetically distinct population unlike the other European goat breeds. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-rare-wild-goats-northumberland-genetically.html Thu, 04 Jun 2026 16:40:03 EDT news699801481 Like modern-day alchemists, metallurgists are constantly discovering and perfecting recipes for better alloys. A crucial step in those recipes is to get different metals to mix evenly. Unveiling a new utensil for the metallurgical kitchen, researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have invented a way to whisk metal with a laser as it's 3D-printed, opening a new route for creating hard-to-make metal alloys. To verify their success, they also developed a way to watch changes in the metal using X-rays as they melted and solidified in a fraction of a second. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-looping-lasers-whisk-molten-metals.html Thu, 04 Jun 2026 12:20:07 EDT news699793802 Chinese-made humanoid robots are making waves with their ability to do backflips, direct traffic, and even make coffee as the companies developing them seek ways to expand and dominate the market. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-china-humanoids-scale-hard-buyers.html Sat, 06 Jun 2026 07:20:02 EDT news699949182 AI chatbots have become friends, confidants, even professional and health advisors for many people around the world. While the long-term consequences remain debated, it has become an undeniable reality of the ChatGPT era. Although people prefer AI for its analytical capabilities, not every recommendation from the chatbot will be supported by data and facts; some might require moral intelligence. https://sciencex.com/news/2026-06-friendly-ai-backfire-tone-doesnt.html Tue, 02 Jun 2026 06:20:02 EDT news699547673 The Catalysis Engineering Group at the University of Amsterdam (UvA) has developed a new robust process for the recycling of mixed plastics waste. A newly developed pilot plant aims to demonstrate how this can be transformed into valuable resources, supporting the transition toward a circular economy. The pilot plant will be put to the test in Spain, processing real municipal plastics waste. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-catalytic-plastic-oil.html Sat, 06 Jun 2026 08:00:03 EDT news699720338 The World Cup pitches cover so much ground they'll be hard to ignore. The crews that put them there would prefer if fans didn't notice them at all. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-world-cup-pitches-result-years.html Sat, 06 Jun 2026 07:40:01 EDT news699949132 A fire alarm jolts you from your office desk, and you head for the nearest exit. But what if the closest exit has already been blocked by the fire? Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and their colleagues have developed an AI model called Safe Step that can redirect occupants to the safest evacuation route in a fire. Described in the Journal of Building Engineering, the model can be used with electronic displays to show whether an exit is safe to use. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-ai-redirecting-evacuees-safer-exits.html Thu, 04 Jun 2026 16:40:08 EDT news699808947 Armed with trail cameras, artificial intelligence, and a powerful national research network, scientists are revisiting Lewis and Clark's legendary journey to see how America's wildlife has changed over the past 200 years. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-scientists-years-nature.html Fri, 05 Jun 2026 22:40:01 EDT news699855345 White storks (Ciconia ciconia) are a majestic bird with a two-meter wingspan and an enormous circular nest. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-white-storks-nonnative-species-rewilding.html Fri, 05 Jun 2026 11:20:04 EDT news699870662 The concept of the "15-Minute City" has gained global traction as a blueprint for more livable, sustainable communities by placing daily essentials—such as grocery stores, schools, restaurants and parks—within easy reach of residents. The idea envisions neighborhoods where people can meet most of their daily needs within a 15-minute walk, bike ride or transit trip from home, reducing automobile dependence while improving quality of life. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-minute-cities-nearby-jobs-streets.html Thu, 04 Jun 2026 16:20:01 EDT news699795787 Past research has shown that music is a significant source of nostalgia that boosts well-being and social bonds. In fact, hearing a tune from your youth is a powerful cue for rich, vivid memories. But what about hearing nothing at all? https://sciencex.com/news/2026-06-playlists-hard-play.html Mon, 01 Jun 2026 13:43:13 EDT news699540148 In the canals, wetlands and marshes of the Florida Everglades, the spectacled caiman has quietly expanded its foothold, threatening an already-vulnerable ecosystem. A new University of Florida study published in Frontiers in Amphibian and Reptile Science synthesizes more than 70 years of research on the invasive species native to Central and South America that has firmly established itself across the most vulnerable part of the Sunshine State—the Florida Everglades. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-invasive-caiman-pose-everglades.html Fri, 05 Jun 2026 10:00:01 EDT news699870001 Using box jellyfish as an example, researchers from Kiel University show how the physics of density, not behavior or physiology, can prevent animals from reaching the surface even as they actively swim upward. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-jellyfish-surface.html Thu, 04 Jun 2026 10:40:03 EDT news699782281 Most smartphones, portable computers and other devices on the market today are powered by lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries. While these rechargeable batteries perform remarkably well, they are based on lithium, which is not as abundant as other materials and is not evenly distributed across different countries worldwide. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-05-atomic-swap-phosphate-cathodes-high.html Sun, 31 May 2026 12:40:01 EDT news699014395 Endangered basking sharks aren't fasting during long-distance migrations. A new study led by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution shows that they may be foraging along the way, and in much deeper areas of the ocean than previously thought. As filter feeders, this species is most often observed close to the surface, especially in waters off of New England, but data show markedly different behavior during their winter migrations to the Sargasso Sea and the Caribbean. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-endangered-basking-sharks-ocean-twilight.html Thu, 04 Jun 2026 09:20:05 EDT news699780901 University of Florida researchers are exploring how lasers could help astronauts build structures on the moon using materials already available there, including lunar soil transformed into glass. The work, led by Victoria M. Miller, Ph.D., an associate professor in the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering and researcher with the UF Astraeus Space Institute, recently completed a research phase focused on laser forming, a manufacturing process that bends materials without physical contact. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-laser-origami-astronauts-moon.html Thu, 04 Jun 2026 09:40:07 EDT news699780961 Someone with no computing experience may soon be able to remotely control a robot from anywhere on the planet using a smartphone, thanks to new technology developed by Georgia Tech. The new technology is also set to revolutionize the scale of policy training data collection, which is essential to advancing robotic capabilities and meeting growing production demand. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-app-robot.html Thu, 04 Jun 2026 10:20:06 EDT news699786961 The study "Homo cooperans: Understanding the nature of human cooperation" arrives at a clear result: 69% of study participants chose to cooperate. At the same time, the study published in the journal Science shows that people systematically underestimate the willingness of others to cooperate. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-people-cooperate-underestimate-willingness-global.html Thu, 04 Jun 2026 14:00:04 EDT news699784801 MIT engineers are testing a new propulsion system that combines the power and speed of conventional chemical thrusters with the precision and fuel-efficiency of electrical thrusters. The system could enable the design of nimbler, more flexible small satellites, which could perform both fast, powerful maneuvers and slower, precise adjustments, depending on the mission and moment at hand. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-satellites-small-briefcase-space-lot.html Tue, 02 Jun 2026 10:00:01 EDT news699610981 Some people have a gift for creating beautiful works of art. Others appreciate art but do not have the talent to create it. Researchers at Cornell Tech and the Cornell Bowers College of Computing and Information Science have created an artificial intelligence framework, ShadowDraw, that can create "shadow art"—partial line drawings that are completed by the shadow cast from an object—by simply scanning the object. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-framework-generates-shadow-art-scan.html Thu, 04 Jun 2026 13:00:02 EDT news699796443 The first day of kindergarten is a momentous occasion for children and families. It's an exciting milestone that comes with new friends, teachers, and learning opportunities. It can also bring parental anxiety about whether their child is ready, especially when it comes to early literacy. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-kindergarten-summer-child-early-literacy.html Fri, 05 Jun 2026 20:40:01 EDT news699859922 Conservationists often raise the young of endangered species in captivity before releasing them into suitable habitats as adults. The benefits are obvious: survival to adulthood is typically high, as captive animals are safe from predators and food scarcity. Unfortunately, a lack of exposure to enemies in early life may become a drawback later, if the released individuals have never learned to recognize and avoid their predators. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-moms-snakes-inherited-offspring-critically.html Thu, 04 Jun 2026 00:00:03 EDT news699698521 When the double boom rang out in New England over the weekend, shaking homes and sending pets fleeing, questions started flooding social media. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-meteor-heavy-elephant-widespread-speculation.html Tue, 02 Jun 2026 04:15:31 EDT news699592490 A Dartmouth College study is the first to map the interplay of personal choice and social networks that has led to the United States being one of the world's most heavily armed countries, with 120 firearms for every 100 people. The researchers describe in Science Advances how individual incentives to buy firearms can lead to a phenomenon they call "overarming." In an overarmed society, the collective cost of firearm ownership outweighs the individual benefits of possessing a gun. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-overarming-america-game-theory-explores.html Wed, 03 Jun 2026 14:00:10 EDT news699704161 Fish that split their lives between fresh and salt water often face obstacles getting back and forth. Dams and roads fracture river networks and interfere with traditional migratory routes, sparking concerns about fish health and abundance, as well as biodiversity on a broader scale. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-billions-fish-passage-methods-undercut.html Thu, 04 Jun 2026 13:20:03 EDT news699790441 In 2026, the hype for artificial intelligence agents is louder than ever before. These semi-autonomous programs can "think" and execute well-defined tasks in areas like customer service and software development, typically using language models (LMs). But fields like medical diagnosis and scientific discovery require them to inquire about a vast range of solutions in uncertain environments which LMs struggle with. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-battleship-ai-sharper-boosting.html Thu, 04 Jun 2026 08:40:02 EDT news699780783 New research led by the University of the Sunshine Coast has found that reef manta rays are diving deep in storm events to find food and stay alive. As World Environment Day is celebrated around the globe on June 5, the findings offer hope for the future of a species listed as vulnerable to extinction. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-majestic-manta-rays-deep-survive.html Thu, 04 Jun 2026 09:00:01 EDT news699780482 Today, many of our social interactions are routed through technology: text messages, video calls, voice messages, emails and instant messaging apps. In romantic relationships, couples often use these methods to deal with conflicts. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-text-good-relationship.html Thu, 04 Jun 2026 11:40:04 EDT news699786063 For the first time, new algorithms may be able to automatically explain why some self-driving cars crash—a question crucial to answer as more autonomous vehicles take to the roads. This new approach, developed by researchers at King's College London, reviews past events to explain why specific instances of failure happened, in the hope that this can be used to make improvements in the future. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-driverless-cars.html Fri, 05 Jun 2026 07:40:02 EDT news699860153 A new study from the University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment (CAFE) helps explain how plants can lose track of their own disease warnings. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-nitric-oxide-overload-immune.html Wed, 03 Jun 2026 19:20:01 EDT news699718802 One year after Gemini IV astronaut Edward H. White completed NASA's first spacewalk the agency prepared for a demanding second excursion. Originally scheduled for Gemini VIII, the extravehicular activity (EVA) was reassigned to Gemini IX-A after that mission ended early, with Gene Cernan taking on the task. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-america-grueling-spacewalk.html Fri, 05 Jun 2026 14:20:01 EDT news699881468 "Japanese Migration to Canada, 1877–1988," a new reference essay by Masumi Izumi, was published in the Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Migration Studies. The article offers a sweeping, deeply researched account of Japanese migration to Canada from the arrival of the first documented migrant in 1877 through the Canadian government's formal redress settlement of 1988. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-transnational-history-explores-japanese-migration.html Fri, 05 Jun 2026 19:00:01 EDT news699872878 It may seem like it's impossible to find a car park on the street. As a recent Grattan Institute report makes clear, Australia actually has an oversupply of parking, both on streets and in parking lots. Across five of the state capitals, most postcodes have more on-street spaces than there are registered cars. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-curbside-great-drivers-terrible.html Fri, 05 Jun 2026 19:40:01 EDT news699859681 The ability to develop extremely thin semiconductors is key to advancing the fields of electronics and computing. But so far, there's been a trade-off between the quality of these semiconductors and the ability to make them at industrial scale. Prof. Cong Su and his research team have found a solution that combines the best aspects of two methods to make high-quality materials at scale. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-generation-extremely-thin-semiconductors.html Wed, 03 Jun 2026 13:20:02 EDT news699710402 As climate change alters the temperatures of animal habitats, it seems natural that endotherms, warm-blooded animals, would prefer to hang out in the shade during hot weather. The use of microhabitats in the sun and shade is an important thermoregulatory behavior that has been reported across a wide range of animal species, and researchers are becoming increasingly interested in how animals—especially those with long lifespans—flexibly cope with thermal stress. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-sunny-shady-japanese-macaques.html Thu, 04 Jun 2026 11:20:01 EDT news699782822 Bowerbirds in an Australian city use a range of human items—from glass and plastic to banknotes and even a pair of handcuffs—to impress females, shows new research in Royal Society Open Science. Male bowerbirds create an intricate tunnel of twigs called a bower, then gather colorful items to show to any females that visit. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-city-birds-dazzle-females-human.html Tue, 02 Jun 2026 19:00:04 EDT news699547685 Astronauts working on the International Space Station briefly sheltered in a docked capsule Friday as Russian colleagues assessed leak repairs, NASA said. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-leak-space-station-triggers-safety.html Fri, 05 Jun 2026 13:56:16 EDT news699886524 A newly discovered photographic postcard showing women who kept Portsmouth's railways running during the First World War has been revealed by a researcher at the University of Portsmouth—and he is appealing to local people to help identify those in the image. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-portsmouth-wartime-railwaywomen-postcard-documents.html Fri, 05 Jun 2026 12:00:01 EDT news699871381 Researchers at a Scottish university have demonstrated a 100kW fully superconducting aviation motor that could help pave the way for an electric aircraft. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-100kw-fully-superconducting-aviation-motor.html Tue, 02 Jun 2026 15:20:08 EDT news699631322 As any athlete will tell you, perfect practice makes perfect. But for individuals who do not have regular access to coaches or trainers, maintaining good form can be tricky. In fact, during the COVID-19 pandemic when many people were exercising at home, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reported a 48% rise in injuries related to at-home exercise. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-ai-bad-real-injuries.html Wed, 03 Jun 2026 17:40:01 EDT news699726422 Young guppies who were able to see and interact with live fish developed larger brains than guppies who only saw other fish on a screen. This is shown in a new study from Stockholm University, published in Biology Letters. The findings suggest that live social interaction in real time may be important for brain development. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-real-fish-interaction-enlarges-young.html Wed, 03 Jun 2026 15:40:04 EDT news699714542 A pioneering technology capable of converting lignin, one of the world's most abundant organic compounds, into vanillin and biodegradable materials has been unveiled by the University of Alicante (UA), in collaboration with the Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV). The study, published in Nature Communications, offers a sustainable method for repurposing plant waste and identifies viable alternatives to the fossil fuels that currently drive the chemical industry. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-tough-everyday-products-powered-advance.html Wed, 03 Jun 2026 14:20:04 EDT news699711482 A new analysis of approximately 600,000 research papers reveals structural limits to single-country security oversight of dual-use research and identifies trade-offs that policymakers face when strengthening such oversight. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-dual-outgrow-national-oversight-analysis.html Fri, 05 Jun 2026 13:20:02 EDT news699878822 When a bee crashes into water, it may still be able to swim to safety. New research from Michigan State University confirms that honeybees can propel themselves across the water's surface, and their movement is purposeful and directional. They swim toward darker areas—likely using visual cues to locate the shoreline and escape. This study was recently published in Communications Biology. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-bees-visual-cues-survive.html Tue, 02 Jun 2026 17:10:06 EDT news699636121 Researchers led by Takaki Hatsui at the RIKEN SPring-8 Center (RSC) in Japan and collaborators have developed a new approach to compressing X-ray imaging data in real time, reducing the size of data files by more than 8,000 times, while at the same time preserving the detailed X-ray intensity information required for quantitative analysis. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-real-ray-compression-size.html Wed, 03 Jun 2026 09:00:01 EDT news699695943 Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, have developed a new, entirely bio-based material from a somewhat unexpected ingredient: yeast. The material is 3D printed and customized for use in architectural and interior design elements that are currently made from non-renewable or fossil-based materials, such as plaster, plastic or synthetic textiles. These may be daylight modulating and sunlight protecting screens, room partitions or wall systems. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-yeast-based-materials-power-3d.html Wed, 03 Jun 2026 11:40:06 EDT news699705541 As semiconductor chips become increasingly thinner, the components inside chips are locked in a fierce race to achieve the ultimate ultra-thin state. However, this has presented a structural limitation: the thinner the device, the harder it is for electricity to flow. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-ultra-thin-semiconductors-limits-localized.html Tue, 02 Jun 2026 13:00:09 EDT news699622374 EPFL researchers are developing AI models that could one day enable vision prosthetics able to restore meaningful, object-level sight for the blind. The research, from the NeuroAI Lab of Martin Schrimpf, part of EPFL's Schools of Computer and Communication Sciences and Life Sciences, uses AI models to predict exactly where to stimulate the brain to evoke images of faces and specific objects in the users instead of simply evoking spots of light. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-ai-vision-prosthetics-closer-reality.html Tue, 02 Jun 2026 09:40:03 EDT news699610999 Diminutive warty birch caterpillars (Falcaria bilineata), less than 1.5mm long, ardently defend their leaf tip homes from invading caterpillars by scraping and pounding the leaf to warn off potential invaders. But how might the day-old caterpillars defend themselves when voracious ladybeetles (known as ladybugs in the US) are on the prowl? https://phys.org/news/2026-06-thundering-footsteps-caterpillars-lethal-ladybeetle.html Wed, 03 Jun 2026 18:00:03 EDT news699694622 If the future of warehouse work belongs to humans and robots working side by side, a key question remains: What is the most effective way for them to collaborate? https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-ways-humans-robots-requires-swarm.html Wed, 03 Jun 2026 15:40:01 EDT news699719221 Newly created grassland habitats that compensate for nature lost to development can effectively support wild pollinators like bees and hoverflies, according to a first of its kind study in the Netherlands. The findings are published in the Journal of Applied Ecology. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-biodiversity-offsetting-pollinator.html Tue, 02 Jun 2026 00:10:01 EDT news699531242 Networks of protein fibers play important roles in living cells. To understand the dynamical behavior of these networks, model networks are needed to perform in vitro studies. However, fabrication of protein networks similar to those in cells has proved difficult, as current methods could affect the biological function of these proteins—ultimately impacting our understanding of any findings. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-laser-cell-protein-networks-chemical.html Tue, 02 Jun 2026 18:40:02 EDT news699629221 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. In doing so, they influence a sensitive quantum state known as spin and make it visible via light. In the future, such findings could help detect and even direct biochemical processes in cells simply from the outside using radio waves. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-proteins-radio.html Tue, 02 Jun 2026 17:00:02 EDT news699622347 Teaching robots to manipulate objects with humanlike dexterity has long been one of robotics' toughest challenges. Tasks such as rotating an object in-hand or coordinating two robot arms to maneuver a bulky item require constant changes in contact, grip, and motion, skills that are difficult both to program and to demonstrate through human teleoperation. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-complexity-key-robots-dexterity.html Wed, 03 Jun 2026 14:00:09 EDT news699710641 Falcons are lauded for their speed and agility. The Eurasian Hobby (Falco subbuteo), skilled at snagging birds and insects out of the air, is no exception. However, during twilight on one day in October, researcher Apostolos Christopoulos observed several hobbies feeding on something else in a protected wetland in Greece—bats from the genus Pipistrellus. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-twilight-reveals-falcon-feasting-unusual.html Tue, 02 Jun 2026 12:40:05 EDT news699616621 A new study on multiple genomes from the extinct cave lion has discovered that it represented a highly distinct evolutionary lineage, which separated from modern lions more than a million years ago. The results also show that the cave lion had a history of interbreeding with modern lions that was tightly linked to past climatic changes. These findings are published in the journal Cell in a study led by Swedish and British scientists. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-ancient-cave-lion-genomes-reveal.html Wed, 03 Jun 2026 11:00:02 EDT news699608582 A new study by researchers at the University of Tokyo explores whether reading manga on paper or on a tablet changes how the brain understands and remembers stories. Participants first read the opening half of a two-part manga story either on paper or on a tablet. Later, while inside an MRI scanner, they read the second half through LCD goggles and answered questions about the story. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-manga-brain-storytelling-advantage.html Wed, 03 Jun 2026 14:00:01 EDT news699706839 Researchers have developed a fish-like robot that shows how some species of modern fish are able to walk on land, and could help unravel how early vertebrates evolved similar abilities hundreds of millions of years ago. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-robot-fish-unravel-ancient-ancestors.html Tue, 02 Jun 2026 11:00:04 EDT news699525481 In its native habitat, switchgrass flowered earlier when growing farther north. In experiments with diverse genetic samples, it flowered earlier in the south. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-citizen-science-experimental-uncovers-switchgrass.html Wed, 03 Jun 2026 16:40:07 EDT news699717842 Computational chemists at the University of Amsterdam's Van 't Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences have developed a comprehensive software suite to create accurate models of DNA in biomolecular assemblies. Called MDNA, the user-friendly molecular modeling toolkit helps biochemists, molecular biologists, bioinformaticians, and biophysicists to visualize and analyze DNA structures and perform accurate simulations. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-source-software-rapid-dna-generation.html Wed, 03 Jun 2026 16:00:03 EDT news699715022 To accelerate and refine decision-making in a fast-paced, global marketplace, enterprises may deploy generative artificial intelligence models to help summarize and interpret the charts that often fill market summaries and financial reports. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-chartnet-ai-boosting-smaller-commercial.html Wed, 03 Jun 2026 13:40:05 EDT news699710461 Artificial intelligence (AI) giant Anthropic has expanded access to a highly advanced model deemed too dangerous for public release, including Australia in the select handful of users. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-australia-access-anthropic-claude-mythos.html Fri, 05 Jun 2026 07:00:02 EDT news699859202 Interactions between hard-shelled marine mollusks such as clams and snails and their predators play a critical but largely unseen role in shaping coastal ecosystems. These organisms help stabilize shorelines, filter water and support biodiversity, making them foundational to coastal health. Yet they are increasingly threatened by ocean acidification and expanding populations of mobile shell-crushing predators. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-armed-ai-prey-predator-crunching.html Wed, 03 Jun 2026 14:20:05 EDT news699709381 Australian researchers have trained lab-grown brain cells on a silicon computer chip to play the nineties shooter game "Doom" and say they are just scratching the surface of what the neurons could be capable of doing. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-brain-cells-play-doom.html Sun, 31 May 2026 07:19:01 EDT news699430701 Although intuition suggests that experiencing adversity will increase a person's willingness to help others going through similar hardships, surveys show that this is not always the case. For example, immigrants who struggled through arduous naturalization processes do not necessarily support making the path to citizenship easier for others, and those who escaped poverty through hard work often oppose redistributive policies. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-hardship-easing.html Fri, 05 Jun 2026 07:20:01 EDT news699854761 Imagine you have used a generative artificial intelligence (AI) tool such as ChatGPT to tidy up notes you took while in a meeting. Your colleague comments on how clear they are. You don't disclose it was the AI that made the notes clear and not you. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-people-ai-communicate-disclosing-morally.html Fri, 05 Jun 2026 07:40:04 EDT news699858782 States with restrictive abortion policies saw slower growth in the proportion of female medical school applicants following the 2022 reversal of Roe v. Wade, according to a new study published in the open-access journal PLOS Global Public Health by Amrit Kirpalani of Western University, Canada, and colleagues. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-abortion-restrictions-female-medical-school.html Wed, 03 Jun 2026 14:00:08 EDT news699694141 A research team from the School of Biomedical Sciences at the LKS Faculty of Medicine, the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed), has achieved a significant advance in biotechnology that could revolutionize treatment strategies for neurodegenerative diseases. The team has developed a novel tool called RNA Segment Editing (RSE), which functions like a "cut-and-patch" tool for RNA. This innovative approach allows scientists to precisely remove or replace faulty segments of genetic messages within living cells without permanently changing a person's DNA. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-rna-patch-tool-faulty-messages.html Mon, 01 Jun 2026 18:00:04 EDT news699549721 A new study suggests that, for modern Japanese speakers, two traditional, patriarchal words for "husband" ("shujin," literally meaning "master") and "wife" ("kanai," "inside-the-house") may be losing their original meanings, though men in the study evaluated both traditional and neutral words for "husband" more positively than words for "wife." https://phys.org/news/2026-06-traditional-patriarchal-japanese-terms-husband.html Wed, 03 Jun 2026 14:00:03 EDT news699694202 The race to replace the aging International Space Station is heating up after US company Vast announced a mission to fly an astronaut to its planned Haven-1 station next year. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-vast-astronaut-mission-commercial-iss.html Thu, 04 Jun 2026 14:40:01 EDT news699795216 Almost 1 in 3 Australians experiences loneliness. For people with disability and care workers, that number can be even greater. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-app-social-people-disability-caregivers.html Fri, 05 Jun 2026 09:20:04 EDT news699864961 New York City's first set of rules for the use of artificial intelligence in public schools is being called weak by many parents who favor a stricter approach. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-york-city-ai-schools-fury.html Fri, 05 Jun 2026 04:40:02 EDT news699851874 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 in butterflies and deadwood beetle species around the middle of the 20th century. These groups live predominantly in agricultural and forest habitats. However, the study also shows that the number of species has since risen in some areas. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-decades-insect-diversity-switzerland-expose.html Tue, 02 Jun 2026 17:40:05 EDT news699622981 As the demand for nuclear security solutions grows, distinguishing a benign medical isotope from a potential threat is critical. Organic glass scintillators can help meet the need for accurate, cost-effective radiation detectors. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-qa-glass-scintillators-nuclear.html Fri, 05 Jun 2026 11:40:04 EDT news699877801 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 research published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B is the first demonstration of how impressive leaf mimicry can also be used to enhance the attractiveness of a sexual signal. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-leafy-camouflage-reshapes-katydid-songs.html Tue, 02 Jun 2026 20:10:02 EDT news699548521 A team of scientists have discovered and named three new "leaf-planking" praying mantis species and recorded another mantis species turning up far from its assumed habitat. JCU Ph.D. candidate Matthew Connors recently discovered and named three new Snake Mantis species from the Kongobatha genus (K.serpens, K.spinosistyla and K.rufilinea), publishing his detailed observations of each species in the journal Zootaxa. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-mantises-planking-urban-dominance.html Tue, 02 Jun 2026 08:20:01 EDT news699601681 Imagine working at a warehouse or office sometime in the near future, and you're asked to help a new trainee learn the basics of their job. The catch: It's a robot. To teach them, you might want to play a game of "show and tell"—that is, physically showing how to do something a few different ways, while also explaining what you're doing. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-llms-robots-vague-focus-key.html Tue, 02 Jun 2026 11:20:02 EDT news699617582 Sunlight provides the energy necessary for photosynthesis and growth, but it also exposes plants to harmful ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation. Plants must therefore strike a delicate balance between growth and protection. By studying Marchantia polymorpha, a plant similar to some of the earliest land plants, an international team led by scientists from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) sheds light on the evolution of fundamental UV-B perception mechanisms and plant adaptation strategies to light stress. In a context where climate change is altering light exposure conditions, these findings, published in Plant Physiology, could prove particularly valuable. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-ancient-reveals-evolution-400millionyearold-uvb.html Mon, 01 Jun 2026 09:40:03 EDT news699523730 When Eric Weber, professor and chair of mathematics at Iowa State University, talks about data science with future math teachers, he doesn't begin with code, algorithms, or buzzwords. Instead, he asks them to imagine the scientific method—form a hypothesis, collect data, conduct experiments—running in reverse. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-future-math-teachers-science.html Fri, 05 Jun 2026 07:00:05 EDT news699853981 Bison are political animals. A federal decision to revoke grazing leases for bison on public lands on the rolling plains of eastern Montana is the latest manifestation of long-standing contention. The largest land animal in North America, bison are considered a "keystone" species, meaning they have high ecological and cultural importance. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-bison-efforts-grazing-rights-hinge.html Thu, 04 Jun 2026 16:00:05 EDT news699795962 Urging industry to make better use of wood that is wasted or burned for energy, researchers have released the first structural tests of non-straight, forked, and double-curved roundwood logs used as columns. In his mission to normalize the use of "misfit wood," Aalto University architect and researcher Jaakko Torvinen has shown how standard, business-as-usual calculation methods can predict load-bearing capacity for organically shaped logs. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-wood-feature-simple-misfit.html Thu, 04 Jun 2026 20:00:01 EDT news699807121 The evolution of sex remains one of biology's greatest puzzles. While sexual reproduction dominates across the animal kingdom, scientists still debate why it persists despite its high costs. Even more mysterious is the loss of sex in favor of asexual reproduction whereby females give birth to copies of themselves without any contribution from males. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-hybrids-virgin-birth-insects-reveal.html Mon, 01 Jun 2026 15:45:13 EDT news699547475 Augmented reality (AR) devices like smart glasses may soon be able to predict where a user will look and provide an enhanced interactive experience. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-3d-ar-devices-scenes-users.html Mon, 01 Jun 2026 16:20:01 EDT news699549183 Our capacity for innovation, rather than being the work of random variation, is based on an intrinsic understanding of how the world works, claim Karolinska Institutet and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam researchers in a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-people-player.html Mon, 01 Jun 2026 17:20:03 EDT news699548667 Korean researchers have developed a new catalyst design technology that can improve the performance of batteries and hydrogen fuel cells while reducing energy loss. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-electric-fields-boost-battery-fuel.html Mon, 01 Jun 2026 15:20:02 EDT news699545522 Walking through the savanna-woodland landscape of Boé National Park, Guinea-Bissau, you might encounter a tree covered in gnarled scars, with an accumulation of rocks surrounding its base. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-male-chimpanzees-trees-decade.html Wed, 03 Jun 2026 12:00:02 EDT news699701222 Cell function is determined by how DNA is expressed into proteins. That process includes two main steps—transcription, when messenger RNA (mRNA) makes copies of active genes; and translation, when mRNA guides protein assembly. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-brain-gene-revealed-noninvasively-programmable.html Mon, 01 Jun 2026 17:50:03 EDT news699551881 Cornell researchers have developed a new type of computing device that stores information electrically but reads it through tiny mechanical motion, an unusual approach that could open a path toward more energy-efficient hardware for artificial intelligence and scientific computing. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-rethinking-ai-hardware-tiny-vibrating.html Mon, 01 Jun 2026 12:20:08 EDT news699534841 Deer keds—biting flies found across Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas—use their eyes and flight to locate a host, typically deer, but occasionally humans or other mammals. Once they land, however, they shed their wings permanently and spend the rest of their lives crawling through fur and feeding on blood. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-parasitic-fly-sacrifices-sight-host.html Sun, 31 May 2026 19:00:01 EDT news699263642 Carbon capture is an important climate change mitigation strategy, but it faces technological barriers and can be energy-intensive and expensive. To help make necessary advances in this area, a team of MIT researchers, with support from the MIT Climate and Sustainability Consortium (MCSC), are exploring energy-efficient and scalable alternatives to conventional carbon dioxide (CO2) capture methods. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-carbon-capture-flexible-electrochemical-method.html Thu, 04 Jun 2026 17:20:06 EDT news699811441 Cells are typically studied outside the body under controlled laboratory conditions. However, conventional flat cell culture methods do not fully reproduce the complex three-dimensional environments that cells experience in living tissues. Tiny hydrogel capsules offer one way to culture cells in a confined three-dimensional space, allowing researchers to study how cells grow, organize and interact under more tissue-like conditions. Current methods to do this come with a high cost and a set of requirements that put such research out of reach to many. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-workflow-uniform-cell-capsules-standard.html Mon, 01 Jun 2026 16:20:07 EDT news699544861 Cultivated lawns, cleared cattle pastures and carefully groomed hair all reflect a shared cultural logic, according to a new book by UC Santa Barbara anthropology professor Jeffrey Hoelle. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-exploring-hair-amazon-pastures-suburban.html Thu, 04 Jun 2026 17:40:01 EDT news699804661 A Korean research team has resolved a major durability issue in solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOECs), a technology that converts carbon dioxide (CO₂) into high-value chemical feedstocks. Researchers at the Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT), led by Drs. Min-Chul Kim, Ji Hoon Park, and Jin Hee Lee, developed a new electrolyte interface engineering technology for nickel-based SOECs. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-efficiency-durability-nickel-based-soecs.html Thu, 04 Jun 2026 21:00:05 EDT news699795485 In today's attention economy, social media platforms, entertainment apps and news feeds all compete for our focus. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-focus-apps-neurodivergent-minds.html Thu, 04 Jun 2026 16:40:06 EDT news699797582 Research into the academic skills of five-year-old children shows that parents' beliefs and cooperation with their kindergarten are more important than the abundance of parental activities at home in supporting the academic skills of five-year-old children. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-parental-cooperation-kindergarten-important-preschoolers.html Thu, 04 Jun 2026 19:40:01 EDT news699795490 Though the immediate disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic have passed, the six-year anniversary of the event's onset allows medical professionals, community support organizations, and researchers to analyze the pandemic's challenges and better prepare for the future. University of Delaware Associate Professor Ruth E. Fleury-Steiner has taken up this charge in the area of gender-based violence and offers several recommendations based on new research. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-pandemic-responses-domestic-violence.html Thu, 04 Jun 2026 20:20:04 EDT news699807661 Research published in the International Journal of Information and Communication Technology discusses the development of an artificial intelligence system that combines text, images and reviewer behavior to detect and trace fake e-commerce reviews. The system could address the growing challenge faced by online marketplaces as deceptive feedback becomes increasingly sophisticated. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-ai-fake-combining-text-images.html Thu, 04 Jun 2026 19:00:03 EDT news699795856 SpaceX, the rockets-to-AI behemoth led by Elon Musk, aims to raise $75 billion in the biggest initial share sale ever, as the world's richest person pursues data centers in space and a trip to Mars. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-spacex-aims-bn-stock-debut.html Thu, 04 Jun 2026 07:50:01 EDT news699766920 Box jellyfish are often feared as dangerous animals, with some species capable of causing severe or even fatal stings. However, box jellyfish nematocysts—organelles responsible for this toxic sting—are theorized to also play an unexpected role in reproduction. While many studies focus on researching the range of toxicity levels exhibited by the more than 50 species of box jellyfish, their reproductive process is poorly understood. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-jellyfish-reveal-secret-life-implications.html Mon, 01 Jun 2026 13:00:01 EDT news699533821 New research has mapped a plausible scenario for how offshore wind could reshape the North Sea by 2050, showing that if all current political commitments were built, around 11% of the basin would fall within wind farm boundaries. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-offshore-potentially-north-sea.html Thu, 04 Jun 2026 12:40:02 EDT news699795482 A celebrated scheme for human-wildlife coexistence is now at risk of failing due to lack of long-term government investment, new research has found. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-famous-wildlife-coexistence-scheme-due.html Mon, 01 Jun 2026 11:20:05 EDT news699528841 Offshore wind turbines consist of numerous welded components and are exposed to extreme loads from wind and waves at sea. These lead to cyclic stresses that particularly affect the weld seams. Until now, these have been considered a critical factor, especially for high-strength steels, since the welding process itself alters the material microstructure and generates harmful tensile residual stresses. For safety reasons, relevant regulations have so far only allowed the lightweight construction potential of these steels to be exploited to a limited extent. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-welding-filler-metals-life-offshore.html Thu, 04 Jun 2026 16:40:10 EDT news699808441 FIU researchers have found that some of the most common trees in Florida can significantly shield homes from extreme wind, decreasing suction forces applied to critical regions of the roof by as much as 50%. The findings are published in the Journal of Wind Engineering and Industrial Aerodynamics. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-trees-positioned-storm-segments.html Thu, 04 Jun 2026 17:00:05 EDT news699809581 Large language models (LLMs), which are the artificial intelligence (AI) systems behind modern chatbots, translation tools, and virtual assistants, have become revolutionary tools worldwide. Companies, governments, schools, and developers now rely on them to serve users across dozens of languages. Unfortunately, as these systems grow more capable and incorporate support for more and more languages, they also become more computationally demanding. Generating responses from large multilingual models not only costs more but also takes significantly more time. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-llms-faster-efficient-multiple-languages.html Thu, 04 Jun 2026 17:20:03 EDT news699795928 When I was growing up, teachers would assign research papers that required going to the library, or later, searching for relevant material on the internet. If the paper was going to turn out well, we students needed to patiently comb through piles of material, weaving what we found into a coherent argument that was well-supported with evidence. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-eroding-virtue-ai-people-instant.html Thu, 04 Jun 2026 15:40:07 EDT news699795672 A team of researchers led by Luigi Naldini at the San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR-Tiget) has developed a new strategy to significantly improve the precision and safety of CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing in human blood stem cells, potentially overcoming one of the major barriers limiting broader clinical application of genome editing therapies. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-smart-platform-gene-hematopoietic-stem.html Mon, 01 Jun 2026 11:07:13 EDT news699530761 Metamaterials—the term may sound esoteric to the layman. In science and engineering, however, this is an interesting field of research that has developed at a highly dynamic pace, particularly since the 1990s. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-05-wafer-thin-silicon-millions-patterns.html Sun, 31 May 2026 09:00:03 EDT news699200635 SpaceX says it plans to raise up to $75 billion when it goes public this month, setting the stage for the largest-ever stock market debut and putting Elon Musk on course to becoming the world's first trillionaire. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-spacex-ipo-biggest-elon-musk.html Thu, 04 Jun 2026 05:00:06 EDT news699766600