https://phys.org/ en-us Phys.org internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Physics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine. A new University of Oxford study finds that almost half of the global population (3.79 billion) will be living with extreme heat by 2050 if the world reaches 2.0°C of global warming above pre-industrial levels—a scenario that climate scientists see as increasingly likely. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-global-population-extreme.html Environment Sat, 31 Jan 2026 15:30:01 EST news688663597 This week, Victoria recorded its hottest day in nearly six years. On Jan. 27, the northwest towns of Walpeup and Hopetoun reached 48.9°C, and the temperature in parts of Melbourne soared over 45°C. Towns in South Australia also broke heat records. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-cool-cities-towns.html Earth Sciences Fri, 30 Jan 2026 06:36:47 EST news688977361 Nearly 3.8 billion people could face extreme heat by 2050 and while tropical countries will bear the brunt cooler regions will also need to adapt, scientists said Monday. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-world-ready-extreme-scientists.html Environment Mon, 26 Jan 2026 13:50:04 EST news688657642 With the GlobalBuildingAtlas, a research team at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has created the first high-resolution 3D map of all buildings worldwide. The open data provides a crucial basis for climate research and the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. They enable more precise models for urbanization, infrastructure and disaster management—and help to make cities around the world more inclusive and resilient. https://phys.org/news/2025-12-world-3d-urban-climate.html Environment Tue, 02 Dec 2025 11:38:22 EST news683897882 Scientists have developed a new way to represent the world's cities in global climate and Earth system models (GCM & ESMs), offering a more accurate picture of how urban areas are being affected by—and contributing to—climate change. https://phys.org/news/2025-11-climate-reveal-cities-effects.html Earth Sciences Thu, 13 Nov 2025 07:43:04 EST news682242181 With discussions at COP30 pushing for sustainable cooling and AI innovation, research by the Universities of Cambridge and Glasgow has found a new way of detecting indoor mini-heat waves and the factors influencing these. https://phys.org/news/2025-11-homes-hotter-aims-tackle-issue.html Environment Thu, 13 Nov 2025 02:00:01 EST news682178371 India is the world's most populous country, the third-biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, and remains deeply dependent on polluting coal to meet soaring energy demand. https://phys.org/news/2025-11-green-goals-growth-india-climate.html Environment Wed, 05 Nov 2025 04:40:17 EST news681540003 With growing concerns over fossil fuel depletion and the environmental impacts of petrochemical production, scientists are actively exploring renewable strategies to produce essential industrial chemicals. https://phys.org/news/2025-10-chemobiological-platform-enables-renewable-conversion.html Biochemistry Mon, 13 Oct 2025 12:42:04 EDT news679578121 The United States was the world's largest source of carbon emissions for more than a century. In a new analysis, researchers document the changing trends in U.S. carbon emissions from the late 19th century to the early 21st century, focusing on emissions from fossil fuels and industry. They discuss the main factors that contributed to the rollercoaster of changes in historical carbon emissions. The authors close by offering lessons from the U.S. experience for developing countries. https://phys.org/news/2025-07-analysis-documents-trends-carbon-emissions.html Environment Mon, 21 Jul 2025 16:01:34 EDT news672332486 Since 2019, the UK has been committed to the target of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Legally binding net zero targets form the basis for national efforts to meet the international goals of limiting global warming to "well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels" and ideally to 1.5°C. https://phys.org/news/2025-07-rs-limit-global.html Environment Tue, 08 Jul 2025 12:32:04 EDT news671196722 There is a concerning decline in street-level greenery in cities, raising important questions about urban resilience, climate adaptation, and environmental equity. Monitoring exactly how fast trees and other greenery are being lost in the world's rapidly changing and expanding urban areas is, however, a challenge. https://phys.org/news/2025-05-green-streets-tracking-global-urban.html Environment Tue, 27 May 2025 16:39:04 EDT news667582742 A pivot from fossil fuels to clean energy technologies by 2060 would improve energy security and reduce trade risks for most nations, according to a study in Nature Climate Change. https://phys.org/news/2025-04-decarbonization-energy-countries.html Environment Wed, 09 Apr 2025 09:33:04 EDT news663409981 Vicious cycles are accelerating climate change. One is happening at the north pole, where rising temperatures caused by record levels of fossil fuel combustion are melting more and more sea ice. https://phys.org/news/2025-04-doom-loops-climate.html Environment Sun, 06 Apr 2025 07:00:01 EDT news662983112 China missed a key climate target in 2024 and emissions in the world's second-largest economy rose slightly as coal remained dominant despite record renewable additions, official data showed Friday. https://phys.org/news/2025-02-china-key-climate-year.html Environment Fri, 28 Feb 2025 03:20:53 EST news659935249 As global food and energy demand continues to grow, researchers are exploring multiple strategies to boost crop productivity. While engineering plant enzymes and biochemical pathways that are more efficient remains a transformative goal, this review highlights another promising approach: increasing Rubisco content. https://phys.org/news/2024-12-role-rubisco-food-energy.html Molecular & Computational biology Tue, 17 Dec 2024 14:13:25 EST news653667201 New research shows how the Eurasian common shrew (Sorex araneus) changes its brain and bodily size throughout the year. The study, published online in eLife, reveals how changes in gene expression enable these small mammals to shrink their brain in winter and regrow it in spring, defying the typical mammalian pattern where organ size does not change. Their findings offer genetic clues to neurological and metabolic health in mammals. https://phys.org/news/2024-11-gene-shifts-shrew-brain-size.html Evolution Thu, 21 Nov 2024 13:55:04 EST news651419701 In Uganda, climate protection through carbon pricing wouldn't be a big deal in terms of money. The country, with a population of around 50 million, would collect just 26 million US dollars a year if fossil fuels were priced at 40 dollars per ton of CO₂. But the seemingly tiny burden of $3 per household per year reduces emissions by 18%. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-carbon-pricing-uganda-option-revenue.html Environment Thu, 31 Oct 2024 16:33:03 EDT news649611181 India's plans to expand coal mining could double emissions of the potent greenhouse gas methane from its domestic coal sector by 2029, threatening its climate goals, a report warned Thursday. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-india-coal-expansion-massive-methane.html Environment Wed, 18 Sep 2024 15:04:39 EDT news645890675 Plants can grow with much less light than previously thought, according to a new study on tiny water-based organisms called microalgae that has been published in Nature Communications. The German-led team of researchers lowered light sensors into Arctic water to a depth of 50 meters to test how low light levels must become before plant life ceases to exist, with incredible results. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-darkness-benefits.html Ecology Thu, 12 Sep 2024 11:43:04 EDT news645360182 EPFL researchers have published a programmable framework that overcomes a key computational bottleneck of optics-based artificial intelligence systems. In a series of image classification experiments, they used scattered light from a low-power laser to perform accurate, scalable computations using a fraction of the energy of electronics. https://phys.org/news/2024-08-energy-efficient-optical-neural-networks.html Optics & Photonics Tue, 06 Aug 2024 08:13:31 EDT news642150807 The UK is not on track to meet its climate targets and has no credible pathway to get there. However, a new set of more specific targets would provide some clarity for the country's new government and would ultimately help achieve the overall goal: prevent further climate change. https://phys.org/news/2024-07-crucial-climate-uk-immediately.html Environment Thu, 11 Jul 2024 12:50:02 EDT news639920305 Imagine if your dead laptop or phone could charge in a minute or if an electric car could be fully powered in 10 minutes. https://phys.org/news/2024-05-laptop-minute-supercapacitors-clues.html Condensed Matter Sat, 25 May 2024 05:30:25 EDT news635833819 Rapid growth in global energy demand has caused massive depletion of traditional fossil fuels and serious environmental problems, and there is no doubt that the development of efficient energy storage and conversion technologies is an essential field of research. Rechargeable Zn-air batteries have attracted great research interest due to their high energy density, low cost, environmental friendliness, and safety. https://phys.org/news/2024-05-chainmail-catalysts-carbon-encapsulated-feni.html Analytical Chemistry Tue, 14 May 2024 15:36:03 EDT news634919761 Oil companies drilling on public lands must post larger bonds and pay higher royalties under a rule finalized Friday by the Biden administration. https://phys.org/news/2024-04-biden-hikes-fees-oil.html Environment Sat, 13 Apr 2024 07:09:58 EDT news632210989 Ghana's meteorological agency and the state's health service have issued warnings about a period of very high temperatures expected in the first half of 2024 around the country. Ghana's experience is part of a global phenomenon: record temperatures were recorded in 2023. https://phys.org/news/2024-04-ghana-hot-year-expert.html Environment Mon, 08 Apr 2024 13:40:01 EDT news631800670 France warned Thursday that the world's construction sector was not on track to decarbonize by 2050 as it co-hosts with the UN Environment Programme the first ever conference aimed at reducing the industry's impact on climate change. https://phys.org/news/2024-03-france-host-forum-decarbonize-sector.html Environment Thu, 07 Mar 2024 10:00:01 EST news629027576 Extraction of Earth's natural resources could surge 60 percent by 2060, imperiling climate goals and economic prosperity, the UN said Friday, calling for dramatic changes in energy, food, transport and housing. https://phys.org/news/2024-03-world-resource-surge.html Environment Fri, 01 Mar 2024 04:29:34 EST news628489767 With the increase in global energy demand and environmental pollution, the development of sustainable energy to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels (such as oil, natural gas, and coal) has become the key to achieving sustainable development of human society. https://phys.org/news/2024-02-energy-electrochemical-hydrogen-production-generative.html Analytical Chemistry Mon, 26 Feb 2024 15:06:03 EST news628182361 The use of lasers in space is a reality. Even though radio waves have been the backbone of space communications for ages, the demand to convey more data, in a faster way, made these lighter, more flexible, and more secure infrared rays (invisible to the human eye) the future of space communications. https://phys.org/news/2024-01-scientists-high-power-optic-fiber.html Space Exploration Wed, 17 Jan 2024 15:42:24 EST news624728541 Over the last months, the raison d'être of winter sports has been threatened more than ever by a range of challenges and controversies. From the occupation by activists of the glacier of Girose, Southeastern France, to protest against plans for a new cable car, to doubts over whether to hold pre-season sporting events following the partial destruction of the Théodule glacier in Switzerland, scarce snow is pitting people against one another. Behind all these tensions lies the same question: what does the future hold for skiing on an overheating planet? https://phys.org/news/2024-01-2c-world.html Environment Sun, 07 Jan 2024 08:10:01 EST news623595907