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 research team led by Prof. Zhu Yongguan, a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) at the CAS Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, has identified the mechanisms by which sponge city construction significantly enhances urban plant diversity, according to a study published in Cell Reports Sustainability on January 27. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-sponge-city-fuels-major-gains.html Ecology Tue, 03 Feb 2026 10:30:03 EST news689336482 Wetlands make up only about 6% of the land area but contain about 30% of the terrestrial organic carbon pool. Therefore, CO2 emissions from wetlands are central to the global climate balance. In Denmark, the plan is to flood 140,000 hectares of low-lying land such as bogs and meadows as part of the Green Tripartite Agreement. Flooding such areas will slow down the decomposition of organic material in the soil and keep the CO2 in the soil rather than allowing it to be released to the atmosphere and contribute to the greenhouse effect. At least, that has been the rationale until now. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-wetlands-greatest-climate-benefit.html Earth Sciences Thu, 29 Jan 2026 10:34:45 EST news688905241 As drug-resistant infections continue to rise, researchers are looking for new antimicrobial strategies that are both effective and sustainable. One emerging approach combines nanotechnology with "green" chemistry, using plant extracts instead of harsh chemicals to produce metal oxide nanoparticles. https://phys.org/news/2025-11-green-zinc-oxide-nanoparticles-broad.html Bio & Medicine Mon, 17 Nov 2025 16:28:05 EST news682619282 When it comes to adapting cities to a rapidly and dramatically changing climate, the garden is on the frontline of the fight. Gardens act as green sinkholes, allowing excess rainwater to escape, as well as helping to cool cities in summer. https://phys.org/news/2025-11-adding-driveway-winter.html Environment Mon, 17 Nov 2025 12:00:04 EST news682603202 This year's fire season in Australia feels unpredictable. One week brings torrential rain, the next a burst of heat, followed by a sharp cold snap. https://phys.org/news/2025-11-interactive-flammable-australia.html Environment Mon, 10 Nov 2025 11:45:05 EST news681997502 Researchers from the University of Toronto's John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design have conducted an in-depth analysis of green rooftops in Toronto, providing a framework for future green roof planning and design in urban settings. https://phys.org/news/2025-10-bird-eye-view-aerial-imagery.html Environment Tue, 21 Oct 2025 08:35:37 EDT news680254533 A study by Rutgers ecologist Myla Aronson and colleagues has found "overwhelming" evidence that increasing biodiversity in cities—establishing parks, installing native plants and encouraging sustainable landscaping—can significantly improve human health. https://phys.org/news/2025-10-nature-urban-dwellers-healthier.html Ecology Thu, 09 Oct 2025 08:39:05 EDT news679217942 Orchid seeds are as small as dust and do not provide any nutrients for the young plant to grow. The adult plants are known to rely on a certain type of fungi that develop structures within the plant's roots, but whether these same fungi also help with germination has not been established. https://phys.org/news/2025-10-deadwood-wild-orchids-life-uncovers.html Ecology Wed, 08 Oct 2025 09:42:03 EDT news679135321 Microbes in water are like invisible travelers—and some carry disease with them. Keeping the water that flows through our treatment plants, rivers and taps healthy and safe from microbial infection is a challenge. https://phys.org/news/2025-09-luxembourg-microbes-pose-health.html Ecology Wed, 17 Sep 2025 14:40:01 EDT news677331280 Wheat is one of the world's most important staple foods, especially in the form of bread. A joint study by the Leibniz Institute for Food Systems Biology at the Technical University of Munich (LSB) and the Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) now shows that extremely dwarf wheat has a less favorable gluten composition than semi-dwarf, dwarf, or tall wild type wheat, and therefore produces flour with poorer baking properties. https://phys.org/news/2025-09-extreme-dwarfing-genes-decrease-glutenins.html Molecular & Computational biology Tue, 16 Sep 2025 14:37:04 EDT news677252221 MADS-box genes, critical regulatory elements in eukaryotes, have undergone extensive diversification in green plants. Although MADS-box genes have been extensively studied, the understanding of their origin and evolution, particularly the relationships between different gene types and their functional diversification, remains incomplete. https://phys.org/news/2025-09-uncover-key-insights-mads-gene.html Plants & Animals Fri, 05 Sep 2025 04:06:11 EDT news676263964 Plants transport water and nutrients from their environment through specialized pores. Researchers at the University of Geneva (UNIGE) have shed light on a little-known but essential mechanism for proper plant function: the directionality of nutrient transport in roots. The team demonstrates that this transport becomes unidirectional as the root develops. https://phys.org/news/2025-08-routes-clues-boost-drought-resilience.html Plants & Animals Tue, 12 Aug 2025 10:09:03 EDT news674212141 Researchers at the Department of Biochemistry, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), have uncovered a long-sought mechanism employed by primitive land plants such as bryophytes (including mosses and liverwort) to regulate plant growth—a mechanism that is conserved in more recently evolved flowering plants. https://phys.org/news/2025-08-uncovering-ancient-mechanism-growth.html Plants & Animals Fri, 01 Aug 2025 09:36:03 EDT news673259761 It's a hot, dry summer afternoon, and the skies offer no relief for a field of soybeans. But within those green leaves, these plants are quietly fighting back. https://phys.org/news/2025-07-soybeans-natural-cooling-mechanism-reproduction.html Plants & Animals Wed, 23 Jul 2025 16:11:03 EDT news672505861 More than 180 plants were stolen from a well-loved public park in Nottingham called the Arboretum in May 2025. This incident took place just days after volunteers had re-planted flowers and shrubs to repair damage from a previous theft in March. In April 2025, the nearby Forest Recreation Ground community garden was also targeted—roses and crops grown by volunteers were stolen; even a pond went missing. https://phys.org/news/2025-07-theft-overlooked.html Social Sciences Mon, 14 Jul 2025 15:50:01 EDT news671726694 More than 80% of children aged 10 to 12 in the UK own a smartphone, according to a recent report by media watchdog Ofcom. Many people think this is a bad thing: there has been much debate about whether children should be allowed to have smartphones. https://phys.org/news/2025-06-overload-smartphones-exposing-children-avalanche.html Social Sciences Fri, 20 Jun 2025 09:53:03 EDT news669631981 Seed plants, such as soybeans, store large amounts of protein in specialized organelles called protein storage vacuoles. These proteins not only sustain seedling growth but also serve as a major source of dietary protein for humans and livestock. https://phys.org/news/2025-05-massive-amounts-protein-seed-vacuoles.html Plants & Animals Mon, 19 May 2025 15:00:05 EDT news666885135 A new study from Aalborg University in Denmark reveals that European hares (Lepus europaeus) are not only surviving—but thriving—in urban environments. Using a combination of citizen science and thermal imaging technology, researchers have documented surprisingly high hare densities in two of Denmark's largest cities, raising new questions about the role of cities in European wildlife conservation. https://phys.org/news/2025-04-european-hares-city-methods-reveal.html Plants & Animals Tue, 22 Apr 2025 11:35:03 EDT news664540501 Plants, especially flowering ones, are often grown along roads to beautify cities. Now, a new Singapore study has found that such small artificial green spaces beside busy roads are also beneficial to butterflies, which are important pollinators in urban ecosystems. https://phys.org/news/2025-04-butterflies-benefit-roadside-greenery-cities.html Plants & Animals Wed, 16 Apr 2025 06:28:05 EDT news664003681 Everyone is familiar with the light dome that shows from afar where cities are brightly lit at night. Artificial light that is scattered in the atmosphere and brightens the night sky can have an effect far from where it is emitted. This phenomenon is known as artificial skyglow. Skyglow can affect biodiversity over long distances. https://phys.org/news/2025-04-pollution-cyanobacterial-growth-metabolic-lakes.html Ecology Wed, 09 Apr 2025 04:16:58 EDT news663391009 Treatment plants use a combination of tools to keep toxins and contaminants out of drinking water. Researchers with the University of Cincinnati have examined two such tools in addressing a toxin produced by harmful algae blooms, which are becoming increasingly common in waters around the world. https://phys.org/news/2025-02-chlorine-uv-detoxify-affected-algae.html Environment Wed, 19 Feb 2025 15:41:58 EST news659202114 University of Queensland researchers have for the first time introduced genetic material into plants via their roots, opening a potential pathway for rapid crop improvement. The research is published in Nature Plants. https://phys.org/news/2025-02-nanoparticles-successfully-genetic-material-roots.html Bio & Medicine Thu, 13 Feb 2025 17:27:03 EST news658690021 Researchers at the University of Adelaide have discovered that a protein which mediates the transport of alkali metal ions, such as potassium, and halide ions across plant membranes acts similarly to a protein found in animals. https://phys.org/news/2024-12-grapevine-protein-resembles-animal-ion.html Molecular & Computational biology Fri, 20 Dec 2024 10:44:03 EST news653913841 As the festive season approaches, evergreen conifers like spruce and pine adorn homes worldwide. But while Christmas trees bring warmth and joy into our lives, they endure some of the harshest conditions on Earth in their natural habitats. https://phys.org/news/2024-12-science-christmas-trees-conifers-brave.html Plants & Animals Fri, 20 Dec 2024 10:40:03 EST news653913601 Urban green spaces provide shade for city dwellers facing rising temperatures brought on by climate change, but how much relief from the heat island effect do they provide when humidity is factored in? https://phys.org/news/2024-11-humidity-diminishes-daytime-cooling-gains.html Environment Fri, 15 Nov 2024 04:23:09 EST news650866987 In a world overrun by petroleum-based plastics, scientists are searching for alternatives that are more sustainable, more biodegradable and far less toxic to the environment. https://phys.org/news/2024-08-coaxing-purple-bacteria-bioplastic-factories.html Cell & Microbiology Fri, 23 Aug 2024 13:09:08 EDT news643637310 Much of what we know about plant circadian rhythms is the result of laboratory experiments where inputs such as light and temperature can be tightly controlled. https://phys.org/news/2024-08-field-biological-clocks-nature.html Plants & Animals Fri, 23 Aug 2024 10:07:04 EDT news643626422 In line with longstanding initiatives to expand its green spaces, New York City is planting tens of thousands of trees each year. They provide shade, lower surface temperatures by releasing moisture, absorb a surprising amount of airborne carbon, scrub out soot and other floating pollutants, and provide wildlife habitat along with just plain beauty. What could go wrong? https://phys.org/news/2024-08-tree-species-worsen-nyc-air.html Earth Sciences Mon, 05 Aug 2024 10:08:16 EDT news642071291 Utility companies offer flexible electricity rates depending on the time of day to reduce demand at peak hours. That way, consumers can save some money, say, by using the dishwasher or tumble dryer at night. And the utilities avoid the need for massive investment into power plants to keep up with peak demand. https://phys.org/news/2024-07-leafy-greens-grown-night-cheaper.html Biotechnology Wed, 17 Jul 2024 12:44:17 EDT news640439054 In recent years, tree-planting campaigns have been underway in the United States, especially in cities, as part of climate mitigation efforts. https://phys.org/news/2024-07-urban-forests-states.html Ecology Fri, 12 Jul 2024 16:52:21 EDT news640021926