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. Governments around the world conserve plants and animals in part by setting aside land. Whether as wilderness reserves or as resource management zones that allow industrial activities such as logging, 17.4% of the planet's land offers some measure of protection. These protected areas overlap with one-fifth, on average, of the range of Earth's terrestrial mammals. But beneath these parched deserts, dark forests, and rolling grasslands is an invisible world that keeps these aboveground places healthy. And we're not protecting that world much at all. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-areas-wildlife-soil-fungi.html Ecology Tue, 19 May 2026 17:40:03 EDT news698424721 As married research professors at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Dustin Gilbert and Anne Murray often discuss their work once they get home each night. Their fields of study rarely crossover. That changed six years ago, however, and it was insects that sparked the intersection. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-bee-magnetism-widespread-species.html Evolution Wed, 13 May 2026 12:27:47 EDT news697894022 It's a tough world for microbes. When resources grow limited and environments worsen, microbes have figured out ways to hunker down and go dormant until conditions improve. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-snor-protein-dormant-cells-resume.html Cell & Microbiology Wed, 13 May 2026 11:00:15 EDT news697824121 A single scoop of water from an Irish river has revealed evidence not only of Ireland's only frog species—as expected—but also signs of the dreaded B. dendrobatidis fungus, marking the first time this devastating amphibian disease has been spotted in the country and exposing a previously unknown risk to Ireland's frog population. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-river-dna-track-fish-frogs.html Molecular & Computational biology Sat, 09 May 2026 17:00:01 EDT news697300018 Pesky pests can wreak havoc on plants by chewing leaves, boring into stems, and sucking sap from trees. Beyond the direct damage, they also spread harmful bacteria, viruses, and fungi that can infect and ultimately kill the crops. Every year, these destructive invaders are responsible for the loss of nearly 40% of global agricultural production. A friendly group of fungi, the Hypocreales, form symbiotic relations with plants and naturally protect them by antagonizing pests, acting as their personal biocontrol. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-scientists-fungi-secret-chemistry-greener.html Molecular & Computational biology Thu, 07 May 2026 13:20:04 EDT news697363290 The bacterium Segatella copri is one of the most common inhabitants of the human gut. In their latest study, researchers at the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) have discovered that some strains of this bacterial species possess genetic bonus material that makes them more oxygen-tolerant. The presence of the molecular regulator OxyR is crucial for this. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-genetic-bonus-material-boosts-gut.html Cell & Microbiology Wed, 06 May 2026 17:40:08 EDT news697291861 La Trobe scientists have made a pivotal discovery in the fight against dangerous drug-resistant bacteria, as the University launches a major research initiative focused on new ways to target antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The findings have been published in Communications Biology. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-bacterial-protein-path-drug-resistant.html Cell & Microbiology Wed, 06 May 2026 13:40:06 EDT news697287722 New research into plant-based food and drinks has found a prevalence of mycotoxins—naturally occurring poisonous compounds produced by fungi—in hundreds of vegetarian and vegan products. A total of 212 plant-based meat alternatives (PMBAs) and plant-based beverages (PBBs) from UK shelves were tested—and all of them contained at least one of 19 mycotoxins, with multiple products containing more than one. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-based-meat-alternatives-mycotoxins.html Molecular & Computational biology Tue, 05 May 2026 17:40:03 EDT news697203121 The mountains of Mexico and Central America harbor some of the greatest biodiversity of oak trees worldwide, and a landmark study conducted by The Morton Arboretum with U.S. and Mexican collaborators provides the most definitive answer to date as to why. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-mountain-forests-mexico-central-america.html Evolution Tue, 05 May 2026 09:20:01 EDT news697190882 Every year, millions suffer, and thousands lose their lives to infections that were once easily treatable with the right dose of medication. The drugs are the same; human physiology is the same; the only difference is that microbes, such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi, have now developed resistance to drugs designed to kill them. This phenomenon, known as antimicrobial resistance, is rapidly rising, ringing sirens for emergency action across the globe. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-temperatures-antibiotic-resistance-soil-year.html Ecology Sun, 03 May 2026 13:10:01 EDT news696502532 An international research team led by Cologne-based plant scientist Professor Dr. Bart Thomma from the Institute for Plant Sciences, the Collaborative Research Center MiBiNet and the CEPLAS Cluster of Excellence for Plant Sciences has discovered the surprising evolutionary origin of fungal effector proteins: molecules that pathogens use today to infect their hosts appear to have evolved from ancient antimicrobial proteins. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-fungi-ancient-antimicrobial-proteins-hosts.html Cell & Microbiology Thu, 30 Apr 2026 14:40:07 EDT news696770581 A study conducted in the Brazilian state of Amazonas has demonstrated that small amounts of Amazonian dark earth (ADE)—an anthropogenic soil created by ancient Amazonian populations—can increase the height and diameter of the pink trumpet tree (Handroanthus avellanedae) by up to 55% and 88%, respectively. This tree also occurs in the Atlantic Forest. The research is published in the journal BMC Ecology and Evolution. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-soil-fertilization-amazonian-dark-earth.html Plants & Animals Tue, 28 Apr 2026 16:40:06 EDT news696612241 Palmyra Atoll, a remote, uninhabited speck of land, coral and sea halfway between Hawaii and American Samoa, is one of the healthiest, intact atolls on the planet—so ecologically sensitive that visiting researchers freeze their clothes at night to kill invasive species. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-earth-remote-atoll-soil-fungi.html Plants & Animals Tue, 28 Apr 2026 11:00:17 EDT news696500581 Researchers have developed a powerful new tool that can track how microbes spread between people with unprecedented precision, offering new ways to prevent infections and improve treatments in the future. The research, published April 24 in Nature Microbiology, describes how the new tool, called TRAnsmision Clustering of Strains (TRACS), uses genomics to distinguish between closely related strains of microbes. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-genomic-tool-untangles-microbes-identical.html Cell & Microbiology Fri, 24 Apr 2026 14:20:01 EDT news696249361 Serious fungal infections are on the rise, and many hospital-acquired cases are becoming harder to treat as fungi become resistant to available medications. One of the most widely used therapies, caspofungin, combats Candida infections that can turn deadly in people with weakened immune systems. Despite the drug's importance, scientists have never fully understood how it works at the molecular level—or why it sometimes stops working. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-widely-antifungal-drug-enzyme.html Cell & Microbiology Thu, 23 Apr 2026 17:40:09 EDT news696170521 Trichoderma species—a common fungus found in soils—have varying abilities to promote tomato plant growth and differentially affect the abundance of certain soil bacteria, according to a study led by researchers at Penn State. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-common-soil-fungus-pesticide-tomatoes.html Ecology Thu, 23 Apr 2026 16:00:03 EDT news696166261 Antimicrobial resistance is becoming a global burden in human health and food production, so affordable new materials are needed to overcome this growing problem. To answer the call, a multidisciplinary research team led by Flinders University with U.K. experts has discovered a novel solution for safe and effective use in antimicrobial and antifungal applications. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-breakthrough-sulfur-polymer-dangerous-fungi.html Polymers Tue, 21 Apr 2026 13:00:13 EDT news695986546 A prototype shoe made entirely from pure mycelium, the root-like network of fungi, will debut at Milan Design Week. The project is a collaboration between researcher and designer Lars Dittrich of Vrije Universiteit Brussel and head shoemaker Marie De Ryck at La Monnaie/De Munt. It reframes how living materials enter application, moving beyond substitution toward a model in which design mediates between advanced biomaterials research and the demands of traditional craft. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-pure-mycelium-debuts-milan-fungal.html Biochemistry Mon, 20 Apr 2026 17:20:07 EDT news695906161 Imagine ordering a truffle dish in a fancy restaurant, and you might picture pricey gourmet mushrooms from France or Italy. But recent decades have seen an upstart on the truffle scene. Today, one of the world's largest producers of some of the most prized truffles, known as French black or Périgord truffles (Tuber melanosporum), isn't in the Northern Hemisphere at all—it's Australia. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-australia-truffle-industry-owe-success.html Ecology Mon, 20 Apr 2026 14:40:05 EDT news695903931 Madagascar is home to seven species of baobab trees, of which six are found nowhere else on the planet. Many of the trees have been alive for well over 1,000 years. The ancient trees have become symbols of Madagascar itself. They're also gifts to climate science. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-madagascar-ancient-baobabs-years-climate.html Environment Mon, 20 Apr 2026 11:40:05 EDT news695902142 Scientists have long known that fungi are resilient, but a new study suggests that some strains might survive every step of the long, brutal trip to Mars. In a paper published in Applied and Environmental Microbiology, researchers isolated fungal microbes from NASA cleanrooms—facilities used in the assembly, testing, and launch of spacecraft—that had persisted after decontamination. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-resilient-fungus-survive-mars-space.html Astrobiology Mon, 20 Apr 2026 09:00:01 EDT news695634361 The molecular structure of an enzyme from a marine bacterium with potential industrial uses has been determined by RIKEN researchers. The insights they have gained could help make a range of useful compounds through genetic modification. The research is published in the journal Chemical Science. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-marine-sponge-bacterium-enzyme-reveals.html Biochemistry Wed, 15 Apr 2026 19:10:02 EDT news695490542 Beans of the cacao plant, Theobroma cacao, are used in chocolates, pharmaceuticals and other products, but they're under threat. Increased drought associated with climate change has already begun to stress cacao-growing regions of Colombia and other countries, and models predict it will get worse. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-cacti-fungal-endophytes-cacao-tolerate.html Ecology Mon, 13 Apr 2026 09:00:05 EDT news695030941 Tropical trees are better neighbors than trees in temperate forests, according to a study published in the journal Nature by researchers from 29 different institutions including the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) and the ForestGEO global network of forest monitoring sites. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-tropical-trees-neighborly-equator.html Plants & Animals Fri, 10 Apr 2026 15:40:01 EDT news695044077 Evolution works over millennia. Climate change is moving far faster. That mismatch is killing some of the planet's most vital ecosystems, from California's towering redwoods to the seagrass meadows along its coast, both of which store vast amounts of carbon and support complex webs of life. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-climate-outpacing-evolution-scientists-dna.html Ecology Fri, 10 Apr 2026 12:07:03 EDT news695041543 Pennsylvania is the fourth-largest wine producer in the United States, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. The industry supports nearly 11,000 jobs and directly contributes $1.77 billion to the state economy annually. In an effort to produce more and better grapes at a lower cost and with less environmental impact, vineyard growers have increasingly planted grass between rows of vines. These groundcovers root shallowly, but can benefit vineyard soils and reduce the need for herbicide applications. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-simple-vineyard-impacts-soil-microbiome.html Ecology Thu, 09 Apr 2026 17:30:02 EDT news694972622 A specific protein controls mRNA transport in fungi and distinguishes important from unimportant binding sites in the transported mRNAs. Researchers from Würzburg and Düsseldorf have discovered this mechanism. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-sites-fungal-vesicle-hitchhiking-mrna.html Cell & Microbiology Wed, 08 Apr 2026 18:20:05 EDT news694878601 Wildfires are becoming more frequent and are ravaging new parts of the world due to global warming. A study led by researchers from the University of Gothenburg shows that this change is increasing the vulnerability of thousands of plants, animals and fungi. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-longer-wildfire-seasons-pose-threat.html Environment Mon, 06 Apr 2026 05:00:02 EDT news694428422 Take a typical fish out of the water and it won't live long. It gets the oxygen it needs from the water it swims in. In a similar way, scientists are exploring dependency as a method of controlling what microbes can do and where they can do it. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-coli-microbes-areas.html Cell & Microbiology Thu, 02 Apr 2026 18:20:05 EDT news694361101 Compounds in psychedelic drugs like DMT, psilocybin, and psilocin are naturally produced in certain plants, fungi, and animals, and have a long history of use in spiritual and therapeutic contexts. Now, a considerable amount of research is going into determining how these compounds can be translated into a therapeutic context for several mental health conditions. But to do this, researchers need to find a more sustainable way to source these compounds, as current methods raise ecological and ethical concerns. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-tobacco-psychedelics-psilocybin-dmt.html Plants & Animals Thu, 02 Apr 2026 12:40:03 EDT news694346420