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. The ocean's aphotic zone—the dark, high-pressure region below the surface, where sunlight cannot reach—is home to a vast wealth of microbial life. Yet scientists know relatively little about the genetic makeup, growth and function of many of these enigmatic organisms. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-global-database-reveals-hidden-diversity.html Cell & Microbiology Wed, 16 Sep 2026 18:50:01 EDT news708793021 When it rains, traveling waves appear on steep asphalt pavement, slowly making their way down the slope. Because these so-called "roll waves" propagate without deforming and are typically characterized by abrupt discontinuities, they play an important role in hydraulic engineering. Understanding unsteady flows like roll waves is crucial for the design, management and safety of hydraulic structures such as dam spillway chutes. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-emerge-uniform-destabilizes-steep-slopes.html General Physics Wed, 16 Sep 2026 17:00:06 EDT news708783841 While most people are aware of how plastic, arsenic and various industrial chemicals can pollute bodies of water, the effects of caffeine on freshwater environments remain largely unknown. Nonetheless, traces of caffeine, the stimulant contained in coffee and tea, often pass through wastewater treatment systems, entering rivers and streams. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-caffeine-pollution-disrupt-crustacean-defenses.html Plants & Animals Wed, 16 Sep 2026 10:00:01 EDT news708695725 A dolphin that harasses fish until they regurgitate their food—then swoops in to steal it—has astonished University of the Sunshine Coast researchers who have documented this novel feeding strategy. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-food-dolphin-shortcut-easy-meal.html Plants & Animals Tue, 15 Sep 2026 10:20:06 EDT news708683888 The nutritional value of aquatic invertebrates such as oysters, mussels and crabs has been significantly overlooked, according to a new study led by researchers at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST). The findings provide one of the most comprehensive assessments to date of the nutritional contribution of aquatic invertebrates, along with new evidence to better understand their role in human nutrition and help inform more sustainable fisheries, aquaculture and food-system planning. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-global-reveals-hidden-nutritional-shellfish.html Ecology Thu, 10 Sep 2026 17:00:06 EDT news708262642 About 66 million years ago, a dinosaur—maybe a T. rex or a Nanotyrannus—ate a bird. The record of that meal, in the form of fossilized poop, has survived to today, preserving the best example of a feather ever found from the age of dinosaurs. By studying this feather, scientists reported in a new study in the journal Current Biology, researchers have found clues that help explain why birds are the only group of dinosaurs that survived the mass extinction 66 million years ago. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-fossil-feather-dinosaur-poop-birds.html Evolution Thu, 10 Sep 2026 11:00:04 EDT news708089942 The scavenging behavior of many wild birds plays an important role in the type, number and variety of viruses they have, a new University of Otago–Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka-led study has found. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-scavenging-linked-virus-variety-wild.html Ecology Thu, 10 Sep 2026 08:00:03 EDT news708238921 Stickleback fish can change their social behavior to help them find food in cloudy water, according to a new University of Bristol study published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-muddying-stickleback-fish.html Plants & Animals Tue, 01 Sep 2026 19:10:01 EDT news707388482 Reduced oxygen levels and air pressure at higher elevations may limit insects' ability to move upslope to escape a warming climate, with potential consequences for the essential services they provide, like pollination, according to a new review in the journal, Functional Ecology. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-oxygen-limit-insects-uphill-climate.html Plants & Animals Fri, 28 Aug 2026 00:10:02 EDT news707043481 The formation of complex terrestrial ecosystems was a significant innovation in the evolutionary history of life on Earth. This event signified the expansion of life beyond marine environments and marked the beginning of a new phase in the diversification of terrestrial biota. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-texas-fossil-reveals-early-insects.html Evolution Thu, 27 Aug 2026 17:20:05 EDT news707064181 Long before humans discovered biodegradable plastics, microorganisms had already invented their own. Many bacteria and archaea produce natural bioplastics called polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), storing them inside their cells as reserves of carbon and energy. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-nature-bioplastic-fed-animals-hundreds.html Evolution Thu, 13 Aug 2026 05:00:01 EDT news705655861 From the American West to Europe, droughts are drying up rivers, fueling destructive fires and reshaping ecosystems. They are also changing the spread of infectious diseases, leading to surges in illnesses like cholera and West Nile virus around the world. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-drought-reshaping-infectious-diseases.html Ecology Wed, 12 Aug 2026 11:00:11 EDT news705749461 Platypuses rescued during a severe drought quickly returned to their old routines after being released back into the wild, suggesting emergency rescues can help protect vulnerable populations. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-platypuses-quickly-months-captivity.html Plants & Animals Tue, 11 Aug 2026 11:20:03 EDT news705663603 Fever is one of the best-known mechanisms by which animals combat infectious diseases. Sick animals can increase their body temperature in two ways: through physiological regulation, by altering internal metabolic processes, or through behavioral changes, such as seeking warmer environments. Ectothermic animals, including amphibians, fish and reptiles, generally rely only on the latter strategy. However, fever is not always the most effective response against every pathogen. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-fever-isnt-infected-tadpoles-cool.html Plants & Animals Mon, 10 Aug 2026 14:00:08 EDT news705587942 Scientists from China, Europe and the U.S., including Dr. Stephan Spiekman, a paleontologist at the State Museum of Natural History Stuttgart and the University of Hohenheim, have described a fossil of the long-necked marine reptile Austronaga minuta from China. Although this reptile descended from land-dwelling reptiles, it was already well adapted to life in the water around 245 million years ago. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-unique-fossil-reveals-internal-million.html Evolution Wed, 29 Jul 2026 14:00:11 EDT news704451961 A virtual reality (VR) platform has given researchers new insights into how artificial light at night alters the way coral reef fish respond to predators. The study brings together, for the first time, the metabolic expertise of the University of Glasgow with an innovative immersive virtual reality (VR) platform designed at the Institut de Neurosciences de la Timone and implemented at CRIOBE (Center de Recherches Insulaires et Observatoire de l'Environnement). https://phys.org/news/2026-07-virtual-reality-fish-platform-insights.html Plants & Animals Mon, 27 Jul 2026 06:00:01 EDT news704106481 In nature, the rarest ingredient can be the one that holds everything together. In a new article published in Trends in Ecology & Evolution, Dr. Erika C. Freeman of the Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB) in Berlin argues that a handful of scarce molecules can shape entire living communities, far out of proportion to how little is present. These are what ecologists call "keystone molecules." https://phys.org/news/2026-07-molecules-emerge-chemical-keystones-life.html Ecology Sun, 26 Jul 2026 13:00:01 EDT news703865858 A new review in Limnology and Oceanography led by scientists at UC San Diego's Scripps Institution of Oceanography warns that the rapid loss of oxygen from the ocean and other aquatic ecosystems is pushing Earth toward an "unsafe space," with consequences that could be irreversible on human timescales. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-underwater-oxygen-loss-threatens-earth.html Earth Sciences Fri, 17 Jul 2026 14:20:01 EDT news703501039 As sea levels rise due to climate change, encroaching seawater will likely make freshwater environments saltier. In a new study, MIT researchers have shown how that increase in salinity might affect microbial ecosystems found in environments such as rivers and estuaries. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-influx-salt-affect-microbial-ecosystems.html Ecology Fri, 17 Jul 2026 10:00:12 EDT news703496766 New research involving Queen Mary University of London reveals that amphibians can change what they eat to cope with rising temperatures, but that this natural survival strategy has limits. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-climate-amphibians-diet.html Plants & Animals Tue, 14 Jul 2026 14:50:01 EDT news703255297 Continental aquatic ecosystems, such as lakes and reservoirs, occupy a small proportion of Earth's surface but play a significant role in the global carbon cycle. It is estimated that more than 40% of global methane emissions originate from these ecosystems. However, the true scale of these emissions remains uncertain, as most of the available data comes from one-off measurements taken at specific times and locations. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-falling-trigger-surge-methane-emissions.html Earth Sciences Thu, 09 Jul 2026 09:40:12 EDT news702806844 A new study published in the Journal of Helminthology by researchers from the Estonian University of Life Sciences and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, together with collaborators from Greenland and the Faroe Islands, has revealed surprisingly limited dispersal of Diplostomum parasites across North Atlantic islands. The findings challenge the common assumption that migratory birds readily transport parasites over large geographic distances. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-migratory-birds-parasites-islands-dna.html Plants & Animals Tue, 07 Jul 2026 21:40:07 EDT news702646962 The evolutionary paths that created snatching forelimbs in insects multiple times moved in a similar direction but didn't end at a single solution. Kobe University research is pioneering a study of how organs with similar functions evolve, providing a new analytical approach to identify evolutionary dynamics quantitatively. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-raptorial-insect-forelegs-evolved-converged.html Evolution Tue, 07 Jul 2026 05:00:04 EDT news702538089 Over generations, a small North American frog has learned how to survive in a world that's getting increasingly saltier. But new research from the University of Missouri suggests that adaptation comes with an unexpected trade-off. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-survival-price-frog-links-salt.html Ecology Mon, 06 Jul 2026 16:00:01 EDT news702562792 Coral reef decline driven by climate change could cost Hawaiʻi residents between $1.8 billion and $3 billion in lost reef-related activities by 2100, according to a new study published in Ecological Economics. The research projects that these burdens will not fall equally, with lower-income and disadvantaged communities in the state facing disproportionate impacts. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-coral-loss-erase-billion-hawaii.html Environment Thu, 02 Jul 2026 19:00:04 EDT news702223562 When the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool turned green with algae just days after a US$15 million renovation, the U.S. government scrambled for chemicals and expensive technical solutions to fix the iconic landmark. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-pool-pond-green-algae-dont.html Environment Fri, 26 Jun 2026 09:20:06 EDT news701674321 A publication led by researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology in Bremen, Germany, shows that microscopic partnerships between ciliates and bacteria play a role in the nitrogen cycle of lakes. The study, published in The ISME Journal, investigates what determines the ecological niche of the remarkable symbiosis, and how strongly the host depends on its microbial partners. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-swiss-lake-symbiosis-reveals-unexpected.html Ecology Wed, 17 Jun 2026 13:40:08 EDT news700910283 Pomacea canaliculata, commonly known as the apple snail, is a pest commonly found in Hong Kong's wetlands and farmlands. It feeds on aquatic plants and produces toxic pink egg masses resembling miniature grapes that adhere to plants or stone bunds. It is listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) among 100 of the World's Worst Invasive Alien Species. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-jurassic-viral-gene-apple-snails.html Evolution Fri, 12 Jun 2026 15:40:01 EDT news700484088 New research from the University of Victoria (UVic) has found that some kelp forests around Vancouver Island were disappearing far earlier than scientists previously thought, highlighting that climate change has been altering ecosystems long before most people were aware anything was wrong. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-years-reveals-true-extent-climate.html Ecology Mon, 08 Jun 2026 21:20:01 EDT news700134815 Most sharks and rays inhabit the oceans, but a small proportion thrive in freshwater. Approximately 4% to 5% of all shark and ray species live in tropical and subtropical rivers around the world. Two main ecological strategies can be distinguished among freshwater sharks and rays. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-km-journey-freshwater-stingray-held.html Plants & Animals Mon, 08 Jun 2026 11:40:10 EDT news700134733