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. According to a study published in Science Advances on May 15, global rivers are undergoing widespread and sustained deoxygenation driven by climate warming, among which tropical rivers are the most vulnerable ecosystems, with an urgent need to combat oxygen loss. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-tropical-rivers-emerge-biggest-oxygen.html Environment Fri, 15 May 2026 14:00:02 EDT news698070781 A recent Minnesota Pollution Control Agency report found that climate change could cost Minnesotans more than $20 billion a year by 2040. This is just the local cost of a global problem. Ecosystem stability is essential to agriculture, forestry, safe housing and infrastructure, carbon storage and more, but identifying which ecosystems are most vulnerable to climate shocks remains difficult. Anticipating climate change impacts and predicting recovery will be critical to minimizing human and economic disruptions. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-resistance-climate.html Ecology Thu, 14 May 2026 16:37:36 EDT news697995421 Our gut is colonized by legions of bacteria, which supply us with essential nutrients and support our health. Among them are Akkermansia bacteria, which might be helpful in the management of conditions like obesity and diabetes. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-ancient-bacterial-toolkit-links-human.html Ecology Tue, 12 May 2026 04:20:01 EDT news697777196 Metamorphosis, that profound transformation enabling certain animals to shift between habitats such as from an aquatic to a terrestrial environment, is generally viewed in terms of its benefits. A team of researchers from the University of Liège has now demonstrated that it also entails a direct and immediate cost for the individuals undergoing it, a cost that varies by sex and could influence long-term evolutionary trade-offs. The study is published in the journal BMC Biology. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-metamorphosis-newts-sex-paying-heavier.html Plants & Animals Fri, 08 May 2026 13:40:07 EDT news697464901 When most people think about biodiversity in lakes and rivers, they imagine fish, plants, or perhaps birds and amphibians. But beneath the surface exists another world that often goes unnoticed: microscopic parasites that quietly shape aquatic ecosystems in ways scientists are only beginning to understand. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-scientists-uncover-hidden-parasite-diversity.html Ecology Thu, 07 May 2026 18:00:08 EDT news697365840 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 Climate change undoubtedly affects lakes and the functioning of their ecosystems, but seasonal impacts are not always straightforward. An international team of researchers from York University in Canada, the Finnish Environment Institute and the University of Eastern Finland in Joensuu investigated how lake autumn surface warming is associated with winter under-ice temperatures and ice phenology. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-climate-rewriting-winter-lakes-glance.html Earth Sciences Mon, 04 May 2026 11:40:05 EDT news697109461 Predators are typically larger, faster, and more powerful than the animals they hunt. Yet in nature, most attacks fail. A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, by researchers from the University of Amsterdam Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED), asks: why do prey get away so often? The key, the researchers found, lies in something the original model overlooked: reaction times. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-bigger-faster-outfoxed-prey-predators.html Plants & Animals Fri, 01 May 2026 13:00:04 EDT news696853861 For more than 270 million years, trilobites were among the most successful and diverse creatures on Earth, with over 22,000 known species spanning the Paleozoic Era. Yet, despite their abundance in the fossil record and their presence on every continent, one of the most fundamental questions about their survival has remained a subject of intense scientific debate: how did they breathe? https://phys.org/news/2026-04-life-ancient-mystery-trilobite-respiratory.html Evolution Tue, 21 Apr 2026 19:00:12 EDT news695979862 Maintaining connections between natural habitats may support beneficial microbes that help wildlife defend against disease. In a new study of tropical amphibians, a team led by Penn State biologists found that amphibians in connected natural forests and aquatic habitats were more likely to host beneficial skin microbes that inhibit a deadly fungal pathogen. But when these habitats become spatially separated due to planted crops, infrastructure development or other human land use, those microbial defenses weaken and pathogen infection levels can increase with potentially deadly results. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-habitats-frogs-microbes-curb-deadly.html Ecology Mon, 20 Apr 2026 15:00:05 EDT news695915581 It had been a long day of teaching for Rudy Lerosey-Aubril. As a reward, he returned to cleaning an intriguing Cambrian arthropod fossil he had recently received for review. At first, the specimen showed all the expected characteristics of its time—yet, something was off. In place of an antenna, there appeared to be a claw. "Claws are never in that location in a Cambrian arthropod," said Lerosey-Aubril, "It took me a few minutes to realize the obvious, I had just exposed the oldest chelicera ever found." https://phys.org/news/2026-03-million-year-clawed-predator-rewrites.html Evolution Wed, 01 Apr 2026 11:00:14 EDT news694164841 From color-changing skin to jet-propelled motion, squid and cuttlefish have long fascinated scientists. To understand the origins of their unique characteristics, many attempts have been made to define their evolutionary history. However, the limited fossil record and incomplete genomic information have made it impossible to confidently order the evolution of these enigmatic creatures, until now. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-million-years-evolutionary-fuse-lit.html Evolution Mon, 30 Mar 2026 05:00:10 EDT news693828311 Cigarette butts are the most common form of litter worldwide. Trillions are discarded every year in cities, parks, beaches, along railway tracks and roadside environments. Despite their small size, these remnants of smoked cigarettes represent a persistent form of pollution because their filters are made primarily of cellulose acetate—a plastic polymer derived from natural cellulose and highly resistant to environmental degradation and produced as tightly packed microscopic fibers. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-cigarette-butts-years-environment.html Environment Tue, 17 Mar 2026 18:00:01 EDT news692956007 The Chesapeake Bay's most popular crustacean has a dark streak. Cannibalism is the No. 1 killer of juvenile blue crabs in mid-salinity waters where they are known to congregate, according to a new study from the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. But shallow waters can offer a vital refuge. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-cannibalism-major-young-blue-crabs.html Plants & Animals Mon, 16 Mar 2026 15:00:01 EDT news692610481 Neuroscientists have uncovered new insights into a key evolutionary question: Why can humans talk when most animals can't? The journal Science published the research led by Emory University and the New College of Florida. The findings suggest that seals and sea lions may have vocal flexibility as a side effect of developing a brain "bypass" for voluntary breath control. This same bypass allowed them to adapt to aquatic life. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-sea-lions-clues-evolution-vocalization.html Plants & Animals Thu, 12 Mar 2026 17:10:01 EDT news692553061 For decades, ecologists have known that how a species looks or eats affects its environment. But a new study by researchers at the University of California, Santa Cruz, shows that social behavior related to mating can be an equally powerful ecological force. The research is published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-fish-sexual-behavior-ecosystems.html Plants & Animals Wed, 11 Mar 2026 17:30:04 EDT news692463782 As the United States continues to lead global oil and gas production—accounting for roughly 20% of worldwide output in 2024—understanding how different extraction methods affect ecosystems has never been more urgent. A new study in ACS ES&T Water offers new clarity: conventional, often decades-old oil-and-gas infrastructure leaves a deeper, more persistent mark on freshwater biodiversity than unconventional shale (fracking) development. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-wells-deep-biodiversity-thin.html Environment Tue, 10 Mar 2026 16:50:01 EDT news692374501 Researchers at McGill University used 2,000-year-old stone jars in Laos to observe long-term ecological processes, enhancing understanding of how strongly tree cover shapes small freshwater ecosystems. Their findings stand to help scientists predict how freshwater habitats will respond to environmental change, the researchers said. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-ancient-stone-jars-tree-freshwater.html Ecology Tue, 10 Mar 2026 13:20:03 EDT news692360701 More than 40% of extant large freshwater animals (megafauna), including carp, salmonids, crocodilians, turtles, beavers, and hippopotamuses, have been deliberately introduced outside their natural range, often for economic gain. While these alien species can provide substantial benefits to certain groups in the introduced regions, they also pose profound and often underestimated risks to native biodiversity and local people, according to a new study published in One Earth, led by researchers at the Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB) and the Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-carp-crocodilians-deliberately-freshwater-giants.html Plants & Animals Mon, 09 Mar 2026 14:00:02 EDT news692274249 Wildfires are among the most economically costly natural disasters and are becoming more severe and frequent due to global warming. The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction estimates that global damage from wildfires was on average $106 billion per year between 2014 and 2023. The US is especially prone: the 10 most costly wildfires since 1970 all happened there, with the 2025 wildfires around Los Angeles topping the charts at $53 billion. Worldwide, wildfires destroyed 3.9 million km2 in 2025. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-modern-wildfire-methods-bonus-feature.html Environment Tue, 03 Mar 2026 00:00:01 EST news691403401 Members of the arachnid class—think spiders, scorpions and harvestmen (daddy long legs)—are often the targets of revulsion, disgust and fear. Yet, they are crucial for ecosystems to thrive. Given the crash in worldwide biodiversity, including what some call the "insect apocalypse," a pair of ecologists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst decided to check in on the general state of insects and arachnids in the U.S.—only to discover massive gaps in the data. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-spiders-real-horror-story-world.html Plants & Animals Mon, 02 Mar 2026 15:00:01 EST news691340307 Should you ever find yourself playing a trivia game on the topic of moths and butterflies, here are a few facts that might help. Collectively called Lepidoptera, moths and butterflies account for nearly 10% of all animal species. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-scientists-lay-dont-moths-butterflies.html Evolution Thu, 26 Feb 2026 16:00:03 EST news691332001 A study published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology has revealed the toxic "forever chemical," PFOS, can accumulate in exposed honeybee colonies and transfer to their honey, threatening pollinator viability, food security, and potentially human health. Conducted by researchers at the University of New England (UNE), the study monitored the effects of chronic sublethal exposure of PFOS on European honeybee colonies, showing prolonged exposure to environmental levels of PFOS changed the expression of some key proteins responsible for cell function in the honeybee. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-pfos-chemical-accumulate-bees-honey.html Environment Thu, 26 Feb 2026 12:00:10 EST news691321682 A key characteristic of modern human society is rapid urbanization, a process that can reshape natural environments and disrupt the habitats of many organisms. One widespread byproduct of urbanization is artificial light at night (ALAN), which has become one of the most pervasive human-made environmental disturbances. ALAN can affect animals by changing their physiology, behavior, and geographic distribution. In particular, it disrupts natural day-night cycles, circadian rhythms, predator-prey interactions, and reproduction across a wide range of species. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-tokyo-bay-night-reveal-hidden.html Plants & Animals Tue, 24 Feb 2026 17:20:04 EST news691160581 Animals don't just see the world differently from one another, they experience time itself at dramatically different speeds. That is according to a new study that considered 237 species across the animal kingdom, and which revealed that how fast an animal lives and moves strongly predicts how quickly it can visually process the world around it. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-fast-paced-demand-faster-vision.html Evolution Tue, 24 Feb 2026 05:00:11 EST news691061156 Around 250 million years ago, what is today scorching desert in remote northwestern Australia was the shore of a shallow bay bordering a vast prehistoric ocean. Fossils recovered from this region over 60 years ago, and almost forgotten in museum collections, have now shed new light on the earliest global radiations of land-living animals adapting to life in the sea. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-globe-ancient-sea-salamander-fossils.html Paleontology & Fossils Mon, 23 Feb 2026 00:10:01 EST news690798624 Research from Adelaide University and the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI) has shown for the first time that Australian sea lion pups can learn foraging behavior from their mothers. Social information transition exists in some mammals, such as sea otters, bottlenose dolphins and chimpanzees—the latter of which teaches their young to fish for termites using a stick. However, this type of behavior was not previously known in otariids, or "eared seals," the family of pinnipeds that comprises fur seals and sea lions. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-australian-sea-lion-pups-foraging.html Plants & Animals Sat, 21 Feb 2026 13:00:03 EST news690716191 A new study led by the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) has unveiled the first biomaterial that is not only waterproof but actually becomes stronger in contact with water. The material is produced by the incorporation of nickel into the structure of chitosan, a chitinous polymer obtained from discarded shrimp shells. The development of this new biomaterial marks a departure from the plastic-age mindset of making materials that must isolate from their environment to perform well. Instead, it shows how sustainable materials can connect and leverage their environment, using their surrounding water to achieve mechanical performance that surpasses common plastics. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-chitosan-nickel-biomaterial-stronger-plastics.html Biochemistry Wed, 18 Feb 2026 05:00:09 EST news690483601 For 40 years, scientists have been monitoring the Neotropical otter (Lontra longicaudis) along the southern coast of Brazil. A study published in Estuarine Management and Technologies reveals that these charismatic mammals are far more than just inhabitants of the coast; they are "living sensors" providing information about ecosystem decay. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-otters-ocean-doctors-year-brazil.html Plants & Animals Tue, 17 Feb 2026 12:40:01 EST news690550393 A study from the University of California, Davis, found that temperature affects the sound and quality of male frogs' mating calls. In the colder, early weeks of spring, their songs start off sluggishly. In warmer weather, their songs pick up the pace, and female frogs take note. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-temperature-affects-quality-male-frogs.html Plants & Animals Thu, 12 Feb 2026 11:00:01 EST news690109681