https://phys.org/ en-us Latest news from Society for Experimental Biology A team of researchers in France are building on fundamental experimental research undertaken in the Ukrainian Chornobyl exclusion zone with a new project in the Japanese Fukushima Prefecture to further our understanding of what it means for animals to live and reproduce in radioactive environments. https://phys.org/news/2025-07-exploring-animal-life-radioactive-shadows.html Ecology Fri, 11 Jul 2025 16:07:59 EDT news671468873 Exciting new research is investigating how boobies (birds of the genus Sula) may be able to reduce the potentially lethal impact of their high-speed vertical dives by creating a cushion of "supercavitation" bubbles upon impact with the water. https://phys.org/news/2025-07-barrier-life-plunging-boobies.html Plants & Animals Thu, 10 Jul 2025 14:25:04 EDT news671376302 Koalas are a nationally endangered and iconic species in Australia, yet their populations are rapidly declining due to habitat loss, fragmentation, and disease, and very little is known about the fine-scale movements of koalas—especially when they're on the ground. New research reveals that koalas only spend around 10 minutes per day on the ground, but this ground-time is associated with two-thirds of recorded koala deaths. https://phys.org/news/2025-07-koalas-ground.html Plants & Animals Wed, 09 Jul 2025 12:32:03 EDT news671283121 The future of sustained space habitation depends on our ability to grow fresh food away from Earth. The revolutionary new collaborative Moon-Rice project is using cutting-edge experimental biology to create an ideal future food crop that can be grown in future deep-space outposts, as well as in extreme environments back on Earth. https://phys.org/news/2025-07-crop-future-deep-space-outposts.html Agriculture Wed, 09 Jul 2025 12:29:04 EDT news671282941 Researchers have identified how thyroxine, a human thyroid hormone, can positively influence the life-critical calcification in soft corals, and have developed a unique technique for injecting molecules into coral tissues. https://phys.org/news/2025-07-coral-calcification-benefits-human-hormone.html Ecology Wed, 09 Jul 2025 12:09:03 EDT news671281742 New research into the anatomy of blue sharks (Prionace glauca) reveals a unique nanostructure in their skin that produces their iconic blue coloration, but intriguingly, also suggests a potential capacity for color change. https://phys.org/news/2025-07-nanostructures-blue-sharks-reveal-remarkable.html Bio & Medicine Wed, 09 Jul 2025 08:50:01 EDT news671267534 Research into the intestinal cells of Burmese pythons has revealed the existence of a previously unknown cell type, responsible for completely absorbing the skeletons of their prey. https://phys.org/news/2025-07-bone-digesting-cell-pythons.html Plants & Animals Wed, 09 Jul 2025 03:00:03 EDT news671101298 Plastics play a fundamental role in modern life, but their resistance to biodegradation makes them very difficult to dispose of. New research reveals how "plastivore" caterpillars can metabolically degrade plastics in a matter of days, not decades, and store them internally as body fat—but at what cost? https://phys.org/news/2025-07-plastivore-caterpillars-fat-plastic.html Plants & Animals Tue, 08 Jul 2025 11:05:04 EDT news671191501 New research into the muscles of world-class athletes and performance artists has revealed that a small number of "general motor skills" raise these experts above regional-level and novice competitors, with interesting implications for competitive sport and musculoskeletal health. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-07-efficient-elastic-tissues-secrets-olympic.html Sports medicine & Kinesiology Tue, 08 Jul 2025 10:16:05 EDT news671188562 New preliminary research suggests that a combination of higher atmospheric CO2 and hotter temperatures contribute to a reduction in nutritional quality in food crops, with serious implications for human health and well-being. https://phys.org/news/2025-07-climate-linked-decline-nutritional-quality.html Agriculture Tue, 08 Jul 2025 09:33:05 EDT news671185981 New research into the biomechanics of explosive seed dispersal in squirting cucumbers (Ecballium elaterium) reveals how these plants have adapted a suite of unique traits that help propel their high-speed seeds far and wide. https://phys.org/news/2025-07-ballistics-explosive-squirting-cucumber.html Plants & Animals Tue, 08 Jul 2025 09:17:04 EDT news671185022 Ongoing research into the effect of environmental change on the buzzing of bees reveals that high temperatures and exposure to heavy metals reduces the frequency (and audible pitch) of non-flight wing vibrations, which could have consequences on the effectiveness of bee communication and their role as pollinators. https://phys.org/news/2025-07-heavy-metals-bees.html Plants & Animals Tue, 08 Jul 2025 05:58:05 EDT news671173081 An ongoing research project into the impact of offshore windfarm electromagnetic fields on shark development reveals that the alternating electric currents produced by underwater windfarm cables seems not to disrupt the growth or survival of sharks. The research was presented at the Society for Experimental Biology Annual Conference in Prague, held 2–5th July 2024. https://phys.org/news/2024-07-offshore-windfarms-threat-electro-sensitive.html Plants & Animals Fri, 05 Jul 2024 09:00:01 EDT news639386499 New research reveals how the surprising internal anatomy of the helmeted hornbill's casque allows it to withstand damage during aerial jousting battles with rivals. Researchers hope that this new understanding can help to conserve this critically endangered species, as well as provide new insights into developing impact-resistant bio-mimetic materials. https://phys.org/news/2024-07-exploring-casque-anatomy-aerial-jousting.html Plants & Animals Thu, 04 Jul 2024 09:00:01 EDT news639238861 A new study of curriculum reading material at the University of Glasgow finds that 94% of recommended tropical ecology authors are white, and that 80% of authors are affiliated with universities outside of the tropics. Dr. Stewart White, Senior Lecturer at the School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine at the University of Glasgow, UK, intends to change that. https://phys.org/news/2024-07-decolonizing-university-tropical-ecology-curriculum.html Education Thu, 04 Jul 2024 09:00:01 EDT news639236761 Researchers have discovered the unique nanostructures responsible for the electric blue spots of the bluespotted ribbontail ray (Taeniura lymma), with possible applications for developing chemical-free coloration. The team is also conducting ongoing research into the equally enigmatic blue coloration of the blue shark (Prionace glauca). https://phys.org/news/2024-07-blue-mysterious-ribbontail-ray-electric.html Nanomaterials Thu, 04 Jul 2024 09:00:01 EDT news639240721 New research reveals that pregnancy-related brain impairment is present in live-bearing fish, but instead of affecting learning and memory as expected from similar research on mammals, it appears to have a stronger impact on decision-making and sensory reception. https://phys.org/news/2024-07-pregnant-fish-baby-brain-mammals.html Plants & Animals Wed, 03 Jul 2024 09:00:01 EDT news639151621 New research finds that artificial light at night (ALAN) attracts larval fish away from naturally lit habitats while dramatically lowering their chances of survival in an "ecological trap," with serious consequences for fish conservation and fishing stock management. https://phys.org/news/2024-07-artificial-deadly-siren-song-young.html Plants & Animals Wed, 03 Jul 2024 09:00:01 EDT news639152461 France's natural history collections contain nearly 6% of the world's total natural specimens across multiple institutions, and the e-COL+ project aims to capture and reconstruct these specimens in 3D for easy access and 3D printing around the world. https://phys.org/news/2024-07-team-3d-france-natural-history.html Paleontology & Fossils Wed, 03 Jul 2024 09:00:01 EDT news639154301 New research finds surprising differences in the diets and gut microbiomes of songbirds living in the radiation-contaminated areas of the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone, Ukraine. This study is also the first to examine the breeding behavior and early life of birds growing up in radiologically contaminated habitats. https://phys.org/news/2024-07-exploring-bird-behavior-microbiomes-radioactive.html Plants & Animals Wed, 03 Jul 2024 09:00:01 EDT news639152101 New experimental research shows that muscle metabolic activity may be an important factor in the incredible longevity of the world's oldest living vertebrate species—the Greenland shark. These findings may have applications for conservation of this vulnerable species against climate change or even for human cardiovascular health. https://phys.org/news/2024-07-anti-aging-secrets-world-longest.html Plants & Animals Wed, 03 Jul 2024 09:00:01 EDT news639151861 New experimental research shows that the combined effects of ocean warming and acidification could lead to a catastrophic decrease in embryonic shark survival by the year 2100. This research is also the first to demonstrate that monthly temperature variation plays a prominent role in shark embryo mortality. https://phys.org/news/2024-07-shark-hatching-success-climate-scenario.html Plants & Animals Wed, 03 Jul 2024 09:00:01 EDT news639154081 A recent sociological study finds that most young adults surveyed reported feeling confused about their options when it comes to dating decisions. Preliminary analysis suggests that more than half of young people experience confusion about choosing life-partners, with women appearing to be more likely to report partner selection confusion than men. https://phys.org/news/2024-07-social-media-modern.html Social Sciences Wed, 03 Jul 2024 09:00:01 EDT news639154312 While the impact of wildfires on terrestrial life has been well studied, only recently has research started to examine the effects of wildfire ash on aquatic organisms. New research reveals that wildfire ash can have lethal consequences on Australian water ecosystems. https://phys.org/news/2024-07-australian-bushfire-ash-deadly-aquatic.html Plants & Animals Tue, 02 Jul 2024 09:00:02 EDT news639070201 Researchers have recently developed a flexible-yet-sturdy morphing structure inspired by the starfish skeleton that exhibits 4D morphing features with promising applications for robotics, aviation, and medical devices. https://techxplore.com/news/2024-07-starfish-skeleton-4d-morphing.html Engineering Tue, 02 Jul 2024 09:00:02 EDT news639070142 New research into the anatomy of the primate clitoris using sophisticated imaging technology reveals the wild variation in clitoral form between primate species. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-uncovering-mysteries-clitoris-advanced-imaging.html Plants & Animals Thu, 06 Jul 2023 16:47:26 EDT news607880843 Ongoing research by Prof. Lewis Halsey and his team at the University of Roehampton, UK has identified that an upper critical temperature (UCT) exists for humans and is likely to be between 40°C and 50°C. Further research is now underway to explain this rise in metabolic energy costs at high temperatures. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2023-07-hot-humans.html Health Thu, 06 Jul 2023 13:36:03 EDT news607869361 Equine back pain is prevalent in at least 35% of ridden horses and often attributed to poor saddle fit. A new method for scanning moving horses has enabled Dr. Jorn Cheney, a researcher of animal locomotion at the University of Southampton, UK, to produce an enhanced saddle-map that can reduce back pain for horses. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-saddle-mapping-tech-pain-horses.html Veterinary medicine Thu, 06 Jul 2023 10:50:01 EDT news607852898 "Parasite Street Science" is a recent public engagement project by Dr. Nicola Veitch and a team of scientists of the University of Glasgow that uses exciting street theater performances to educate and entertain audiences in the UK and Malawi on the subject of African sleeping sickness. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2023-07-scientists-street-theater-african-sickness.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Thu, 06 Jul 2023 10:10:01 EDT news607853289 Researchers have combined research with real and robotic insects to better understand how they sense forces in their limbs while walking, providing new insights into the biomechanics and neural dynamics of insects and informing new applications for large legged robots. They presented their findings at the SEB Centenary Conference 2023. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-07-big-robot-bugs-reveal-force-sensing.html Robotics Thu, 06 Jul 2023 09:30:01 EDT news607853048