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. Ask any reptile lover where to find a cold-blooded creature, and chances are they will point to a rocky outcrop. https://phys.org/news/2026-11-quarter-world-reptiles-rocky-habitats.html Environment Fri, 13 Nov 2026 08:40:05 EST news713773459 This large freshwater sawfish might look scary, but its greatest survival assets are tiny microbes that may give its young an invisible force field when environmental conditions get tough. New research led by Flinders University describes how microscopic communities living on the skin of the critically endangered largetooth sawfish (Pristis pristis) could help these animals endure challenging dry-season conditions, offering a new perspective on their conservation. https://phys.org/news/2026-11-shield-skin-microbes-sawfish-survive.html Ecology Thu, 12 Nov 2026 13:00:12 EST news713699881 An Australian native plant traditionally used by Indigenous communities for food and medicine could help scientists develop stronger, more flexible biodegradable film. UNSW researchers have discovered that adding extracts from pigface, Carpobrotus glaucescens, a hardy coastal succulent, to seaweed-based films can significantly improve their strength and flexibility. https://phys.org/news/2026-11-bush-food-biodegradable-materials-potential.html Biochemistry Thu, 12 Nov 2026 10:40:31 EST news713697482 Rip currents remain one of Australia's deadliest beach hazards, contributing to 47% of the 66 beach drowning deaths recorded in the 2025 National Drowning Report. https://phys.org/news/2026-11-ripeye-flags-rip-currents-beach.html Earth Sciences Wed, 11 Nov 2026 07:20:01 EST news713601316 The southern hairy-nosed wombat, a species long persecuted by farmers in South Australia, has been found to deliver key environmental benefits, and researcher Dr. Ruth Norris believes it warrants urgent protection. https://phys.org/news/2026-11-southern-hairy-nosed-wombat-key.html Environment Tue, 10 Nov 2026 13:00:01 EST news713532790 Global carbon pollution dropped this year ever so slightly, but it's more because of oil shocks reverberating from the Iran war than anything the world has done to fight climate change, scientists said in a new study. https://phys.org/news/2026-11-carbon-pollution-scientists-cite-iran.html Environment Tue, 10 Nov 2026 04:23:09 EST news713506953 Animals communicate in ways that are sometimes obvious to us and sometimes almost completely hidden. Bright colors, songs and courtship displays are easy to notice. Chemical signals are different: an animal can leave a message behind long after it has moved away. https://phys.org/news/2026-11-male-lizard-perfumes-rivalry-seduction.html Plants & Animals Mon, 09 Nov 2026 17:40:06 EST news713438358 The year 2026 continues the protracted streak of exceptional global temperatures, melting ice and rising sea levels, with a very strong El Niño event set to unleash even more heat and extreme weather well into 2027, according to a new report from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). It highlights the knock-on risks to the environment, economy and everyday life. https://phys.org/news/2026-11-hottest-years.html Environment Mon, 09 Nov 2026 13:00:25 EST news713446623 A new study reveals a troubling consequence of climate change: Even as rainfall decreases, cities could face increasingly severe flooding. The study was led by Ph.D. student Raz Nussbaum and co-authored by Dr. Moshe Armon and supervised by professor Efrat Morin from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. https://phys.org/news/2026-11-intense-storms-climate-extreme-urban.html Earth Sciences Mon, 09 Nov 2026 12:40:20 EST news713446606 The COP31 climate talks kicked off Monday with an early fight over money as the U.N.'s chief urged world leaders to "get serious" about tackling the crisis after a year of devastating weather extremes. https://phys.org/news/2026-11-cop31-leaders-pressure-tackle-climate.html Environment Mon, 09 Nov 2026 08:20:05 EST news713434528 A huge coral colony stretching more than 1.5 kilometers (0.93 miles) along the outer reef of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands has been identified by researchers, making it one of the largest known coral colonies ever recorded. https://phys.org/news/2026-11-buses-scientists-world-largest-coral.html Ecology Sun, 08 Nov 2026 12:00:01 EST news713180951 Why does a quenda have a short, sturdy snout, while its relative the bilby has such a remarkably long one? New research led by Murdoch University's Harry Butler Institute suggests millions of years of adaptation to different environments across Australia and New Guinea may help explain the difference. https://phys.org/news/2026-11-bandicoots-bilbies-evolved-snouts.html Plants & Animals Fri, 06 Nov 2026 09:00:01 EST news713172135 ACF's latest report, "Bulldozers and Broken Promises," an investigation into deforestation, has ruffled a few feathers. But someone has to do it. Why? Because deforestation is a huge problem in Australia. https://phys.org/news/2026-11-links-australian-deforestation-beef-farming.html Ecology Thu, 05 Nov 2026 23:40:01 EST news713096291 UNSW engineers have identified a number of chemicals that may merit closer scrutiny to ensure water utility companies and regulators can make informed decisions about the management of biosolids. https://phys.org/news/2026-11-chemicals-sewage-based-fertilizer-persist.html Agriculture Thu, 05 Nov 2026 20:00:01 EST news713104441 Using the Low Frequency Array (LOFAR), an international team led by Leiden University has produced the sharpest and most sensitive radio image of the sky ever made at low radio frequencies. The image reveals almost 63,000 radio sources, such as active galactic nuclei and star-forming galaxies, across a patch of sky about 25 times the area of the full moon. The results have been accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics. The paper is currently available on the arXiv preprint server. https://phys.org/news/2026-11-astronomers-sharpest-deepest-view-frequency.html Astronomy Thu, 05 Nov 2026 19:40:06 EST news713122261 The way the media reports suicide can be important. It can bring an often-silenced issue into public view and draw attention to the social conditions that may have contributed to a death. https://phys.org/news/2026-11-media-suicide.html Social Sciences Thu, 05 Nov 2026 12:00:18 EST news713086823 University of Sydney researchers have made a breakthrough by directly observing hydrogen in the tiny spaces between the atoms in metal alloys. The world-first observation of hydrogen dissolving in these 'metal crystal lattices' offers fresh insights into why hydrogen can weaken metals and how more hydrogen-resistant materials might be developed. https://phys.org/news/2026-11-reveal-hydrogen-dissolved-tiny-gaps.html Analytical Chemistry Wed, 04 Nov 2026 19:20:06 EST news713034421 When we think about nature in our cities, what often comes to mind are parks and reserves—planned, managed and clearly marked spaces that support animal and plant life in our urban environment. https://phys.org/news/2026-11-overlooked-melbourne-patch-reveals-animal.html Ecology Wed, 04 Nov 2026 13:00:01 EST news713008754 One of Australia's most dangerously overfished species, redfish (Centroberyx affinis), will continue to be served on our dinner tables following its latest listing as "conservation dependent." The classification is a loophole allowing species that qualify for critically endangered listings and protections to instead be killed and sold for seafood. https://phys.org/news/2026-11-loophole-seafood-critically-endangered-menu.html Ecology Tue, 03 Nov 2026 23:40:01 EST news712920849 Researchers at the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA) are studying the relationship between the genetics of Nelore cattle and the microorganisms in their guts (microbiota). Nelore cattle are the most widely raised beef breed in Brazil. The goal is to develop strategies that reduce emissions of methane—a major greenhouse gas—and improve the animals' feed efficiency. https://phys.org/news/2026-11-nelore-cattle-microbiota-methane-emissions.html Agriculture Tue, 03 Nov 2026 20:00:01 EST news712932678 Have you ever felt like you know exactly what you want to say, but just can't get the words out? Having a word on the tip of your tongue can be frustrating at the best of times, but for people with communication difficulties, it can be a constant struggle to find the right words, make sentences and connect with others. https://phys.org/news/2026-11-town-virtual-world-survivors.html Social Sciences Tue, 03 Nov 2026 18:00:06 EST news712920942 Recent media reports of alleged sexual assaults by teenage boys draw attention to an uncomfortable truth: Young people sometimes perpetrate harmful sexual behavior against their peers. https://phys.org/news/2026-11-sexual-behavior-kids-peers.html Social Sciences Tue, 03 Nov 2026 10:40:01 EST news712909523 Researchers at The University of Queensland have developed a way to quantify how wheat varieties capture and convert soil water. Dr. Raul Gimenez from the Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation said the technique could be used to identify drought-tolerant crops. https://phys.org/news/2026-11-wheat-drought.html Ecology Tue, 03 Nov 2026 08:40:01 EST news712906822 A breath of fresh air does wonders for the body and mind. https://phys.org/news/2026-11-youre-unclean-air.html Environment Mon, 02 Nov 2026 11:00:08 EST news712825158 A University of Queensland study has disproved the assumption that laboratory-based propagation of avocado carries an intrinsic environmental cost. The study led by researchers from the Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation with industry partners provides the first integrated environmental comparison of plant tissue culture (PTC)-based clonal rootstock propagation versus conventional seedling propagation. https://phys.org/news/2026-11-avocado-cultivation-methods-environmentally.html Agriculture Mon, 02 Nov 2026 09:20:13 EST news712822340 Honey from Kangaroo Island's protected honeybees has been chemically characterized for the first time, giving local beekeepers scientific backing for the purity and provenance of one of Australia's most distinctive honeys. https://phys.org/news/2026-11-kangaroo-island-honey-chemical-fingerprint.html Ecology Mon, 02 Nov 2026 08:00:19 EST news712821197 When we hear that climate change is damaging natural environments, it conjures images of rising seas eroding coastlines, or heat waves bleaching the Great Barrier Reef. But what about deserts? https://phys.org/news/2026-10-climate-ulurukata-tjua-anangu-traditional.html Earth Sciences Sun, 01 Nov 2026 17:00:05 EST news712498511 What's that chirping sound coming through the detector? Did you feel something whiz past? Those are just some ways people react when they encounter microbats for the first time. Microbats are small, mostly nocturnal mammals that use ultrasonic sounds to navigate and hunt at night. They do this through echolocation, producing calls and listening to the echoes that bounce back from objects and prey. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-dark-science.html Plants & Animals Sat, 31 Oct 2026 18:30:01 EDT news712573772 It may sound abstract, but distinctions between "native," "introduced" or "invasive" species can often be life or death. Species considered invasive in Australia—such as European rabbits and feral pigs—are often culled, while most native animals are generally left alone. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-species-invasive-culling-isnt-australia.html Ecology Sat, 31 Oct 2026 14:00:05 EDT news712327958 Renowned oceanographer Sylvia Earle is calling for an end to krill fishing near Antarctica as officials from the U.S., China, Russia and 24 other governments negotiate a possible deal to dramatically expand fishing for the crustacean that's a vital food source for whales in the international waters surrounding the ice-covered continent. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-famed-oceanographer-krill-antarctica-debate.html Ecology Thu, 29 Oct 2026 14:20:28 EDT news712499688