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. Today's announcement by Texas-based de-extinction company Colossal Biosciences about a successful hatching of chicks from an artificial egg would represent a major innovation, if the claims can be verified. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-deextinction-company-artificial-egg-true.html Biotechnology Sat, 23 May 2026 09:30:01 EDT news698499765 Like schools of fish and flocks of birds, our cells can also migrate collectively in coordination with their neighbors. This harmonious movement of cells occurs during embryonic development, wound healing, and cancer metastasis. However, since individual cells can only sense limited local information, how they are able to coordinate as a larger collective has remained poorly understood. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-mechanisms-cell-movement.html Cell & Microbiology Fri, 22 May 2026 18:20:03 EDT news698677743 It may sound too bizarre to be true, but the Amazon molly (Poecilia formosa), a fish that inhabits rivers, lakes, and swamps in Mexico and Texas, exists over much of its range in populations that are 100% female. In 1932, the Amazon molly became the first known vertebrate to reproduce by cloning itself, producing all-female populations. A new genetic study published in Nature has given scientists insights into the longstanding mystery about how and why this happens. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-asexual-lizards-virgin-births-clones.html Plants & Animals Fri, 22 May 2026 09:40:02 EDT news698661362 Hurricanes can be a devastating force—leveling trees, erasing beaches and damaging homes. But what do they do to wildlife? The answer ranges from the good to the bad to the ugly. Hurricanes sometimes help native species, but other times, they introduce and spread invasive species. Sometimes, they cause animals to evolve to survive these storms more easily, and sometimes they lead to mass migration or extinction. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-midwest-flamingos-hurricane-toads-wildlife.html Evolution Fri, 22 May 2026 09:00:01 EDT news698658241 A new computational program, MicroFinder, enables faster and more accurate assembly of bird genomes. Improved genome assemblies will help researchers better understand bird biology, evolution, and help inform conservation efforts. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-tool-accurately-notoriously-difficult-bird.html Plants & Animals Fri, 22 May 2026 08:40:03 EDT news698655601 In tropical forests, much of the biodiversity can be heard before it is seen. Birds call, insects buzz and frogs croak, creating complex soundscapes that reflect the presence of different species. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-rainforest-ai-biodiversity.html Plants & Animals Fri, 22 May 2026 07:00:03 EDT news698648161 A new large-scale study led by a research team from the Yale Center for Biodiversity and Global Change has found that wildlife responds not only to how humans reshape their habitats, but also to the simple presence of humans—and sometimes in surprising ways. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-wildlife-behavior-response.html Plants & Animals Thu, 21 May 2026 14:00:14 EDT news698571662 From butterflies to blue whales, corals and worms, Earth is home to an incredible diversity of animals. How all of these animals evolved from earlier, simpler ancestors is one of the most exciting stories in the history book of life on our 4.5 billion-year-old planet. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-rare-567millionyearold-fossils-refine-early.html Evolution Thu, 21 May 2026 11:20:03 EDT news698578801 In recent years, citizen science methodology has gained significant momentum and is becoming increasingly important in large-scale ecological and conservation research. By involving volunteers, it enables a level of spatial and temporal coverage that would often be unattainable within traditional research frameworks. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-wildlife-citizen-science-uncover-bias.html Ecology Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:05 EDT news698497441 New research from a Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences doctoral graduate could help producers better protect poultry flocks from disease outbreaks while reducing costs. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-biosecurity-tools-limit-poultry-disease.html Biotechnology Wed, 20 May 2026 20:00:01 EDT news698479638 Examination of pigeon bones from Late Bronze Age Hala Sultan Tekke, Cyprus indicates they were already semi-domesticated as early as c. 1400 BCE, pushing back direct evidence for pigeon domestication almost 1,000 years and challenging perceptions of the birds as opportunistic urban pests. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-friend-foul-exploring-ancient-bond.html Archaeology Wed, 20 May 2026 19:00:03 EDT news697969741 Imagine taking out a 12-inch ruler and finding that the number 12 is on the left side and the number 1 is on the right side. For most native English speakers, this would be disorienting. We are used to seeing the numbers move from smallest to largest, from left to right. When this layout flips, people struggle because the numbers are now in the "wrong" place. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-mind-isnt-universal-people-language.html Social Sciences Wed, 20 May 2026 14:40:04 EDT news698499991 Urbanization is rapidly transforming natural habitats and poses growing challenges for wildlife. One lesser-known consequence is its potential impact on bird song, which plays a crucial role in communication, reproduction, and survival. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-city-life-bird-song-species.html Plants & Animals Wed, 20 May 2026 12:40:05 EDT news698495281 As part-night lighting (i.e., turning off streetlights in the middle of the night) becomes more widespread among local authorities, three studies focusing, respectively, on robins, toads and bats show that, often, turning off the lights for a few hours is not enough to restore natural night. In terms of biodiversity, the challenge is not just about switching off the lights, but knowing when and where to do so. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-street-impact-wildlife.html Ecology Wed, 20 May 2026 11:20:03 EDT news698494201 Norwegian authorities on Tuesday announced that avian influenza has been documented in a polar bear for the first time in Europe, in the Svalbard region in the Arctic. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-norway-europe-case-bird-flu.html Ecology Wed, 20 May 2026 05:19:08 EDT news698473012 Why do some organizations survive across the centuries while others founder when faced with technological disruption? A new study by the University of Zurich shows that historically developed monastic forms of co-determination can be a significant advantage for dealing with digitalization. The findings are published in the journal Research Policy. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-historic-monasteries-digital-countries.html Social Sciences Tue, 19 May 2026 22:40:02 EDT news698401272 Some birds sing to attract a mate. Others dance or display colorful feathers. But in the moonlit forests and shrublands of northern Argentina, one bird courts romance by snapping its wrists together, producing a sharp clapping sound scientists have puzzled over for decades. Now, researchers have captured the behavior in detail for the first time, revealing how scissor-tailed nightjars create one of the most curious sounds in the avian world. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-birds-dark-flirt-nightjars-reveal.html Plants & Animals Tue, 19 May 2026 19:40:03 EDT news698426881 The evolution of tiny arms in several groups of meat-eating dinosaurs was likely driven by the development of strong, powerful heads, which were used to attack prey, according to a new study led by researchers at UCL (University College London) and Cambridge University. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-meat-dinosaurs-rex-evolved-tiny.html Evolution Tue, 19 May 2026 19:00:05 EDT news698403984 A new study of the largest dam removal project in United States history on the Klamath River in Oregon and California is offering new insight into a long-running water conflict by finding that farmers and conservation groups share priorities that may help guide decision-making on future river restoration projects. The work is published in the journal Society & Natural Resources. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-agriculture-common-ground-klamath.html Earth Sciences Tue, 19 May 2026 11:00:10 EDT news698403902 A biotech company that aims to resurrect lost creatures said Tuesday it has hatched live chicks in an artificial environment—a development that was met with mixed reviews from scientists and critics of its de-extinction mission. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-de-extinction-company-hatched-chicks.html Plants & Animals Tue, 19 May 2026 09:25:18 EDT news698401446 Per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), often called "forever chemicals," are now found almost everywhere scientists look. They have been detected in rivers, oceans, wildlife, food and even human blood. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-fish-pfas-safety-limits-chemical.html Ecology Tue, 19 May 2026 07:40:03 EDT news698393342 Seabirds such as albatrosses and petrels are retreating into smaller areas of ocean and traveling further to find new places to live as the climate warms. Scientists from the University of Reading studied more than 120 species of Procellariiformes (the group that includes albatrosses, petrels, shearwaters and storm petrels) using evolutionary family trees, ancient climate records and ocean temperature data to track how their ranges and movements have changed throughout history. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-seabird-world-oceans-longer-flights.html Plants & Animals Tue, 19 May 2026 05:00:12 EDT news698320982 A global analysis has found that urban animals are bolder and more aggressive, exploratory and active than their rural counterparts. The findings are published in the Journal of Animal Ecology. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-urban-life-animals-bolder-aggressive.html Plants & Animals Tue, 19 May 2026 00:00:07 EDT news698315153 To the untrained eye, the Florida scrub ecosystem isn't much to look at. Scattered in patches around coastal and inland Florida, the scrub landscape is dominated by shrubs and short oaks, all growing out of sandy soil. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-newly-rediscovered-moth-species-florida.html Ecology Mon, 18 May 2026 17:40:01 EDT news698331368 You're cooking dinner, distracted, and your hand brushes a hot pan. Nerve signals race to your spinal cord and back to yank your arm away in a fraction of a second, with no thought required. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-billion-crickets-farmed-food-year.html Plants & Animals Mon, 18 May 2026 15:20:05 EDT news698324411 One in three Australians says they are lonely. To be lonely is to feel a lack of adequate social connection. Loneliness is about feeling disconnected from others or unable to form the kinds of relationships people need to feel seen and supported. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-strangers-urban-bush-loneliness-began.html Social Sciences Mon, 18 May 2026 12:40:05 EDT news698321522 Researchers have developed a model that identifies prime farmland, habitats critical for biodiversity and areas suitable for solar development in New York, to help communities minimize land-use conflicts when making solar siting decisions. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-thoughtful-solar-siting-ag-biodiversity.html Environment Mon, 18 May 2026 12:00:01 EDT news698320442 Tropical forests, often described as the lungs of the planet, may be edging closer to a dangerous threshold as droughts become more frequent and widespread across the world's humid tropics. New research suggests these ecosystems are increasingly struggling to recover from prolonged dry conditions, raising concerns that some forests could eventually shift from absorbing carbon dioxide to releasing it back into the atmosphere. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-droughts-tropical-forests-dangerous-threshold.html Earth Sciences Mon, 18 May 2026 08:40:01 EDT news698071491 A scientific mission was set to kick off the search Monday for rodents that may be hantavirus carriers after an outbreak on a cruise ship departed this region at the southern tip of Argentina on April 1. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-tierra-del-fuego-rodent-carrier.html Ecology Mon, 18 May 2026 05:40:01 EDT news698298778 This week in science news: Are you a mosquito magnet? Here's why. Researchers using topological mathematics have uncovered a hidden rule in abstract art that corresponds to people's perceptions. And scientists developed a technology to create new electrical connections between specific neurons that could improve resilience to stress. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-saturday-citations-prehistoric-dentistry-aging.html Other Sat, 16 May 2026 09:00:02 EDT news698063559