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 Monitoring marine life helps scientists track ecosystem health, improve conservation and manage fisheries. A promising approach is environmental DNA (eDNA), which refers to trace genetic material naturally released into the water by organisms, such as skin cells, mucus and excreta. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-edna-membrane-advance-inshore-fish.html Molecular & Computational biology Mon, 14 Sep 2026 20:00:06 EDT news708611878 Many of the drugs that target human brain chemistry, such as antidepressants, are still biologically active when they leave the body. These substances and their metabolites can persist in wastewater and eventually end up in the sea, rivers or other aquatic environments. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-fish-highly-sensitive-antidepressants.html Ecology Sun, 13 Sep 2026 10:30:02 EDT news708178364 Our oceans are in trouble, and new research from Flinders University shows how changes in diatoms (microalgae) could further undermine the foundation of aquatic food webs—as well as vital deep-sea carbon capture or sequestration. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-ocean-acidification-disrupt-diatoms-carbon.html Environment Fri, 11 Sep 2026 09:05:45 EDT news708336308 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 A QUT investigation of the composition of microplastic types in three Brisbane creeks found that Bulimba Creek had a high load of hazardous microplastics. The work is published in the journal Marine Pollution Bulletin. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-bulimba-creek-tops-brisbane-waterways.html Environment Thu, 10 Sep 2026 08:20:01 EDT news708238981 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 The Danube gudgeon had been considered extinct in the Inn River for more than 100 years. Only a few years ago, the highly endangered species was rediscovered there. Now, researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have documented the fish in another section of the Inn. The finding emerged from a joint research project with hydropower operator VERBUND examining the effects of nature-like fishways on fish populations and river ecology. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-lost-fish-species-rediscovered-section.html Plants & Animals Wed, 09 Sep 2026 14:40:07 EDT news708170127 Water has always been one of California's most contested resources. For more than a century, battles have raged over how much of the state's water should be diverted to farmland, pumped into cities or used to conserve aquatic ecosystems—and at times, these clashes have even led to violence. The state's water system consists of a dizzying array of reservoirs, rivers, dams and aqueducts, making it challenging even for experts to understand the trade-offs of different management decisions. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-digital-tool-california-climate-disrupt.html Earth Sciences Mon, 07 Sep 2026 10:40:01 EDT news707988856 As climate warming pushes many species toward cooler environments, high-elevation areas are expected to play an increasingly important role in biodiversity conservation. A new study by the Great Hollow Nature Preserve & Ecological Research Center (New Fairfield, Connecticut) suggests that streams in New York's Catskill Mountains and other mountain ranges of the northeastern U.S. could become important refugia for one of the region's most imperiled freshwater turtles, the wood turtle (Glyptemys insculpta). https://phys.org/news/2026-09-mountains-climate-refugia-north-america.html Plants & Animals Wed, 02 Sep 2026 07:00:03 EDT news707540942 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 The first thing that struck us wasn't the missing trees, but the missing water. In May 2026, we visited the Sundarbans, a mangrove forest in the delta where the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers meet in the Bay of Bengal. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-ecological-collapse-world-largest-mangrove.html Ecology Tue, 01 Sep 2026 11:00:07 EDT news707465822 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 Can DNA traces in just two liters (0.5 gallons) of water reveal how a river's biodiversity changes over the course of a year? A study by the University of Duisburg-Essen using the River Lippe as an example shows how biodiversity in freshwater ecosystems can be monitored comprehensively, efficiently and at comparatively low cost. The results have now been published in the journal Ecological Indicators. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-genetic-reveal-river-residents-species.html Ecology Wed, 26 Aug 2026 14:40:03 EDT news706955997 Wildfire smoke is usually discussed as an airborne pollutant and a threat to human health. But when smoke and rain coincide, nutrients released by burned landscapes rain back down. A new study finds that smoke-rain events can deliver large bursts of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium—three nutrients essential to life—across ecosystems in the United States. As wildfires become more frequent, these nutrient pulses could become an increasingly important and largely overlooked ecological consequence of fire. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-wildfires-dont-pollute-air-fertilizer.html Environment Tue, 25 Aug 2026 14:20:07 EDT news706879502 During periods of heavy rainfall, pipes known as storm overflows aim to prevent excess water from overflowing into the sewage system. But this is not always the case. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-sewage-doesnt-pollution.html Environment Mon, 24 Aug 2026 13:00:01 EDT news706792981 When temperatures rise, public advice is familiar: drink water, avoid strenuous activity during the hottest hours, keep homes cool and check on older or isolated people. These recommendations are reflected in the latest heat-health guidance from the WHO Regional Office for Europe. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-cities-hotter-thermal-justice-fairer.html Environment Wed, 19 Aug 2026 13:40:06 EDT news706354440 Throughout the first week of August, 12 organizations came together in an unprecedented collaborative effort to protect the future of Florida's Coral Reef during one of nature's most elusive events: coral spawning. Scientists across the organizations worked tirelessly to propagate and conserve the next generation of corals by collecting eggs and sperm (gametes), strategically fertilizing embryos and cryopreserving sperm to safeguard invaluable genetic diversity for generations to come. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-coral-experts-historic-effort-florida.html Ecology Wed, 19 Aug 2026 08:00:05 EDT news706258268 Yesterday, I woke to a cold, damp Canberra morning—and silence. The trees around my home were empty of feathered silhouettes. Even the usual bright-eyed, warble-voiced magpies were absent. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-coasts-plains-bird-flu-threaten.html Plants & Animals Tue, 18 Aug 2026 14:20:05 EDT news706267261 Prolonged dry spells or droughts can sometimes reduce aquatic diseases, many of which affect people. Yet other times, water scarcity can counterintuitively lead to an uptick in diseases that depend on water. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-bodies-drought-disease-hotspots-dead.html Plants & Animals Sun, 16 Aug 2026 10:40:02 EDT news705752839 Chalk streams are among the world's rarest river habitats. Fewer than 300 exist globally, and most are found in England. They support rich wildlife and have been described as England's 'Great Barrier Reef' due to their biodiversity. But they face pressure from climate change and other long-term impacts including pollution and water abstraction. Professor Rachel Stubbington of Nottingham Trent University's School of Science and Technology explains what makes chalk streams unique, why they are important and what can be done to protect them. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-qa-chalk-streams-rare-rivers.html Ecology Fri, 14 Aug 2026 14:20:06 EDT news705935102 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