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. A breakdown of normal polar winds in winter raises the chance of extreme cold—and a resulting spike in energy demand—in Europe, new research shows. Normally, strong and stable westerly winds circle high above the Arctic in the winter, in what is known as the "stratospheric polar vortex." https://phys.org/news/2026-10-stratospheric-extreme-energy-demand-europe.html Earth Sciences Thu, 08 Oct 2026 19:10:09 EDT news710674081 There is a strong national and international commitment to large-scale carbon removal from the atmosphere (Carbon Dioxide Removal, CDR) to achieve climate goals. But how do you do that responsibly? A study commissioned by the Climate Research Initiative Netherlands (KIN) and led by the University of Twente shows which ecological and social effects and preconditions must be taken into account. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-netherlands-ecological-social-aspects-large.html Environment Thu, 08 Oct 2026 19:00:01 EDT news710696402 Just two weeks after it was launched, the Copernicus Sentinel-3C satellite returned its first images and measurements from two of its key instruments—a major milestone that confirms the satellite is working well and on track to monitor the health of Earth's oceans, land, cryosphere and atmosphere. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-sentinel-3c-views-earth.html Earth Sciences Thu, 08 Oct 2026 18:40:14 EDT news710690581 Nickel is a promising, cost-effective and robust catalyst for alkaline water electrolysis—a key technology for the climate-neutral production of hydrogen. However, the actual structure of the active surface of such nickel electrodes under reaction conditions had not yet been conclusively determined. A research team at Ulm University has now refuted a decades-old assumption: The catalytically active surface does not consist of nickel oxyhydroxide (NiOOH), as was previously widely assumed, but is nickel dioxide (NiO₂). The findings have been published in the journal Nature Catalysis. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-chemists-uncover-true-surface-nickel.html Analytical Chemistry Thu, 08 Oct 2026 18:00:07 EDT news710681521 In high-latitude coastal areas, Arctic amplification means that temperatures are rising faster than the global average. This combination of rising temperatures and changing precipitation patterns driven by the North Atlantic Oscillation has major impacts on regions with a "cryosphere"—areas that host ice sheets and glaciers, such as southern Greenland. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-atlantic-weather-pattern-southern-greenland.html Earth Sciences Thu, 08 Oct 2026 17:40:21 EDT news710681462 A substantial loss of plant diversity could mean that grasslands worldwide, including meadows and pastures, would absorb around 15% less CO₂ through photosynthesis by midcentury compared with a scenario in which diversity is maintained. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-diversity-grassland-absorption.html Environment Thu, 08 Oct 2026 16:30:02 EDT news710694002 The Canadian government launched its first National Food Security Strategy in June 2026. The strategy aims to invest $750 million to increase year-round Canadian production of fruits and vegetables, including on so-called vertical farms. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-vertical-farming-food.html Agriculture Thu, 08 Oct 2026 15:20:07 EDT news710684402 On Aug. 26, a rock and ice avalanche triggered a huge flood that swept through a steep valley in Nepal, leaving thousands dead and missing. It was an extreme example of a growing problem across the Himalayas. As glaciers melt, glacial lakes expand and mountain permafrost thaws, the risks from floods, landslides and other high-mountain hazards are increasing. At the same time, more people and infrastructure are moving into the valleys where these hazards are most likely to strike. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-people-floodprone-areas-nepalese-himalayas.html Environment Thu, 08 Oct 2026 14:20:47 EDT news710680382 The world must seize a shrinking window to reverse the steep decline of wildlife and nature by triggering positive tipping points in food and finance, following the path of the one already underway in energy, according to a major new report from WWF featuring contributions from the University of Exeter's academic experts. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-world-seize-window-nature-wildlife.html Ecology Thu, 08 Oct 2026 12:00:01 EDT news710676002 A new study of sperm whales highlights the need for ocean conservation that covers large areas—with boundaries redrawn as our climate changes. The research team, led by the University of Exeter, combined sperm whale surveys in the southwest Indian Ocean with predictions of how climate change will shift where the whales are found in the future. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-sperm-whale-highlights-extensive-dynamic.html Plants & Animals Thu, 08 Oct 2026 11:00:38 EDT news710673962 A team led by a Penn State professor and doctoral student has compiled a checklist documenting the bee species in Colombia—the first of its kind for any country in the Western Hemisphere. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-colombia-bee-checklist-documents-species.html Plants & Animals Thu, 08 Oct 2026 10:00:17 EDT news710672163 Residents of Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington know it is always wise to prepare for any weather—to pack sunglasses, a raincoat and at least one extra layer. This "be prepared for anything" approach can equally be applied to Aotearoa's ocean weather during this year's "super" El Niño. Forecasts are fickle, unexpected outcomes are likely and preparation is needed. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-unexpected-super-el-nio-nz.html Earth Sciences Thu, 08 Oct 2026 09:40:01 EDT news710669942 New research led by the University of Hawai'i Sea Grant College Program (Hawai'i Sea Grant), the UH Mānoa School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST) and the U.S. Geological Survey analyzed a 253-year-old core from a massive coral colony at Olowalu Reef off West Maui to reconstruct how Olowalu has changed over time, what has driven those changes and what restoring healthy connections between land and sea may mean for the reef's future. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-olowalu-reef-maui-glimpse-centuries.html Ecology Thu, 08 Oct 2026 09:20:24 EDT news710666342 Global climate and weather forecasting use predictive models that divide Earth's atmosphere into a grid, with each section typically covering tens to hundreds of kilometers. Now a new model, run by a team at the University of Tokyo, has narrowed this grid spacing to just 220 meters (720 feet). This higher resolution eliminated instances of "popcornlike" rain—bursts of heavy rain that appear in simulations but not in real life—providing more accurate predictions of extreme local weather from a global model. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-high-resolution-global-atmospheric-erases.html Earth Sciences Thu, 08 Oct 2026 09:00:01 EDT news710613001 The palm-sized green turtle hatchling flailing through the sand on a Malaysian island may seem vulnerable, but its species has emerged as a symbol of hope for wildlife conservation. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-species-decline-green-turtles-glimmer.html Plants & Animals Thu, 08 Oct 2026 04:37:58 EDT news710652976 We all make them, and we all make them at work: Mistakes on the job happen regardless of line of work, experience or gender. How employees feel about them and how they are perceived by others, however, differs. Women are more likely than men to perceive mistakes negatively—but this depends on whom they share the office with, a new study in Frontiers in Organizational Psychology has shown. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-men-women-worse.html Social Sciences Thu, 08 Oct 2026 00:00:05 EDT news710591341 A new study of multiple large language models (LLMs) found that when users asked chatbots for advice, the chatbots were more likely to make suggestions that favor the status quo over alternatives. The tendency of artificial intelligence to default to more common advice could be bad news for the climate. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-ai-chatbots-endorse-climate-policies.html Environment Wed, 07 Oct 2026 22:20:01 EDT news710604121 Birds undertake some of the world's most impressive migrations, traveling hundreds to thousands of kilometers every year in search of safe breeding grounds and seasonally abundant food resources. For many birds, migration is the key to their success. However, migration can also make species more vulnerable to threats. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-seas-threaten-world-migratory-shorebirds.html Ecology Wed, 07 Oct 2026 21:00:01 EDT news710597162 Iron is one of the most abundant metals on Earth's surface, yet how such massive iron ore deposits formed throughout geological history has long remained a mystery. The prevailing theory has been that ancient photosynthetic bacteria oxidized iron, causing it to precipitate and accumulate in the oceans. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-snowball-earth-iron-deposits-microbes.html Earth Sciences Wed, 07 Oct 2026 20:00:07 EDT news710592481 Failure to curb global warming now could cost future generations of Canadians trillions of dollars in wildfire impacts alone, according to a new Simon Fraser University study. The study is among the first to put a price tag on projected Canadian wildfire activity driven by climate change. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-canadian-wildfires-trillion-21st-century.html Environment Wed, 07 Oct 2026 19:40:05 EDT news710596561 Tiny photosynthetic organisms in the Baltic Sea can contribute substantially to the transport of carbon from surface waters to deeper parts of the sea. A new study from the Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences at Stockholm University shows that their ability to form colonies and aggregates is an important factor determining how much of their biomass sinks. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-tiny-photosynthetic-carbon-depths-baltic.html Earth Sciences Wed, 07 Oct 2026 19:40:01 EDT news710605201 New research within the PELAgIO ECOWind project has revealed how offshore wind farms can influence ocean temperatures and mixing, and why their effects depend on local conditions. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-offshore-turbine-foundations-cool-ocean.html Environment Wed, 07 Oct 2026 18:20:06 EDT news710604061 One year after New York City launched its congestion pricing policy, fine particulate pollution inside Manhattan's congestion relief zone was 13% lower, according to a new analysis that accounted for regional pollution trends, weather and normal year-to-year variability. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-nyc-congestion-pricing-policy-linked.html Environment Wed, 07 Oct 2026 18:00:10 EDT news710603821 Products such as hairspray, paint and household disinfectants are increasingly causing summertime air pollution—and cities aren't accounting for it, which makes it harder to issue air quality advisories and enact regulations, new research from Colorado State University, the University of Minnesota and Purdue University shows. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-island-reveal-household-products-major.html Environment Wed, 07 Oct 2026 17:50:06 EDT news710612281 A landmark survey of the world's largest free-roaming giant tortoise population has revealed that the once-endangered species is thriving and stable in the Seychelles. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-giant-tortoises-outnumber-people-seychelles.html Plants & Animals Wed, 07 Oct 2026 16:50:01 EDT news710606101 Extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and severe as a result of climate change. Heat waves are a prime example, as they have direct effects on health, thermal comfort and the livability of cities. That is why it is vital to conduct climate risk assessments to guide cities' adaptation policies and prioritize action in the most vulnerable areas. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-vulnerability-varies-greatly-area-cities.html Environment Wed, 07 Oct 2026 16:40:01 EDT news710594951 When scientists discovered that increasing the ocean's natural alkalinity could enhance seawater's capacity to absorb and store carbon dioxide (CO₂), the idea quickly gained attention as a potential geoengineering solution to climate change. Early visions suggested it could remove gigatonnes of CO₂ from the atmosphere each year. But the reality is far more complex. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-boosting-seawater-alkalinity-communities-tackle.html Earth Sciences Wed, 07 Oct 2026 15:00:09 EDT news710594390 Research published today in Nature by University of Melbourne researchers, in collaboration with Gunaikurnai Land and Waters Corporation, reconstructed the past 1,000 years of vegetation, fire and erosion in Croajingolong National Park in East Gippsland, one of southeastern Australia's most fire-prone forests. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-australia-wildfire-crisis-linked-colonial.html Earth Sciences Wed, 07 Oct 2026 15:00:04 EDT news710592002 Understanding changes in North American bat populations is critical to measuring the risk of extinction from emerging threats such as habitat loss, climate change, white-nose syndrome and other disturbances. A study published Oct. 7, 2026, in the journal PLOS One by Faith M. Walker of Northern Arizona University in the U.S. and colleagues describes a research design involving the genetic analysis of ancient, modern and contemporary biological samples from North American spotted bats. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-ancient-samples-day-population-dynamics.html Ecology Wed, 07 Oct 2026 14:00:35 EDT news710558371 Off the coast of East Antarctica, researchers led by Kiel University (CAU) and the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI), have investigated an exceptionally large sedimentary body embedded in the seafloor of Vincennes Bay: a so-called "grounding-zone wedge"—symmetrical, wedge-shaped, approximately 260 meters (853 feet) high and 65 kilometers (40 miles) long. With a volume of more than 580 cubic kilometers (139 cubic miles), it is the largest known isolated grounding-zone wedge on a glaciated continental shelf to date and constitutes an exceptional archive of East Antarctica's glacial history. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-seafloor-sediments-reveal-east-antarctic.html Earth Sciences Wed, 07 Oct 2026 13:40:01 EDT news710593682