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. Hundreds of millions of animals are killed on our roads each year. Now, scientists have revealed how these deaths could play an unexpected role advancing wildlife science and conservation. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-roadkill-ethical-alternative-capture-wildlife.html Ecology Sat, 28 Feb 2026 10:40:01 EST news688818697 Opinion polarization is often considered as the primary driver of social friction, leading to exhaustive efforts to force a consensus. However, new research suggests a more pragmatic goal: reducing the friction of disagreement without necessarily eliminating the diversity of opinion. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-differences-mathematical-social-friction-consensus.html Mathematics Sat, 17 Jan 2026 17:40:01 EST news687789273 MPE Director and Nobel Laureate Reinhard Genzel is spearheading an open letter signed by nearly 30 eminent international astronomers urging the Chilean government to relocate the proposed INNA industrial complex. The project threatens the world-renowned dark skies over ESO's Paranal Observatory, the premier site for cutting-edge astronomical research. https://phys.org/news/2025-12-industrial-threatens-large-observatory-chile.html Astronomy Thu, 04 Dec 2025 13:10:06 EST news684075606 Rising global temperatures are changing the rules for survival—and reproduction—for many species. A new study from Saint Louis University reveals that predicting which species will persist under climate change is more complex than focusing solely on survival. https://phys.org/news/2025-12-insect-survival-boost-reproduction.html Plants & Animals Wed, 03 Dec 2025 12:25:28 EST news683987101 Chile's Atacama Desert is one of the darkest spots on Earth, a crown jewel for astronomers who flock to study the origins of the universe in this inhospitable desert along the Pacific coast. https://phys.org/news/2025-12-renowned-astronomers-chile-cherished-night.html Astronomy Wed, 03 Dec 2025 04:04:06 EST news683956991 LEDs, or light-emitting diodes, are essential components in near-eye displays like virtual reality and augmented reality headsets and smart glasses, along with electronics like cameras and medical equipment. https://phys.org/news/2025-11-ac-dc-nano-vr-headsets.html Nanophysics Tue, 04 Nov 2025 11:00:01 EST news681397021 Australian researchers have discovered that sleepy lizards (Tiliqua rugosus) can recognize the smell of smoke as a sign of approaching fire and attempt to escape, but they do not respond to the sound of fire. https://phys.org/news/2025-09-danger-australian-lizards-evolved.html Plants & Animals Tue, 16 Sep 2025 19:10:01 EDT news677251921 In the world's cold and snowy regions, shorter and warmer winters are one of the most conspicuous consequences of climate change. For freshwater lakes, this means later freezing, earlier thawing, and thinner ice. A new study, published in Ecology Letters, shows that the ecological impacts of these winter changes may be most dramatic in high-latitude lakes. https://phys.org/news/2025-09-northern-lakes-greatest-ecological-shifts.html Ecology Tue, 02 Sep 2025 17:11:04 EDT news676051861 When it comes to teaching preschoolers their ABCs, sticking with the basics might just be more effective. Despite the rise of digital tools and educational games, learning to read still begins with simple, hands-on work, such as writing letters and spotting words in everyday life. https://phys.org/news/2025-08-digital-preschoolers.html Education Wed, 13 Aug 2025 17:01:04 EDT news674323261 French health experts and patient associations on Tuesday urged authorities to protect the public from a bee-killing pesticide, saying the chemical could also harm children and adults. https://phys.org/news/2025-07-french-health-experts-bee-pesticide.html Ecology Tue, 29 Jul 2025 14:00:01 EDT news673015195 Nature in the UK appeared to receive a rare funding boost in the June spending review, with the government setting a spending target of up to £2 billion a year for England's environmental land management (ELM) scheme by 2028–29. https://phys.org/news/2025-07-nature-friendly-farming-uk-recovery.html Ecology Mon, 07 Jul 2025 14:00:02 EDT news671115011 Modern low-power solutions to computer memory rely heavily on the manipulation of the magnetic properties of materials. Understanding the influence of the chemical properties of these materials on their magnetization ability is of key importance in developing the field. https://phys.org/news/2025-07-magnetism-recharged-method-thin.html Condensed Matter Thu, 03 Jul 2025 14:41:03 EDT news670772462 In blinding bright light or pitch-black dark, our eyes can adjust to extreme lighting conditions within a few minutes. The human vision system, including the eyes, neurons, and brain, can also learn and memorize settings to adapt faster the next time we encounter similar lighting challenges. https://phys.org/news/2025-06-robotic-eyes-mimic-human-vision.html Nanophysics Tue, 01 Jul 2025 11:00:01 EDT news670491110 Bats are often cast as the unseen night-time stewards of nature, flitting through the dark to control pest insects, pollinate plants and disperse seeds. But behind their silent contributions lies a remarkable and underappreciated survival strategy: seasonal fattening. https://phys.org/news/2025-06-fat-survive-hard-climate-threatening.html Plants & Animals Wed, 25 Jun 2025 11:07:41 EDT news670068456 Researchers at the Institute of Physics in Zagreb, Croatia, in collaboration with international partners, have showcased new methods for visualizing atomic-scale changes in advanced materials. https://phys.org/news/2025-06-revealing-hidden-2d-materials-atomic.html Nanomaterials Wed, 04 Jun 2025 10:58:03 EDT news668253481 Nowadays, it is common for children's classrooms to have digital resources to be used as tools for certain learning processes. For example, there are computer programs geared toward children who are learning to read and write. Since the exercises that they propose are to be done on computer, the students press keys and buttons, and do away with pencil and paper. https://phys.org/news/2025-04-children.html Education Wed, 30 Apr 2025 16:00:02 EDT news665247330 Macaque mothers experience a short period of physical restlessness after the death of an infant, but do not show typical human signs of grief, such as lethargy and appetite loss, finds a new study by UCL anthropologists. https://phys.org/news/2025-04-macaque-mothers-bereavement-infant-loss.html Plants & Animals Wed, 16 Apr 2025 09:11:04 EDT news664013461 In a major step forward for radiation detection technology, a research team led by Prof. Meng Gang from the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has significantly enhanced the performance of CsPbBr3-based X-ray detectors by dramatically lowering their detection limit and suppressing noise and ion migration through innovative cooling and defect-passivation strategies. https://phys.org/news/2025-04-cspbbr-ray-detectors-limits.html Condensed Matter Tue, 15 Apr 2025 10:24:03 EDT news663931441 Understanding how molecules interact with ions is a cornerstone of chemistry, with applications from pollution detection and cleanup to drug delivery. In a series of new studies led by JILA Fellow and University of Colorado Boulder chemistry professor Mathias Weber, researchers have explored how a specific ion receptor called octamethyl calix[4]pyrrole (omC4P) binds to different anions, such as fluoride or nitrate. https://phys.org/news/2025-04-molecular-key-decode-secrets-ion.html Analytical Chemistry Wed, 09 Apr 2025 14:42:04 EDT news663428521 It's a milestone that leaves parents beaming with pride: the first time their child shakily writes out their own name. And it's the start of many more key childhood moments, from Christmas lists to writing their own stories. https://phys.org/news/2025-04-playground-jigsaw-puzzles-ways-children.html Education Wed, 02 Apr 2025 12:18:04 EDT news662815082 The American scientific community could soon be plagued by a brain drain, recent polling suggests. https://phys.org/news/2025-04-scientists-trump-disruptions-science-poll.html Social Sciences Tue, 01 Apr 2025 09:50:03 EDT news662718727 Tech billionaire Elon Musk has survived calls for his expulsion from the Royal Society following a crunch meeting at the elite British science institute. https://phys.org/news/2025-03-musk-survives-uk-royal-society.html Other Tue, 04 Mar 2025 10:22:44 EST news660306158 Britain's Royal Society will hold a crunch meeting on Monday following calls to expel technology billionaire Elon Musk, the world's richest man, from the prestigious institute of scientists. https://phys.org/news/2025-03-uk-royal-society-scientists-debates.html Other Mon, 03 Mar 2025 08:26:43 EST news660212798 Thirty-four artworks created with artificial intelligence (AI) have gone up for sale at Christie's in New York, in the famed auction house's first collection dedicated to AI art. https://phys.org/news/2025-02-creative-mass-theft-major-ai.html Social Sciences Fri, 21 Feb 2025 09:34:04 EST news659352841 In 1862, Charles Darwin predicted the existence of a moth with a long tongue based on a comet orchid's nectar spurs. This was confirmed in 1903 with the discovery of a long-tongued hawkmoth, illustrating morphological trait matching in nature. https://phys.org/news/2025-02-analysis-reveals-global-patterns-trait.html Evolution Fri, 14 Feb 2025 13:52:02 EST news658763521 Relationship dynamics among birds can be just as complex as they are in humans. While some bird species stick with one partner for life, new research has shown others might switch partners after just one breeding season. https://phys.org/news/2025-01-birds-divorce-life.html Plants & Animals Tue, 07 Jan 2025 15:49:52 EST news655487388 With a month to go until Christmas, Santa Claus is busy preparing, but the warming climate and lack of snow in his Arctic hometown have him worried. https://phys.org/news/2024-11-arctic-climate-santa-short.html Environment Tue, 26 Nov 2024 05:31:23 EST news651821477 Mary, Queen of Scots spent almost 20 years in captivity. She was held in various locations across Britain from 1568 until her execution on February 8, 1587. As I explain in my new book, Captive Queen: The Decrypted History of Mary, Queen of Scots, during this period she relied upon letters to maintain her support back in Scotland, encourage international allies to join her cause and foster allegiances in England. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-mary-queen-scots-clandestine-women.html Social Sciences Sun, 27 Oct 2024 10:30:01 EDT news649063802 The warming climate in polar regions may significantly disrupt ocean circulation patterns, a new study indicates. Scientists discovered that in the distant past, growing inflows of freshwater from melting Arctic sea-ice into the Nordic Seas likely significantly affected ocean circulation, sending temperatures plummeting across northern Europe. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-arctic-sea-ice-affect-global.html Earth Sciences Sun, 27 Oct 2024 06:00:01 EDT news649064312 Argentine biochemist Alejandro Nadra worries that President Javier Milei's budget cuts will undo his scientific quest to unravel the cause of genetic diseases that disable and kill millions. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-scientists-underfunded-argentina-verge-collapse.html Other Tue, 01 Oct 2024 04:30:28 EDT news646975822