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. Sleep is a universal biological state that allows all animals, from mammals to amphibians, fish and even insects, to restore their energy and consolidate knowledge that can contribute to their survival. Neuroscientists and zoologists have been investigating the biological underpinnings of sleep and its vital functions for centuries, more recently by measuring the brain activity of animals or people while they are asleep. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-scientists-million-year-brain-rhythm.html Plants & Animals Fri, 23 Jan 2026 11:30:01 EST news688383014 A new study from Bar-Ilan University shows that one of sleep's core functions originated hundreds of millions of years ago in jellyfish and sea anemones, among the earliest creatures with nervous systems. By tracing this mechanism back to these ancient animals, the research demonstrates that protecting neurons from DNA damage and cellular stress is a basic, ancient function of sleep that began long before complex brains evolved. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-evolutionary-code-neuron-jellyfish-sea.html Evolution Tue, 06 Jan 2026 14:31:26 EST news686932261 Every animal with a brain needs sleep—and even a few without a brain do, too. Humans sleep, birds sleep, whales sleep and even jellyfish sleep. https://phys.org/news/2025-12-dangerous-animals-evolved-extreme-ways.html Plants & Animals Fri, 19 Dec 2025 09:49:14 EST news685360126 It's time for one of the strongest meteor showers of the year. https://phys.org/news/2025-12-year-meteor-showers-geminids.html Space Exploration Tue, 09 Dec 2025 13:30:42 EST news684509405 On Feb. 22, 2020, "Mad" Mike Hughes towed a homemade rocket to the Mojave Desert and launched himself into the sky. His goal? To view the flatness of Earth from space. This was his third attempt, and tragically it was fatal. Hughes crashed shortly after takeoff and died. https://phys.org/news/2025-12-flat-earth-spirits-conspiracy-theories.html Social Sciences Tue, 02 Dec 2025 22:40:01 EST news683902194 Between the lack of sleep and free time, physical, hormonal and relationship changes, and juggling work and other life commitments, many couples find their sex lives take a hit in the transition to parenthood. Continuing through the early years of child rearing, this can have a negative impact on the overall relationship. While spontaneous sex is put on a pedestal in Western society, a new study led by researchers at York University's Faculty of Health found that encouraging couples with young children to plan sex led to increased desire and frequency. https://phys.org/news/2025-12-priming-sex-desire-frequency-parents.html Social Sciences Mon, 01 Dec 2025 12:06:24 EST news683813162 During the first COVID-19 lockdown, we were both mothers trying to stay sane. Our chats often revolved around diapers, feeding, sleep deprivation and motherhood chaos. Between laughter and exhaustion, cloth diapers kept coming up in conversation. https://phys.org/news/2025-11-diapers-feelgood-factor-secret-term.html Environment Thu, 20 Nov 2025 21:10:03 EST news682866109 Employers are increasingly turning to wearable technologies to monitor workers, sparking a debate about whether such devices are a route to healthier, more productive workplaces or a dangerous step toward digital surveillance. https://phys.org/news/2025-10-staff-wearable-devices.html Economics & Business Thu, 30 Oct 2025 11:26:03 EDT news681042362 You arrive at work, coffee in hand, ready to tackle the day. But your manager seems off, curt in meetings, impatient with questions, and unusually sharp in tone. https://phys.org/news/2025-10-grumpy-mornings-poor-abusive-unethical.html Social Sciences Tue, 21 Oct 2025 11:10:05 EDT news680263801 The most gripping week of the bear calendar has arrived. The Fat Bear Week is an annual online competition hosted by Katmai National Park and Preserve in Alaska. This event, which began in 2014 as a one-day celebration, has since grown into a phenomenon among bear enthusiasts worldwide. https://phys.org/news/2025-09-alaska-fat-week-bit-fun.html Plants & Animals Sat, 27 Sep 2025 15:10:02 EDT news678096076 Leishmaniasis, a neglected tropical disease prevalent across 90 countries, affects approximately 12 million people worldwide, with 350 million more at risk of infection. Caused by unicellular parasites known as Leishmania protozoa, the disease commonly manifests as skin sores that can develop into deep ulcers. https://phys.org/news/2025-09-treatment-leishmaniasis-disease-okinawan-marine.html Biotechnology Wed, 24 Sep 2025 10:01:05 EDT news677926862 It might be humbling to consider, but cockroaches and people have more in common than we knew. https://phys.org/news/2025-08-pregnant-roaches.html Plants & Animals Tue, 05 Aug 2025 12:26:45 EDT news673615600 When it comes to meteor showers, the Perseids pop. It's not just about the quantity of meteors (as many as 100 per hour) and their showy quality but also their superb timing. https://phys.org/news/2025-07-perseid-meteor-shower-peaks-party.html Astronomy Wed, 30 Jul 2025 07:39:57 EDT news673079985 Police understand the importance of sleep—but for many, the nature of the job makes it hard to get enough of it. https://phys.org/news/2025-07-police-fatigue-linked.html Social Sciences Tue, 22 Jul 2025 15:50:02 EDT news672417060 Sleep may not just be rest for the mind—it may be essential maintenance for the body's power supply. A new study by University of Oxford researchers, published in Nature, reveals that the pressure to sleep arises from a build-up of electrical stress in the tiny energy generators inside brain cells. https://phys.org/news/2025-07-mitochondria.html Cell & Microbiology Fri, 18 Jul 2025 09:34:49 EDT news672050083 Light pollution, or artificial light at night (ALAN), is a widespread phenomenon in areas with dense human populations. Normally, animals use natural external cues, like sunlight and temperature, to synchronize their biological rhythms with the day-night cycle. However, ALAN is known to affect the biological rhythms of animals living within its range by altering physiological, molecular and behavioral mechanisms related to sleep-wake cycles (circadian rhythms). https://phys.org/news/2025-07-pollution-effect-circadian-rhythms-social.html Plants & Animals Wed, 02 Jul 2025 11:30:04 EDT news670674379 Several studies show that burnout is more about depressive stress in everyday life than specifically about work. https://phys.org/news/2025-06-burnout-factors-unrelated.html Social Sciences Tue, 03 Jun 2025 16:30:02 EDT news668186527 So different, yet so alike. Through pollination, bees play an important role in the ecosystem, affecting the life cycle of plants, biodiversity and agricultural production. Their presence goes hand in hand with human activity. https://phys.org/news/2025-05-brain-slumbering-bees-human-memory.html Plants & Animals Tue, 13 May 2025 15:21:28 EDT news666368479 In the largest study of its kind to date, a team of international researchers has investigated how pharmaceutical pollution affects the behavior and migration of Atlantic salmon. The study, "Pharmaceutical pollution influences river-to-sea migration in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)," has been published in Science. https://phys.org/news/2025-04-pharmaceutical-pollution-migration-behavior-salmon.html Plants & Animals Thu, 10 Apr 2025 14:00:03 EDT news663500770 Persistent fatigue caused by insufficient sleep is a common and growing problem among working-age people, but sleep deprivation is rarely discussed in the workplace. According to Jenni Tuomilehto's doctoral dissertation at the University of Vaasa, Finland, workplaces should not only encourage open discussions about sleep but also develop shared strategies to prevent the challenges that chronic fatigue may bring. https://phys.org/news/2025-04-effects-insufficient-habits.html Social Sciences Wed, 02 Apr 2025 16:43:03 EDT news662830982 As most people who have pulled an all-nighter will agree, lost sleep can leave us feeling foggy and far from our best. In some ways, birds respond similarly, often sleeping longer and more deeply after sleep loss. But unlike humans, birds can sleep with one eye open, keeping one half of the brain somewhat alert while the other sleeps deeply. This balance between vigilance and deep sleep helps them stay aware of danger while still getting some much-needed shut-eye. https://phys.org/news/2025-03-deprived-european-jackdaws-vigilance-deep.html Plants & Animals Mon, 31 Mar 2025 14:21:28 EDT news662649679 Millions of people worldwide are affected by African sleeping sickness, Chagas disease and other life-threatening infections caused by microscopic parasites borne by insects such as the tsetse fly. https://phys.org/news/2025-03-atomic-imaging-ai-insights-motion.html Cell & Microbiology Thu, 20 Mar 2025 10:28:23 EDT news661685295 The immune system responds to an infection by producing antibodies that recognize and bind to the cell surface of the pathogen, thus marking it as an intruder and triggering an immune response. For this to work, the antibodies produced must exactly fit the membrane molecules of the pathogen, like a key fitting a lock. https://phys.org/news/2025-03-antigenic-variation-pathogens-cell-surface.html Cell & Microbiology Thu, 13 Mar 2025 09:25:04 EDT news661076701 Researchers at the University of Tsukuba investigated the benefits of aromatic baths on the physical and mental well-being of teleworkers. The findings have been published in the Japan Journal of Aromatherapy. https://phys.org/news/2025-03-aromatic-mood-remote-workers.html Social Sciences Fri, 07 Mar 2025 11:57:02 EST news660571021 Dogs may look adorable when they snooze, but their sleeping habits actually hold fascinating clues on how living with humans has shaped canine behavior. The sleep-wake patterns of the dog can also serve as a useful model for human sleep and well-being research. https://phys.org/news/2025-02-dog-wilder-canine.html Veterinary medicine Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:04:05 EST news659271842 I love it when researchers observe an extra-weird particle, and this week, scientists reported the observation of a particle that only has mass when it's moving in a single direction. Good enough! An ancient DNA analysis suggests that Neanderthals and Homo sapiens interbred for about 7,000 years. And a new paper characterized the timeless awareness reported by people in states of deep meditation. Plus: A possible explanation for memory consolidation during sleep, a massive outburst from a famous, photogenic black hole and a proposal to BUILD THE MATRIX (for a single cell): https://phys.org/news/2024-12-saturday-citations-m87-lashes-deep.html Other Sat, 14 Dec 2024 08:30:02 EST news653311958 Many of us wear devices that count our steps, measure our heart rate, track sleep patterns, and more. This information can help us make healthy decisions—research shows the devices encourage people to move more, for example—and could flag possible problems, such as an irregular heartbeat. https://phys.org/news/2024-11-wearable-tech-space-station.html Space Exploration Wed, 13 Nov 2024 15:35:02 EST news650734496 In an emerging red flag for the digital era, sleep experts have warned us to avoid screen time in bed, sounding the alarm that light emitted from phones and other electronic devices can disrupt our sleep patterns. That's one way that science is waking up to the broad range of health and disease implications related to circadian biology and our daily sleep-wake cycles. https://phys.org/news/2024-11-artificial-disrupt-circadian-honey-bees.html Plants & Animals Tue, 12 Nov 2024 11:14:16 EST news650632446 Sleep is one of the most mysterious, yet ubiquitous components of our biology. It has been described in all major groups of animals, including worms, jellyfish, insects or cephalopods, and in all vertebrates, from fish to humans. Common characteristics of sleep include reduced movement, decreased muscle tone, and an increased need for sleep after periods of deprivation, for example after a night out. https://phys.org/news/2024-11-australian-dragon-reveals-link-motor.html Plants & Animals Wed, 06 Nov 2024 14:56:37 EST news650127388 For most of our evolutionary history, human activity has been linked to daylight. Technology has liberated us from these ancient sleep-wake cycles, but there is evidence sunlight has left and continues to leave its mark. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-skin-eyes-curly-hair.html Evolution Mon, 21 Oct 2024 12:40:01 EDT news648731771