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Phys.org / Realistic solid-state model brings fractons in quantum spin liquids closer to detection

Quasiparticles arise from the complex interaction of many particles in solids; for example, we describe lattice vibrations in crystals as phonons. Fractons are exotic quasiparticles that occur at the vertices of magnetic ...

Aug 21, 2026
Phys.org / An echo of Einstein: An unexpected link between whale calls and special relativity

Standing on the sandy, windswept shores of Provincetown, Massachusetts, people may find themselves squinting at the horizon, waiting for a whale to make its grand entrance with a spectacular breach.

Aug 19, 2026
Phys.org / New Monte Carlo method accelerates simulations of densely entangled polymer melts

Long polymer chains are everywhere: in synthetic materials, soft matter, biological systems such as chromosomes, and mathematical models of filaments and knots. When many such chains are densely packed, they form what physicists ...

Aug 21, 2026
Phys.org / Black hole star: Astronomers discover a brand-new type of astrophysical object

Astronomers at MIT and elsewhere have spotted an extremely bright red spot in the early universe. The object resembles an enormous star, roughly the size of our solar system. But it also is putting out 100 billion times more ...

Aug 16, 2026
Medical Xpress / Officials warn wildland firefighters about the risks of using a supplement for smoke exposure

Fire and medical officials have issued warnings about a supplement offered to Western wildland firefighters who have been exposed to toxic chemicals while battling some of the country's biggest blazes.

Aug 23, 2026
Phys.org / Astronomers catch hot birth of galaxy cluster more than 11 billion light-years away

Astronomers have detected an enormous cloud of gas tens of millions of degrees hot surrounding one of the most extreme structures known in the early universe. The study offers one of the clearest views yet of a galaxy cluster ...

Aug 19, 2026
Phys.org / A little bit more than magic: The secret to quantum computing may lie in negativity

Quantum computers hold great promise for applications from drug discovery to cybersecurity. Yet figuring out what would give quantum computers their edge over everyday "classical" computers is a subtle problem. A new theoretical ...

Aug 19, 2026
Phys.org / How body size and habitat shape the vocal repertoires of primates

Biologists, zoologists and psychologists have been trying to trace the origins of human language for centuries. One well-known theory, known as the social brain hypothesis, suggests that increasingly complex social lives ...

Aug 18, 2026
Phys.org / Stellar eruptions in the laboratory: First experimental evidence for their suppression in strong magnetic fields

An international team of astrophysicists and plasma physicists has provided the first experimental evidence that strong magnetic fields surrounding active stars can completely suppress coronal mass ejections. This offers ...

Aug 21, 2026
Medical Xpress / Automatic crash alerts should be standard and free in all new vehicles, experts say

Automatic crash notification (ACN) systems should become a standard safety feature in every new vehicle, like seat belts and airbags, according to a new paper by members of the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma ...

Aug 23, 2026
Phys.org / Climate change could triple the price of wheat

Bread, pasta and breakfast cereals may seem far removed from dry fields in North America, Europe or Asia. Yet when water shortages hit several of the world's most important wheat-growing regions simultaneously, the consequences ...

Aug 21, 2026
Phys.org / Ruby-forming mineral found by Mars rover hints at violent impacts

So far, most of the minerals found on Mars tell a story of lava poured out by ancient volcanoes, followed by long stretches in which water trickled through and slowly reshaped the rock. However, some rocks scattered across ...

Aug 18, 2026