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Phys.org / Allowing atoms to come and go can open the door to better materials modeling

Most materials, especially metals and ceramics, are crystals. Their atoms are arranged in three-dimensional lattices that repeat the same exact pattern, over and over again. But there's a well-known saying in materials science: ...

Mar 12, 2026
Phys.org / Musicality is rooted in human biology, not just culture, says professor

Humans are fundamentally "musical animals"—and our capacity for music is rooted in biology, not just culture. This is the conclusion of new work by University of Amsterdam professor of Music Cognition Henkjan Honing. In ...

Mar 12, 2026
Tech Xplore / AI search robot uses 3D maps and internet knowledge to find lost items

A robot that can locate lost items on command, the latest development at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), combines knowledge from the internet with a spatial map of its surroundings to efficiently find the objects ...

Mar 12, 2026
Phys.org / Musicologists map medieval chant tropes to 9th-century political borders

The spread of a particular genre of music reflects the borders between medieval empires in Europe. This is shown by a study conducted by a musicologist at the University of Würzburg, appearing in Transactions of the International ...

Mar 12, 2026
Tech Xplore / AI agents can autonomously coordinate propaganda campaigns without human direction

Imagine it is two weeks before a major election in a closely contested state. A controversial ballot measure is on the line. Suddenly, a wave of posts floods X, Reddit, and Facebook, all pushing the same narrative, all amplifying ...

Mar 12, 2026
Phys.org / Nocturnal ants use lunar compass and sophisticated calculations to travel at night

It's well known that many animals, including migratory birds, butterflies, and even fish, use the sun for navigational purposes. Nocturnal animals are dealt a more difficult hand, however, as the moon's path is far more variable. ...

Mar 11, 2026
Tech Xplore / Microscopic metal 'thorns' shed light on how lithium-ion batteries short-circuit

For the first time, scientists have observed how tiny metal "thorns" called dendrites sprout inside lithium-ion batteries, which can cause the batteries to short-circuit. Their findings, published in the journal Science, ...

Mar 12, 2026
Phys.org / Capsule technology opens new window into individual cells

Researchers have developed a capsule-based method that makes it possible to analyze the same cell through multiple experimental steps. The technology overcomes a long-standing limitation in cell research and could open new ...

Mar 12, 2026
Medical Xpress / Calcium signaling channels regulate neuroinflammation and motivation, research reveals

Northwestern Medicine scientists have discovered how calcium signaling channels in microglia—the primary immune cells of the brain—regulate neuroinflammation and promote the development of behaviors associated with affective ...

Mar 12, 2026
Medical Xpress / In a hyperconnected world, shared expectations can shape how negative experiences feel

Imagine waiting in line for a shot when someone who just got one tells you it was really painful. Could hearing that make the shot hurt more? According to a new Dartmouth study, what others say about an experience can shape ...

Mar 12, 2026
Phys.org / The 'croak' conundrum: Parasites complicate love signals in frogs

Across the animal kingdom, sound is more than communication—it's a signal of survival and success. From birds and primates to insects, fish, and amphibians, animals broadcast acoustic "advertisements" to defend territory, ...

Mar 12, 2026
Phys.org / Ancient DNA sequences that control gene function across plant evolution uncovered

A study has traced thousands of conserved regulatory elements back 300 million years, revealing deep principles of plant genome evolution—a discovery that could pave the way for more precise engineering of crop traits.

Mar 12, 2026