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Phys.org / Elephant trunk whiskers exhibit material intelligence, revealing the secret behind an amazing sense of touch

A new study from an interdisciplinary German research collaboration, led by the Haptic Intelligence Department at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems (MPI-IS), reveals the secret to the gentle dexterity of the ...

Feb 12, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Experiment relies on pulsars to probe dark matter waves

Dark matter is a type of matter that is predicted to make up most of the matter in the universe, yet it is very difficult to detect using conventional experimental techniques, as it does not emit, absorb, or reflect light. ...

Feb 10, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Jupiter-family comet 41P/TGK slows down and reverses spin after perihelion

New analysis on 2017 Hubble images of the Jupiter-family comet, 41P/Tuttle–Giacobini–Kresak (41P/TGK), indicates that the comet underwent a spin reversal between April and December 2017. While this behavior is not unheard ...

Feb 12, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Chip makes pH measurements easier and devices more robust and portable

Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems IPMS has developed a new technology that makes pH measurements significantly more robust, simple, and reliable. Instead of the traditional, often error-prone reference electrodes, ...

Feb 12, 2026 in Chemistry
Tech Xplore / The insect-inspired bionic eye that sees, smells and guides robots

The compound eyes of the humble fruit fly are a marvel of nature. They are wide-angle and can process visual information several times faster than the human eye. Inspired by this biological masterpiece, researchers at the ...

Feb 12, 2026 in Robotics
Phys.org / The 'Little red dots' observed by Webb were direct-collapse black holes

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) was designed to look back in time and study galaxies that existed shortly after the Big Bang. In so doing, scientists hoped to gain a better understanding of how the universe has evolved ...

Feb 8, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Medical Xpress / Pre-exercise sexual activity does not harm strength or endurance in male athletes, finds new study

Athletes may not have to observe pre-game abstinence before a big event after all. According to new research, sexual activity before intense exercise doesn't slow down an athlete's performance—in some cases, it may even ...

Phys.org / Major earthquakes are just as random as smaller ones

For obvious reasons, it would be useful to predict when an earthquake is going to occur. It has long been suspected that large quakes in the Himalayas follow a fairly predictable cycle, but nature, as it turns out, is not ...

Feb 12, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / Hurricane Helene did not shift US climate views or votes, study finds

Hurricane Helene, one of the deadliest hurricanes in US history, did not affect people's views on climate change or their intentions to vote for politicians advocating stricter climate policies. This is shown in a new study ...

Feb 11, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / 'Virgin' frescoes emerge from Pompeii suburb

Amid the remains of a sumptuous villa near Pompeii, the hard-hatted conservationist scraped away centuries-old ash to reveal a vibrant red fresco.

Feb 12, 2026 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Gravitational lensing technique unveils supermassive black hole pairs

Supermassive black hole binaries form naturally when galaxies merge, but scientists have only confidently observed a very few of these systems that are widely separated. Black hole binaries that closely orbit each other have ...

Feb 12, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / New study maps where wheat, barley and rye grew before the first farmers found them

Using advanced machine learning and climate models, researchers have shown that the ancestors of crops like wheat, barley, and rye probably were much less widespread in the Middle East 12,000 years ago than previously believed. ...

Feb 12, 2026 in Other Sciences