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Phys.org / A spinel crystal structure exhibits unusual, pressure-induced superconductivity

Superconductors are materials that conduct electricity with an electrical resistance of zero. Superconductivity is generally observed when materials are cooled down to extremely low temperatures. In some cases, however, like ...

Mar 24, 2026
Phys.org / Are humans naturally violent? New research challenges long-held assumptions

New research from the University of Lincoln, UK, is challenging a common assumption about the evolutionary origins of human violence, suggesting that everyday aggression does not inevitably lead to lethal conflict. The study, ...

Mar 21, 2026
Phys.org / Superconducting quantum processor performs well with significantly less wiring

Quantum computers, computing systems that process information using quantum mechanical effects, could outperform classical computers on some computational tasks. These computers rely on qubits, the basic units of quantum ...

Mar 23, 2026
Phys.org / Quantum computers could have a fundamental limit after all

The performance of quantum computers could cap out after around 1,000 qubits, according to a new analysis published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Through new calculations, Tim Palmer at the University ...

Mar 23, 2026
Phys.org / Catchment planning boosts impact of small water retention measures

Flooding, drought, and the loss of soil and nutrients are well-known challenges in agricultural catchments. Climate change is making these problems more pronounced. More intense rainfall leads to more runoff and erosion in ...

19 hours ago
Phys.org / All 5 fundamental units of life's genetic code were just discovered in an asteroid sample

A new study reveals all five fundamental nucleobases—the molecular "letters" of life—have been detected in samples from the asteroid Ryugu.

Mar 22, 2026
Phys.org / Shift in key cosmic inflation measurement could be a statistical artifact

For the last few decades, researchers have been studying what the universe looked like in its first seconds. It is generally accepted that the universe expanded exponentially in the first fraction of a second after the Big ...

Mar 23, 2026
Phys.org / What 'Project Hail Mary' gets right—and wrong—about astrophysics

"Project Hail Mary," the Ryan Gosling-led adaptation of the best-selling sci-fi novel from Andy Weir, is being praised for putting the science in science fiction. Although aliens, sun-draining microorganisms and galaxy-spanning ...

Mar 20, 2026
Phys.org / The 'private solution trap': Why richer countries may favor adaptation over public solutions, and who pays

A new study, led by the University of Nottingham and conducted by a team of 72 economists and psychologists across the world, has identified a potential "private solution trap" in problems requiring international cooperation ...

Mar 23, 2026
Phys.org / Moons orbiting wandering exoplanets could be habitable—with one catch

Provided they host thick, hydrogen-dominated atmospheres, moons orbiting free-floating exoplanets could retain much of the heat generated deep within their interiors by tidal forces. Led by David Dahlbüdding at the Max Planck ...

Mar 21, 2026
Phys.org / How birds send heat into space measured for the first time—a hidden reflectance of feathers

As human-caused climate change continues to raise temperatures across the globe, understanding how birds regulate their temperature is vital for their conservation. But how much heat birds emit—an invisible spectrum of ...

Mar 22, 2026
Phys.org / Self-cleaning fabric could eliminate the need for detergent

Detergents may begin their journey by cleaning our clothes, but they end up contaminating the environment, flowing into rivers, ponds, and oceans, where they severely disrupt aquatic animal life. Even after wastewater treatment, ...

Mar 23, 2026