All News

Phys.org / Why the Persian Gulf has more oil and gas than anywhere else on Earth

It has been said that Persian Gulf countries are both blessed and cursed by their vast oil and gas reserves. Geologic forces over millions of years have meant the region is an energy-rich global flash point, as it is now ...

Apr 11, 2026
Phys.org / Artemis II crew will endure 3,000°C on re‑entry. A hypersonics expert explains how they will survive

After successfully completing their mission to the moon, the Artemis II crew are about to return to Earth.

Apr 9, 2026
Phys.org / A tabletop ring of atoms brings the universe's doomsday vacuum collapse into the lab

Physicists in China have simulated the effect of "false vacuum decay": a phenomenon believed to play out constantly in the seemingly empty expanses of space, and which one theory even suggests could bring an abrupt end to ...

Apr 13, 2026
Phys.org / As Artemis II is celebrated, the world faces hard questions about US leadership in space

The successful Artemis II trip around the moon was a historic achievement—the first crewed lunar fly-by in more than 50 years, and the greatest distance yet traveled by humans from our "pale blue dot."

Apr 13, 2026
Phys.org / Contaminants, including ink, detected in meteorites suggest sample preparation needs improving

The IBeA group of the EHU-University of the Basque Country is proposing new measures to safeguard the purity of extraterrestrial samples. Several contaminants, including traces of ink, originating in the preparation of subsamples, ...

Apr 14, 2026
Phys.org / Cracking a 16-year proton mystery as ultra-precise hydrogen measurements confirm a smaller-than-expected core

The simplicity of a hydrogen atom makes it an ideal model for studying atomic structure and interactions. Yet, despite the fact that its simplest form consists of only one proton and one electron, physicists have had a hard ...

Apr 13, 2026
Phys.org / Space worms! A microscopic crew goes into orbit to support future moon missions

British scientists have launched a crew of microscopic worms to the International Space Station in a pioneering experiment that could help unlock the secrets of long-duration space travel—and support ambitions to reach the ...

Apr 13, 2026
Phys.org / In Arizona's desert, tiny ants turn into living hygienists, climbing inside bigger ants' mandibles and cleaning them

Ants are known for many things. They fight, bite and sometimes compete for every crumb. We can now possibly add cleaning services to that list, according to a study published in the journal Ecology and Evolution.

Apr 13, 2026
Phys.org / A new fruit wash removes pesticides and extends shelf life

University of British Columbia researchers have developed a natural, biodegradable wash that removed up to 96% of pesticide residue from fruit and slowed browning and moisture loss. This could mean safer apples, grapes and ...

Apr 13, 2026
Phys.org / 'Ghost tunnels' guide sound waves in one direction while staying invisible to others

Acoustic metamaterials are a fast-evolving family of materials which manipulate sound waves in ever more advanced ways. Now, a team led by Changqing Xu at Nanjing Normal University in China has engineered an acoustic metamaterial, ...

Apr 13, 2026
Medical Xpress / Chloride ions do more than help neurons fire—they may also help control how genes are expressed

Chloride ions, best known for helping cells maintain fluid balance and electrical stability, may also play a more direct role in regulating brain development than previously thought. In a new study, published in the journal ...

Apr 13, 2026
Phys.org / Astronomers find the strongest evidence yet for the universe's first stars

For decades, astronomers were only able to study the universe's very first stars using theoretical models. Now, observations from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) have revealed what may be the most compelling evidence ...

Apr 12, 2026