All News

Phys.org / 'The plastic divide'—how carrier bag bans impact the poorest communities

A new study from The University of Manchester has shed light on an unexpected consequence of plastic bag bans in East Africa, and why well-intentioned environmental laws may actually be making life harder for the people they ...

19 hours ago in Earth
Phys.org / US weather and climate disasters could top $1 trillion by 2030

From tornadoes and hurricanes to wildfires and floods, weather and climate disasters cause billions of dollars in damage, on top of their steep human toll. Those costs could rise sharply in the years ahead, according to a ...

20 hours ago in Earth
Medical Xpress / Rising temperature may shift sex ratios at birth, analysis of five million births finds

"Temperature and sex ratios at birth," a new study led by researchers at the Department of Sociology at the University of Oxford and published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, provides new evidence that ...

Feb 23, 2026 in Obstetrics & gynaecology
Phys.org / Young 'sun' caught blowing bubbles by Chandra

For the first time, a much younger version of the sun has been caught red-handed blowing bubbles in the galaxy by astronomers using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory. The bubble—called an "astrosphere"—completely surrounds ...

Feb 23, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Sunray-like ripples emerge on a frozen reaction front

Researchers in Belgium have unveiled a striking chemical reaction in which ripples along a frozen reaction front resemble the rays of a shining star. Publishing their results in Physical Review Letters, Anne De Wit and colleagues ...

Feb 22, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Diamond owl swoops in with new method to keep electronics cool

At Rice University, a research lab's signature keepsake has helped perfect a method for growing patterned diamond surfaces that could help decrease operating temperatures in electronics by 23 degrees Celsius. The paper is ...

Feb 23, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Peatland lakes in Congo Basin release carbon that is thousands of years old

Researchers at ETH Zurich have now discovered for the first time that large blackwater lakes in the extensive peatlands of the central Congo Basin are releasing ancient carbon. To date, climate researchers had assumed that ...

Feb 23, 2026 in Earth
Medical Xpress / Smarter tissue and organ repair thanks to next-gen hydrogel

A multidisciplinary team have built hydrogels built entirely from synthetic peptides so their properties can be precisely tailored through chemical design. By harnessing the power of collagen-inspired peptides and light-triggered ...

Feb 23, 2026 in Biomedical technology
Phys.org / Early-life challenges and experiences shape how boldly bats behave as adults

What makes one bat take risks and venture far from its roost in search of food, while another stays close to familiar, safer areas? A new study from Tel Aviv University's School of Zoology reveals that the environment in ...

Feb 23, 2026 in Biology
Tech Xplore / How can you avoid AI sycophancy? Keep it professional, researchers say

Drawing boundaries isn't just important for relationships with humans anymore. It could be the key to people's relationships with their favorite AI chatbots. Researchers recently discovered that the overly agreeable behavior ...

19 hours ago in Consumer & Gadgets
Phys.org / Planning exercises that got community engagement right

Much has been written about how government agencies struggle with community engagement in climate resilience planning. For example, a 2024 study by the Resilient Coastal Communities Project (RCCP) described the enormous frustration ...

20 hours ago in Earth
Medical Xpress / How physical activity may help cancer survivors live longer

Staying fit and active has long been associated with better heart and overall health. It might also improve the chances of survival for people with some forms of cancer. A study published in the journal JAMA Network Open ...

Feb 22, 2026 in Oncology & Cancer