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Medical Xpress / Ultraprocessed foods show addictionlike patterns comparable to tobacco, researchers say

That bag of chips you swore you'd only eat a handful of. The energy drink that somehow turns into three. The late-night fast-food run—whether it involves pizza, burgers or tacos—that feels impossible to resist. A new ...

Feb 19, 2026 in Health
Phys.org / Webb maps the mysterious upper atmosphere of Uranus

For the first time, an international team of astronomers have mapped the vertical structure of Uranus's upper atmosphere, uncovering how temperature and charged particles vary with height across the planet. Using Webb's NIRSpec ...

Feb 19, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / New catalyst unlocks aluminum's ability to switch between oxidation states

Aluminum's journey has been remarkable, going from being more expensive than gold to one of the most widely used materials, from beverage cans to window frames and car parts. Scientists from the Southern University of Science ...

Feb 16, 2026 in Chemistry
Phys.org / Twelve-year tracking suggests killer whales do not always drive shark disappearances

While killer whales (Orcinus orca) can trigger the immediate departure of white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias), extended absences from their aggregation sites are also part of the sharks' natural behavior, new research reveals.

Feb 18, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Obstacle or accelerator? How imperfections affect material strength

Imagine a material cracking—now imagine what happens if there are small inclusions in the material. Do they create an obstacle course for the crack to navigate, slowing it down? Or do they act as weak points, helping the ...

Feb 19, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / SpaceX rocket left behind a plume of chemical pollution as it burnt up in the atmosphere

Space junk returning to Earth is introducing metal pollution to the pristine upper atmosphere as it burns up on re-entry, a new study has found.

Feb 20, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Nanoengineers realize an on-chip excitonic hyperlens

When light passes through materials, it typically changes direction and bends in predictable ways. This change in direction, known as refraction, is caused by a change in the speed of light as it enters a new medium. In some ...

Feb 17, 2026 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / How one genome creates two distinct fungal bodies

Creatures that can change from one form to another are a staple of science fiction: Think werewolves and Transformers. Nature, too, has its shapeshifters, such as dimorphic fungi. While scientists have known for some time ...

Feb 16, 2026 in Biology
Medical Xpress / Second pregnancy uniquely alters the female brain, study shows

Researchers at Amsterdam UMC have discovered that a second pregnancy alters the female brain. Previous research from the same group had already demonstrated the impact of a first pregnancy on the female brain. The new results ...

Feb 19, 2026 in Obstetrics & gynaecology
Phys.org / Lab-in-the-loop framework enables rapid evolution of complex multi-mutant proteins

The search space for protein engineering grows exponentially with complexity. A protein of just 100 amino acids has 20100 possible variants—more combinations than atoms in the observable universe. Traditional engineering ...

Feb 19, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Aging hens may lay fewer eggs as gut health declines, study finds

In an era of rising grocery costs, eggs remain one of the most accessible and complete protein sources for families. New research from the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa's College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience ...

Feb 20, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / How do clouds form in Antarctica? The first flight-based aerosol measurements in 20 years

Antarctica plays a crucial role in Earth's climate system by reflecting solar radiation back into space. The large white ice surfaces and clouds play a decisive role in this process. However, how clouds actually form in Antarctica, ...

Feb 20, 2026 in Earth