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Phys.org / The sun is tearing an asteroid to pieces, and Earth is now flying through the fallout

Across Earth, every night, thousands of automated stargazers are waiting to take pictures of shooting stars. I am one of the scientists who study these meteors.

Apr 13, 2026
Phys.org / Scientists turn 'mess' into breakthrough: Chaotic design unlocks next-generation optical devices

Researchers from the Monash University School of Physics and Astronomy have flipped a long-held assumption in optics, showing that deliberately introducing controlled disorder into ultra-thin optical devices can dramatically ...

Apr 10, 2026
Phys.org / AI trained like a Rubik's Cube solver simplifies particle physics equations

For years, Rutgers physicist David Shih solved Rubik's Cubes with his children, twisting the colorful squares until the scrambled puzzle returned to order. He didn't expect the toy to connect to his research, but recently ...

Apr 8, 2026
Phys.org / Street green space can help cool cities, but it will not be enough on its own

A new IIASA-led study finds that expanding street green space can reduce urban heat stress in cities worldwide, but even ambitious greening efforts are unlikely to offset a significant share of the additional heat expected ...

Apr 9, 2026
Phys.org / Heat from traffic is contributing to rises in city temperatures, study finds

Scientists at The University of Manchester have developed a new way to measure how traffic contributes to rising urban temperatures, revealing that everyday vehicle use can play a measurable role in making cities warmer. ...

Apr 8, 2026
Phys.org / Water conservation works, but climate change is outpacing it: Phoenix, Denver and Las Vegas show the future

When a drought turns into an urban water crisis, a city's first step is often to limit lawn watering and launch a campaign to encourage everyone to conserve. It might raise water-use rates or offer incentives for installing ...

Apr 8, 2026
Phys.org / Low-cost robotic chemistry system can be built and deployed in any lab

In a paper just out in Nature Synthesis, researchers led by Prof. Timothy Noël of the University of Amsterdam's Van 't Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences presented a breakthrough in autonomous laboratory systems for synthesis ...

Apr 13, 2026
Phys.org / Compact CRISPR system unlocks targeted in-body gene editing, with up to 90% efficiency

A research team has discovered an enhanced CRISPR gene-editing system that could enable targeted delivery inside the human body—a key step toward broader clinical use. Researchers identified a naturally occurring enzyme, ...

Apr 13, 2026
Phys.org / Physicists discover how to reverse 'quantum scrambling'

Quantum computers stand to revolutionize research by helping investigators solve certain problems exponentially faster than with conventional computers. Current quantum computers encounter a challenge where they lose stored ...

Apr 13, 2026
Phys.org / Lost seal of Edward the Confessor resurfaces after going missing for 40 years

An 11th-century Anglo-Saxon seal belonging to Edward the Confessor has been rediscovered more than 40 years after being declared lost. The wax impression of the "Saint-Denis seal" disappeared without official explanation ...

Apr 13, 2026
Phys.org / Scottish Neolithic tombs were used to trace kinship—including descent, DNA analysis reveals

Archaeologists have investigated genetic relationships between individuals buried in Neolithic chambered tombs in northern Scotland, suggesting monumental tombs may have been physical embodiments of prehistoric kinship, tracing ...

Apr 13, 2026
Phys.org / Date palm waste yields bio-oil, unlocking energy use for 150 million trees

Researchers have developed a method to extract bio-oil from the surface fiber waste of date palm trees, an abundant, low-cost, and sustainable biomass resource generated by an estimated 150 million date palm trees worldwide. ...

Apr 13, 2026