All News

Phys.org / Intensifying droughts may be pushing tropical forests toward a dangerous threshold

Tropical forests, often described as the lungs of the planet, may be edging closer to a dangerous threshold as droughts become more frequent and widespread across the world's humid tropics. New research suggests these ecosystems ...

May 18, 2026
Phys.org / Twisted WSe₂ reveals elusive charge-neutral quantum modes

Quantum materials, materials with properties that are influenced by the laws of quantum mechanics, have attracted considerable attention over the past few decades. Their unique properties make these materials advantageous ...

May 18, 2026
Phys.org / Ancient Arctic fossils uncover three mammal species that survived months of darkness

Today's Arctic may feel remote and desolate, but more than 70 million years ago, it was a surprisingly lively place for some of Earth's ancient mammals.

May 18, 2026
Phys.org / Mathematical analysis reveals a hidden 'golden rule' in abstract art

A mathematical method borrowed from topology can reveal structural properties of visual art that correspond to how people perceive and respond to them, according to a new study published in PLOS Computational Biology by Jacek ...

May 14, 2026
Phys.org / Sea levels rising dramatically in some areas due to land subsidence

Densely populated coastal regions in many parts of the world are particularly vulnerable to flooding. The sinking of land masses exacerbates the impacts of rising sea levels in these areas, according to a study by researchers ...

May 18, 2026
Phys.org / Nondestructive DNA sampling reveals 1,300 years of secrets in historic parchments

Researchers have demonstrated a nondestructive way to collect cellular material from historical parchment manuscripts, allowing them to conduct genetic analyses that offer new insights into everything from trade routes to ...

May 18, 2026
Phys.org / Neanderthals gathered shellfish using the same strategies as modern humans, study finds

Neanderthal populations in southern Europe collected shellfish throughout the year, with a marked preference for the colder months, according to a new international study led by researchers from the Institute of Environmental ...

May 18, 2026
Phys.org / Galactic collision may have reset Milky Way disk 11 billion years ago

A new study led by researchers at the Institute of Cosmos Sciences of the University of Barcelona (ICCUB) and the Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia (IEEC) reveals how the disks of galaxies like the Milky Way are affected ...

May 18, 2026
Phys.org / Kenya's new poaching problem: Smuggling Giant Harvester Ants

Kenyan ant expert Dino Martins gushes over the red and black insects that have become the center of an international smuggling trade.

May 18, 2026
Phys.org / People overestimate how confident AI systems are in their responses, experiments reveal

Artificial intelligence (AI) systems, particularly conversational agents such as ChatGPT or Gemini, are now used daily by a growing number of people worldwide. While many users trust the answers of AI agents to their queries, ...

May 17, 2026
Phys.org / Behold the neuron, a complicated cell with a simple mission

Neurons, the uber-connected nerve cells that act as a main switchboard for the brain, are central to some incredibly complicated processes. They make it possible to think, walk, speak, and breathe. They even have built-in ...

May 18, 2026
Phys.org / eROSITA discovers a 'changing-look' Seyfert galaxy

Astronomers have tracked a dramatic "changing-look" active galactic nucleus (AGN) whose central supermassive black hole appeared to switch off and then rapidly reignite. The galaxy, HE 1237−2252, dimmed in X-rays by a factor ...

May 17, 2026