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Phys.org / Beyond the dust: Families describe daily health challenges near the Salton Sea

A study examining air quality and respiratory health in communities surrounding the Salton Sea in Southern California shows how environmental conditions, poor housing quality and structural inequities combine to place children ...

Jul 2, 2026
Phys.org / Urokodia! 518-million-year-old fossil shows beginning of spider's bite

The earliest evidence of spiders' fangs has been identified in a 518-million-year-old fossil by scientists at the University of Leicester and Yunnan University.

Jul 1, 2026
Phys.org / Earliest Americans specialized in megafauna hunting from Alaska to South America, analysis of 50 sites reveals

New research led by a University of Alaska Fairbanks archaeologist reveals that the earliest Native Americans had highly specialized diets, primarily hunting the largest animals on the landscape, and they targeted these megafauna ...

Jul 1, 2026
Phys.org / Single-atom catalyst turns lignin into valuable chemicals with near-complete conversion

Researchers at The University of Manchester and Hebei University of Technology have identified how a new class of catalyst can break down lignin into useful chemical building blocks, offering a more sustainable route to replace ...

Jul 1, 2026
Phys.org / Physicists demonstrate Hong–Ou–Mandel interference with more than 10 atoms

In a new study published in Nature Physics, researchers have demonstrated the Hong–Ou–Mandel (HOM) effect with up to 12 indistinguishable neutral atoms—an effect that has been predominantly observed in photonic systems.

Jun 30, 2026
Phys.org / XMM-Newton and Chandra help revise distance to Milky Way's outer spiral arms

The European Space Agency's XMM-Newton and NASA's Chandra X-ray space telescopes have spotted the aftermath of three bright explosions echoing through the outer spiral arms of our galaxy, the Milky Way. By measuring the distance ...

Jul 1, 2026
Phys.org / An iconic spear-throwing device likely wasn't used by prehistoric hunters until around 10,000 years ago

Archaeologists have long pictured prehistoric hunters taking down mammoths and other megafauna using the atlatl, a handheld spear-throwing device that uses leverage to achieve greater velocity and force when throwing darts. ...

Jun 30, 2026
Phys.org / Fish in a polluted Mexican river may mate with the wrong species, leading to hybrid offspring

The byproducts of modern society appear to be messing with the love life of two tiny fish species that have long coexisted in Mexican rivers.

Jul 1, 2026
Phys.org / Walkable, greener neighborhoods linked to better physical and mental health across the U.S.

A new big-data analysis of the U.S. pinpoints how urban design aids the health of city residents—especially when cities provide walking opportunities, greenery and mixed-use streets with a blend of commercial and residential ...

Jul 1, 2026
Phys.org / Abandoned farmland restored to wildflower meadow without sowing seeds

Abandoned farmland can be transformed into wildflower-rich grassland habitat without the need for expensive and labor-intensive seeding, a new study by UCL researchers finds.

Jul 2, 2026
Phys.org / Himalayan pangolin emerges as distinct species, confirmed with DNA from 19th-century specimen

The pangolin is a midsize mammal found only in Africa and Asia. The pangolins' scales make them unique, but these scales have become their undoing. Pangolins are poached for their scales, making them the most highly trafficked ...

Jul 1, 2026
Phys.org / Acceptor molecule upconverts low-energy green light to high-energy purple with high efficiency

Solar cells and photocatalysts can be surprisingly inefficient. Despite light consisting of many wavelengths, the range that even highly efficient devices use is limited. Other wavelengths, especially long wavelengths, simply ...

Jul 1, 2026