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Phys.org / Spaceflight causes astronauts' brains to shift, stretch and compress in microgravity

Spaceflight takes a physical toll on astronauts, causing muscles to atrophy, bones to thin and bodily fluids to shift. According to a new study published in the journal PNAS, we can now add another major change to that list. ...

Jan 13, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Microbubbles can release microplastics into our water

Microbubbles in the tap water you just poured into a plastic glass are strong enough to create tiny abrasions on the inner layer of the plastic—quietly adding to our growing microplastic problem.

Jan 13, 2026 in Chemistry
Phys.org / Glazed sherds in remote Gobi Desert reveal ancient Persian trade connections

In a study published in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, Dr. Ellery Frahm and his colleagues analyzed two unusual blue-green glazed ceramic sherds discovered in the Gobi Desert in 2016.

Jan 13, 2026 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Crop droughts set to worsen—even as rainfall increases

Europe and western North America will experience more frequent and severe crop droughts as Earth warms, even in places where yearly rainfall increases.

Jan 14, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / 2025 was third hottest year on record: climate monitors

The planet logged its third hottest year on record in 2025, extending a run of unprecedented heat, with no relief expected in 2026, global climate monitors said Wednesday.

Jan 14, 2026 in Earth
Medical Xpress / Blood metabolite signature offers improved prediction of type 2 diabetes risk

Diabetes, a metabolic disease, is on the rise worldwide, and over 90% of cases are type 2 diabetes, where the body does not effectively respond to insulin.

Jan 14, 2026 in Diabetes
Medical Xpress / Immune stress during pregnancy changes how fetal brain cells communicate, mouse study reveals

Research led by the SickKids Research Institute in Toronto and the University of Pennsylvania, has found that immune-related genes vary by location and cell type across the developing mouse brain before birth. Maternal immune ...

Jan 13, 2026 in Neuroscience
Phys.org / Time warp: How marketers express time can affect what consumers buy

Which feels further back in time: the year 2016, or 10 years ago? And which feels closer: 2036, or 10 years from now?

Jan 14, 2026 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / New massive hot subdwarf binary discovered

Astronomers report the discovery of a new binary system, designated LAMOST J065816.72+094343.1. The newfound binary consists of a massive and hot subdwarf and an unseen companion. The finding was detailed in the January issue ...

Jan 13, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Measuring movement creates a new way to map indoor air pollution

University of Birmingham scientists have developed a new way of measuring and analyzing indoor air pollution that—in initial trials—has established a clear link between office occupancy, physical activity, and air quality.

Jan 14, 2026 in Earth
Medical Xpress / Genetic obesity risk fails to predict short-term weight loss, study finds

Kanagawa University of Human Services-led researchers found short-term BMI reductions after an eight-to-12-week low-carbohydrate diet plus resistance-training program. BMI moved downward across the program while a derived ...

Jan 13, 2026 in Genetics
Phys.org / Hygienic conditions in Pompeii's early baths were poor, according to isotope analysis

The city of Pompeii was buried by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79. Researchers at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) have now reconstructed the city's water supply system based on carbonate deposits—particularly ...

Jan 13, 2026 in Other Sciences