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Phys.org / 4,000-year-old clay tablets inscribed with magical spells… and beer tabs

For over 100 years, the National Museum has housed a large collection of inscribed tablets from the earliest civilizations of the Middle East—many over 4,000 years old and written in languages that are now extinct. The tablets ...

Apr 15, 2026
Phys.org / Solar flares' domino effect isn't limited to the sun, 16,000-star sweep reveals

Our sun is a roiling mass of energy, with solar flares exploding on its surface, sending gas, plasma, and light that blasts across the solar system. When radiation from extra-powerful flares breaks through Earth's outer protective ...

Apr 16, 2026
Phys.org / Novel technique drills more detail into ice core records

Glaciers can reveal vast archives of information about Earth's environmental past, but deciphering the origins of the matter within them can be a challenge. Now, using a novel technique that enables researchers to directly ...

Apr 16, 2026
Medical Xpress / Chemical NDMA is much more likely to cause cancerous mutations after early-life exposure, study suggests

A new study from MIT suggests that a carcinogen that has been found in medications and in drinking water contaminated by chemical plants may have a much more severe impact on children than adults. In a study of mice, the ...

Apr 16, 2026
Medical Xpress / Standard-dose antibiotic is the 'preferred choice' of treatment for uncomplicated acute sinusitis

Acute sinusitis leads to more antibiotic prescriptions for U.S. adults than any other condition, but there is no consensus on which antibiotic is preferred for uncomplicated cases. In a retrospective, nationwide study of ...

Apr 18, 2026
Phys.org / A hidden Oregon basin and a shallower slab sharpen the Cascadia megaquake threat

A new look at the Juan de Fuca tectonic plate beneath the coast of northern Oregon suggests this subducting slab is shallower than previously thought, with impacts on potential peak ground shaking during a Cascadia megathrust ...

Apr 16, 2026
Phys.org / Polymer physics reveals DNA loops are formed by single molecular motors

Scientists from Skoltech and the University of Potsdam have developed a physical theory that sheds light on how molecular motors organize the three-dimensional structure of the genome. Using theoretical polymer physics and ...

Apr 16, 2026
Phys.org / Warmer winters and snow drought may threaten western US water by speeding flows

As future shifts in climate lead to more rain and less snow in the western United States, new research finds that water will move faster through a landscape, likely leading to negative impacts on summer water levels and water ...

Apr 16, 2026
Medical Xpress / Nerve growth factor alone triggers osteoarthritis-like joint changes in healthy mice

Nerve growth factor (NGF) is a specialized protein, also called a neurotrophin, that is critical for the development and survival of nerves responsible for our senses and the body's fight-or-flight response. While the presence ...

Apr 12, 2026
Phys.org / Planets need more water to support life than scientists previously thought

Unfortunately for science fiction fans, desert worlds outside our solar system are unlikely to host life, according to new research from the University of Washington. Scientists show that an Earth-sized planet needs at least ...

Apr 15, 2026
Medical Xpress / High-precision human immune aging clock identifies RUNX1 as key target for T cell senescence

The immune system acts as a critical sentinel of organismal aging, integrating the sensing of physiological states with the execution of defense and clearance functions. Immunosenescence not only reflects systemic functional ...

Apr 16, 2026
Phys.org / Study finds park design affects cooling differently by day and night

Urban parks are often seen as natural refuges from summer heat, but new Concordia research shows that, depending on the time of day, the way trees are arranged within parks can influence whether those spaces cool people down ...

Apr 17, 2026