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Phys.org / Astronomers find the strongest evidence yet for the universe's first stars

For decades, astronomers were only able to study the universe's very first stars using theoretical models. Now, observations from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) have revealed what may be the most compelling evidence ...

Apr 12, 2026
Phys.org / Autonomy key to happiness, study finds

If you can't get no satisfaction, then maybe it's because happiness does not only stem from pleasure or a meaningful existence. Instead, a new Simon Fraser University study suggests that freedom is the key to happiness.

Apr 15, 2026
Phys.org / Copper blasted into a million-degree plasma strips away 22 electrons in a flash before atoms recover

When laser flashes hit matter, electrons are knocked off their orbits around the atomic nuclei. This can generate extremely hot plasmas composed of charged particles—ions and electrons. Researchers at HZDR have now observed ...

Apr 14, 2026
Phys.org / A tabletop ring of atoms brings the universe's doomsday vacuum collapse into the lab

Physicists in China have simulated the effect of "false vacuum decay": a phenomenon believed to play out constantly in the seemingly empty expanses of space, and which one theory even suggests could bring an abrupt end to ...

Apr 13, 2026
Phys.org / Ancient charcoal sheds new light on how early humans fueled their lives

Nearly 800,000 years ago, early humans gathered along the shores of a lush lake in what is now northern Israel. Here, they returned again and again, hunting large animals, cooking fish over controlled fires, and organizing ...

Apr 15, 2026
Phys.org / Bonobos' peaceful reputation cracks after a rival group attack leaves an infant dead

Bonobos are often described as gentle apes, generally calm primates that are seen as peacemakers in the animal kingdom. But this reputation may be coming under attack as a new study published in Scientific Reports reveals ...

Apr 14, 2026
Phys.org / Alien life may hide in plain sight: Statistical patterns across exoplanets move beyond traditional biosignatures

A research team has developed a new approach to detecting life beyond Earth that does not rely on identifying specific biological markers. Instead, the study suggests that life may be detectable through patterns emerging ...

Apr 15, 2026
Phys.org / CRISPR variant selectively targets tumor DNA

Cancer cells excel at evading detection, but subtle chemical differences set them apart from healthy cells. Now, a team of scientists from Wageningen University & Research and Van Andel Institute has identified a way to exploit ...

Apr 15, 2026
Phys.org / Electrons crack open organic solar cells, exposing their hidden 3D molecular architecture in a single microscope

How do organic solar cells work on the inside? The answer lies in structures far too small to see—and difficult to access even with advanced techniques. So far, researchers have relied mainly on X-ray methods to understand ...

Apr 15, 2026
Phys.org / Scientists develop 'light switch' for the love hormone

Researchers have developed a molecular "light switch" for the so-called love hormone oxytocin, offering new insights into how social behavior, partnership bonding, emotions, and mental health are wired in the brain. Professor ...

Apr 15, 2026
Medical Xpress / A new depression treatment may rival electroconvulsive therapy while avoiding one of its biggest drawbacks

An international clinical trial led by researchers at the Center for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) and University of California San Diego School of Medicine, published in The Lancet Psychiatry, has found that magnetic ...

Apr 15, 2026
Phys.org / Bottled lightning makes a cleaner fuel

Northwestern University chemists have discovered a new way to turn natural gas into liquid fuel—and it's lightning in a bottle. By harnessing tiny bursts of plasma—or mini "lightning bolts"—in glass tubes submerged in water, ...

Apr 15, 2026