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Phys.org / Astronomers measure both mass and distance of a rogue planet for the first time

While most planets that we are familiar with stick relatively close to their host star in a predictable orbit, some planets seem to have been knocked out of their orbits, floating through space free of any particular gravitational ...

Jan 2, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Chemistry is stuck in the dark ages: 'Chemputation' can bring it into the digital world

Chemistry deals with that most fundamental subject: matter. New drugs, materials and batteries all depend on our ability to make new molecules. But discovery of new substances is slow, expensive and fragile. Each molecule ...

Jan 8, 2026 in Chemistry
Phys.org / THz spectroscopy system bypasses long-standing tradeoff between spectral and spatial resolution

Terahertz (THz) radiation, which occupies the frequency band between microwaves and infrared light, is essential in many next-generation applications, including high-speed wireless communications, chemical sensing, and advanced ...

Jan 7, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Early hominins from Morocco reveal an African lineage near the root of Homo sapiens

An international research team reports the analysis of new hominin fossils from the site of Thomas Quarry I (Casablanca, Morocco). The fossils are very securely dated to 773,000 +/- 4,000 years ago, thanks to a high-resolution ...

Jan 7, 2026 in Biology
Tech Xplore / Grasshopper wings inspire gliding robot design

A collaboration between Princeton University engineers and entomologists at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign began with the researchers chasing grasshoppers in a hot parking lot. Their eventual focus on the hindwings ...

Jan 7, 2026 in Robotics
Phys.org / Engineers create water-saving sand layer to improve plant resilience during drought

The Anasazi, a once-flourishing tribe in the American Southwest, lived on bounties of corn, squash and beans. In 1276 A.D., however, a long, unforgiving drought made agriculture untenable, forcing them to migrate away from ...

Jan 7, 2026 in Chemistry
Phys.org / Snowflake-like emergence phenomenon discovered in metal nanocrystals

Whether they're tickling your nose, hugging your eyelashes or melting on your tongue, few winter wonders are as fascinating as snowflakes.

Jan 7, 2026 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / Why hedgehogs used to be hated

Hedgehogs have been part of human culture for thousands of years. Across different societies, they've been symbols of fertility, protection and healing, as well as fear, superstition and suspicion.

Jan 8, 2026 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / The western US is in a snow drought. Here's how a storm made it worse

Much of the western U.S. has started in 2026 in the midst of a snow drought. That might sound surprising, given the record precipitation from atmospheric rivers hitting the region in recent weeks, but those storms were actually ...

Jan 8, 2026 in Earth
Tech Xplore / Decoding black box AI with human-readable data descriptions and influence

Artificial intelligence (AI), particularly deep learning models, are often considered black boxes because their decision-making processes remain difficult to interpret. These models can accurately identify objects—such ...

Jan 8, 2026 in Computer Sciences
Phys.org / Retaining employees as they age is possible with more flexibility

Many businesses say they're suffering from labor shortages, but what are their management practices and what measures could be put in place to retain experienced workers?

Jan 8, 2026 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Swinging abyss: Oxygen isotope analysis shows less dynamic Antarctic ice sheet in Oligocene period

Oxygen isotopes data enable researchers to look far back into the geologic past and reconstruct the climate of the past. In doing so, they consider several factors such as ocean temperature and ice volume in polar regions. ...

Jan 7, 2026 in Earth