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Phys.org / AI-designed diffractive optical processors pave the way for low-power structural health monitoring

A team of researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) has introduced a novel framework for monitoring structural vibrations using diffractive optical processors. This new technology uses artificial intelligence ...

Mar 5, 2026
Medical Xpress / How gut bacteria and diet can reprogram fat to burn more energy

Scientists at City of Hope and the Broad Institute and Keio University have discovered how specific gut bacteria work together with the diet to flip a metabolic switch—transforming energy-storing white fat into calorie-burning ...

Mar 4, 2026
Phys.org / A new face for 'Little Foot,' the most complete Australopithecus skeleton to date

What did the face of our ancestors look like three million years ago? Our international team has answered this question by virtually reconstructing the facial fragments of Little Foot, the most complete Australopithecus skeleton ...

Mar 4, 2026
Phys.org / A new clue to how the body detects physical force

Every time we feel a gentle tap on the skin, specialized nerve cells convert that physical force into an electrical signal the brain can interpret as touch. While scientists have long known that a protein called PIEZO2 acts ...

Mar 7, 2026
Phys.org / Dense, dark forests in Europe are a modern phenomenon

For over 20 million years, the landscape of Europe has been a tree-rich mosaic of grasslands, scrubs and more or less open woodlands with an abundance of wildflowers. This is the conclusion of a new and comprehensive study ...

Mar 2, 2026
Phys.org / AI cracks Roman-era board game

A smooth, white stone dating from the Roman era and unearthed in the Netherlands has long baffled researchers.

Mar 1, 2026
Phys.org / Rare Type Icn supernova SN 2024abvb is among the most luminous known

An international team of astronomers has carried out photometric and spectroscopic observations of SN 2024abvb—a recently discovered supernova of a rare Type Icn. The new observational campaign yields important information ...

Mar 2, 2026
Tech Xplore / AI often escalates to nuclear action in war games

There are some things perhaps we might not want artificial intelligence to handle, at least for the time being. When leading chatbots were put through war-game simulations, they opted for nuclear signaling or escalation in ...

Mar 2, 2026
Phys.org / Scientists develop new model to accurately assess global salt marsh carbon sinks

A research team from the Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, has developed an innovative model to accurately assess the carbon sequestration capacity of global salt marshes, addressing a long-standing ...

Mar 7, 2026
Phys.org / Shrinking the carbon footprint of chemical manufacturing with lasers and solar radiation

Researchers have found a way to use solar energy to power a key chemical reaction that drives many manufacturing industries. This new method can significantly reduce the energy required to run these operations, eliminate ...

Mar 5, 2026
Phys.org / Marine biologists create a family history of San Diego's giant kelp over more than four decades

The growth form of giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) is composed of shoots known as stipes instead of branches. From one parent holding fast to the hard bottom might come as many as 150 stipes. Typically, the tips of the ...

Mar 5, 2026
Medical Xpress / When floods hit, the risk of malaria follows: How disaster systems can prepare better

When floods sweep through southern Africa, the most visible damage is immediate: homes washed away, crops destroyed, clinics disrupted, families displaced. These images dominate headlines and humanitarian appeals. But as ...

Mar 7, 2026