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Phys.org / Rocks and rolls: The computational infrastructure of earthquakes and physics of planetary science

Sometimes to truly study something up close, you have to take a step back. That's what Andrea Donnellan does. An expert in Earth sciences and seismology, she gets much of her data from a bird's-eye view, studying the planet's ...

Jan 14, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / Atomic-level surface control boosts brightness of eco-friendly nanosemiconductors by 18-fold

Light-emitting semiconductors are used throughout everyday life in TVs, smartphones, and lighting. However, many technical barriers remain in developing environmentally friendly semiconductor materials.

Jan 14, 2026 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / Scientists demonstrate low-cost, high-quality lenses for super-resolution microscopy

Researchers have shown that consumer-grade 3D printers and low-cost materials can be used to produce multi-element optical components that enable super-resolution imaging, with each lens costing less than $1 to produce. The ...

Jan 13, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / A tiny mouse hints at why some mammal mothers may benefit from choosing more than one father

Many animals do something that still surprises researchers: females often mate with more than one male. This behavior—polyandry—has long raised a blunt question. Why divide offspring among multiple fathers, and does it ...

Jan 13, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / A 'cosmic clock' in tiny crystals reveals the rise and fall of Australia's ancient landscapes

Australia's iconic red landscapes have been home to Aboriginal culture and recorded in songlines for tens of thousands of years. But further clues to just how ancient this landscape is come from far beyond Earth: cosmic rays ...

Jan 14, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / First-time use of AI for genetic circuit design demonstrated in a human cell line

There are hundreds of cell types in the human body, each with a specific role spelled out in their DNA. In theory, all it takes for cells to behave in desired ways—for example, getting them to produce a therapeutic molecule ...

Jan 14, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / When 'no-effect' isn't safe: Safe chemicals turn toxic in combination across generations

Researchers at National Taiwan University reveal that combined exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics and the preservative butylparaben, at a level considered safe on their own, can cause heritable harm, disrupting reproduction ...

Jan 13, 2026 in Chemistry
Medical Xpress / How a 'quality-control' protein causes neurodegenerative disease

When it comes to neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and certain forms of dementia, researchers have known that protein quality control and damage to the nuclear pore are key players. However, ...

Phys.org / Do even low-mass dwarf galaxies merge? New clues from the outer stars of a Milky Way satellite

Using the Subaru Telescope's wide-field camera, astronomers have discovered a previously unknown structure surrounding a tiny satellite galaxy of the Milky Way. The newly discovered structure exhibits features resembling ...

Jan 14, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / First standalone spin-wave chip operates without external magnets for future telecom

The Politecnico di Milano has created the first integrated and fully tunable device based on spin waves, opening up new possibilities for the telecommunications of the future, far beyond current 5G and 6G standards. The study, ...

Jan 13, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Ancient teeth are treasure troves of data on Iron Age lifestyles

Teeth provide a wealth of information about the lives of Iron Age Italians, according to a study published in the open-access journal PLOS One by Roberto Germano of Sapienza University of Rome, Italy and colleagues.

Jan 14, 2026 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / New interactive map models dust exposure from shrinking Great Salt Lake

Most people can imagine why a shrinking Great Salt Lake would mean unhealthy dust storms for the Wasatch Front, or why refilling the lake through water conservation could reduce dust exposure. Now, there is a data-based modeling ...

Jan 16, 2026 in Earth