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Phys.org / Quantum encryption method demonstrated at city-sized distances for the first time

Concerns that quantum computers may start easily hacking into previously secure communications has motivated researchers to work on innovative new ways to encrypt information. One such method is quantum key distribution (QKD), ...

Feb 6, 2026 in Physics
Medical Xpress / Australia's food labeling system isn't working—here's how we can fix it

If you've ever read a food label and come away feeling more confused, you're not alone. Since 2014, Australian shoppers have relied on the Health Star Rating scheme to help them choose which foods to eat. This system ranks ...

Feb 13, 2026 in Health
Phys.org / Space mining without heavy machines? Microbes harvest metals from meteorites aboard space station

If humankind is to explore deep space, one small passenger should not be left behind: microbes. In fact, it would be impossible to leave them behind, since they live on and in our bodies, surfaces and food. Learning how they ...

Feb 11, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Mars' 'young' volcanoes prove more complex than scientists once thought

What appears to be a single volcanic eruption is often the result of complex processes operating deep beneath the surface, where magma moves, evolves, and changes over long periods of time. To fully understand how volcanoes ...

Feb 11, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Quick course correction needed to avoid 'hothouse Earth' scenario, scientists say

Scientists say that multiple Earth system components appear closer to destabilization than previously believed, putting the planet in increased danger of following a "hothouse" path driven by feedback loops that can amplify ...

Feb 11, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / Warming may boost soil carbon storage in boreal Sphagnum peatlands, study finds

A new study reports that climate warming can increase soil carbon accumulation in boreal Sphagnum peatlands by boosting plant productivity, protecting iron, and inhibiting microbial decomposition. These responses contrast ...

Feb 11, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / Pulsar timing hints at a nearby dark matter 'sub-halo'

A group of US astronomers may have uncovered the first evidence for a dark matter sub-halo lurking just beyond our stellar neighborhood. Reporting their findings in Physical Review Letters, a team led by Sukanya Chakrabarti ...

Feb 7, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Lahontan Basin cave burials 'neither rare nor uncommon,' says new study

In a study published in American Antiquity, Dr. David Madsen and his colleagues address the proposition that the lower Lahontan drainage basin (LLDB), located in the Intermountain West, is "unique" for the use of caves and ...

Feb 7, 2026 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Satellite record shows boreal forests expanded 12% and shifted north since 1985

The boreal forest—the world's largest terrestrial biome—is warming faster than any other forest type. To understand the changing dynamics of boreal forests, Min Feng and colleagues analyzed the biome from 1985 to 2020, ...

Feb 9, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / JWST uncovers rich organic chemistry in a nearby ultra-luminous infrared galaxy

A study led by the Center for Astrobiology (CAB), CSIC-INTA, using modeling techniques developed at the University of Oxford, has uncovered an unprecedented richness of small organic molecules in the deeply obscured nucleus ...

Feb 6, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Medical Xpress / New research finds data-driven staffing model delivers major cost savings for health care systems

New research published in Operations Research shows that health care systems can substantially reduce overtime, idle time, and overall staffing costs by adopting a multilocation, dynamic staff-planning model for anesthesiologists. ...

Feb 13, 2026 in Surgery
Medical Xpress / Deadly Nipah virus deemed 'limited' by scientists

Named for the Malaysian village where it was first identified, the Nipah virus is an infectious disease transmitted primarily by bats.