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Phys.org / Ancient Rome's food shortages were shaped more by logistics than climate

Ancient Rome's greatest threat to food security wasn't the weather but the challenge of getting grain to the capital, according to a new study. By comparing hundreds of years of historical records with reconstructions of ...

Jul 31, 2026
Phys.org / Suspected heatstroke kills three lions at Japan zoo

Three lions at a Tokyo zoo have died from suspected heatstroke, and others are under treatment, a spokeswoman said Tuesday, with the big cats struggling with high humidity.

Aug 4, 2026
Phys.org / Less-explored form of quantum code could be more powerful—and more stable—than its alternative in error correction

In mathematics and getting dressed, some processes are commutative, while others are noncommutative. Commutative means the order doesn't matter (3 + 2 is the same as 2 + 3, and it doesn't matter which sock goes on first). ...

Jul 31, 2026
Phys.org / Two independent studies push semiconductor qubits towards practical scales

Semiconductor spin qubits are one of the most promising building blocks for future quantum computers, but turning them into a working, large-scale quantum computer has so far proven difficult. For now, two big questions remain ...

Jul 31, 2026
Phys.org / Smart sensor identifies present molecules by remembering the past

Most sensors are designed to do only one thing: detect what passes through them. But what if a sensor could do more? To create a new generation of technology, researchers have looked to living systems for inspiration. If ...

Aug 2, 2026
Phys.org / An ancient civilization of millions once flourished in the Amazon

New research conducted using airborne laser scanning reveals that a multicultural civilization that flourished in southwestern Amazonia between 600 BCE and 850 CE was home to millions of people. Spanning roughly 183,000 square ...

Jul 29, 2026
Phys.org / Quantum computer completes verified task beyond practical reach of classical simulations

IBM and researchers from the University of Chicago announced a demonstration in quantum computing that meets the fundamental criteria for "quantum advantage"—the point where quantum computers can be confirmed to have outperformed ...

Aug 1, 2026
Phys.org / Why some nitrogen-processing enzymes are more efficient than others

Nitrogen gas is abundant in Earth's atmosphere, but most living organisms can't readily use it. Only a subset of microbes with enzymes known as nitrogenases can break nitrogen gas apart and convert it into ammonia.

Aug 2, 2026
Phys.org / AI opens new era in cognitive studies of wild primates

Scientists created an AI system that uses facial recognition and real-time touchscreen testing to automate cognitive studies of capuchin monkeys in the wild. The American Journal of Primatology published a proof-of-concept ...

Aug 1, 2026
Phys.org / Climate change could dramatically reduce water flowing from the West's headwaters

The small mountain streams that feed many of the West's rivers may face a much drier future. A new study led by NAU researchers found that groundwater-fed streamflow, known as base flow, has been steadily declining across ...

Aug 2, 2026
Phys.org / Pacific cloud brightening could weaken El Nino, but models reveal risks for Europe and Asia

A brewing "super" El Nino cycle is poised to unleash heat waves, floods and drought worldwide, with the effects amplified by long-term human-caused climate change.

Aug 1, 2026
Tech Xplore / Existing power grids draw data centers to cities, study finds

When people picture a data center, they often imagine something remote: a huge warehouse humming quietly far from the city. New research from NYU Tandon School of Engineering shows that assumption is largely wrong.

Aug 2, 2026