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Phys.org / Quantum Zeno effect could freeze computations as qubit systems scale up

The promise of quantum computing is to solve complex problems faster and more energy-efficiently than today's supercomputers—from optimizing logistics to simulating molecules. This goal is coming within reach as the number ...

Jul 24, 2026
Phys.org / Why Europa's hidden ocean may be more difficult to reach than scientists thought

Europa, one of Jupiter's icy moons, has long fascinated scientists because of what may lie beneath its frozen shell: a global ocean of liquid water. That hidden ocean has made Europa one of the most compelling places in the ...

Jul 24, 2026
Medical Xpress / Distinct brain circuits explain contradictory behaviors of new weight-loss drugs

Cambridge scientists have solved the mystery of why both stimulating and blocking a particular "switch" in the brain can help people lose weight—findings that could help boost the effectiveness of obesity drugs.

Jul 24, 2026
Medical Xpress / Death of girl in Chinese gene-editing trial kept secret: Report

A 6-year-old Chinese girl died last year after receiving an experimental gene therapy to correct a non-life-threatening condition, according to an investigation by Science and Retraction Watch.

Jul 24, 2026
Phys.org / Quantum dots reveal hidden light waves on metal surfaces

Photographs can reveal things that are otherwise impossible for the naked eye to see, be they distant galaxies or microscopic cells. Researchers at Osaka Metropolitan University have developed a practical and versatile imaging ...

Jul 24, 2026
Phys.org / Modern forensics uncovers new clues about Inca sacrifice victims' last days

Human sacrifice was deeply ingrained in Inca civilization. Children and young people were selected for sacrifice to appease the gods and sacred mountain spirits. Being chosen was considered a great honor for both the victims ...

Jul 23, 2026
Phys.org / Portugal's ancient giant bears shrank over thousands of years and humans may be to blame

About 22,000 years ago, a giant brown bear lumbered across what is now Portugal. The creature weighed around 385 kg (about 850 pounds), making it one of the largest of its kind ever found, towering over the Iberian brown ...

Jul 23, 2026
Phys.org / Physicists turn to the universe's 'piano notes' to detect hidden particles

It's been said that a finely tuned ear knows the size and shape of a piano by merely listening to the instrument's notes. An international team of physicists has now devised an analogous approach to detect the universe's ...

Jul 24, 2026
Phys.org / Long-lived ytterbium states could sharpen quantum computing and atomic clocks

Researchers from the University of Amsterdam and the University of New South Wales have answered a question that has been around for decades: whether ions of the metal ytterbium can enter certain long-lived, nearly stable ...

Jul 24, 2026
Phys.org / Fossilized wood reveals 300 million years of Earth's history

Many people are familiar with fossilized wood as a decorative item from a museum shop. However, the fact that it can preserve the geological history of entire regions spanning millions of years is a new discovery. A research ...

Jul 24, 2026
Phys.org / Molecular clock transitions tune out the noise in the hunt for new physics

Heavy polar molecules are some of the most sensitive tools physicists have for probing what lies beyond the Standard Model, the theory that describes the particles and forces we know about. But turning that sensitivity into ...

Jul 23, 2026
Phys.org / JWST captures rare glimpse of early black hole growing inside network of young galaxies

Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have captured one of the clearest views yet of how an early supermassive black hole may grow within a network of young galaxies. The compact active galaxy, seen just a billion ...

Jul 23, 2026