Phys.org news

Phys.org / Supermassive black holes could be the universe's biggest planet nurseries

Supermassive black holes are the largest known black holes in the universe, sitting at the center of most large galaxies. They are sometimes described as cosmic monsters because they feed on surrounding gas and dust when ...

8 hours ago
Phys.org / JWST finds a stellar bar in the early universe that breaks all rules

Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) have discovered a stellar bar in GN20, a massive galaxy seen just 1.5 billion years after the Big Bang. The new paper was submitted to the preprint server arXiv on May ...

14 hours ago
Phys.org / A kohl bottle from York may hint at an ancient Egyptian in Roman-Britain

Ancient Egyptians are often depicted wearing black eyeliner, known as kohl, which was stored in small containers. While kohl containers are typically found throughout Egypt and Sudan (Nubia), their presence beyond these areas ...

11 hours ago
Phys.org / Leaf forces help steer stomata as young plants grow, experiments reveal

Scientists have uncovered how the interplay between cell shape and mechanical stress influences the orientation of stomata (microscopic pores on the leaf surface) during early plant development.

7 hours ago
Phys.org / Record wildfire losses rocked 2025 even as global burned area neared all-time lows

A new analysis of global wildfire activity in 2025 reveals the world experienced some of the most destructive and deadly fire events in recent history, despite the second lowest area burned since 2002. It highlights a continued ...

3 hours ago
Phys.org / Bacteria uncover distinct strategy to import rare sugar polymers, crystal structures show

Even though sugars are often framed as simple sources of energy, they also serve as structurally complex and functionally diverse molecules that mediate interactions between organisms. Among these, β-1,2-glucans, which are ...

6 hours ago
Phys.org / Parasitic fly 'sacrifices sight' after finding host, study shows

Deer keds—biting flies found across Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas—use their eyes and flight to locate a host, typically deer, but occasionally humans or other mammals. Once they land, however, they shed their wings ...

3 hours ago
Phys.org / AI crosses catalyst boundaries to uncover new route for green hydrogen

Discovering new catalysts is one of the central challenges in developing clean-energy technologies such as green hydrogen production. Yet catalyst discovery has traditionally remained confined within individual material families, ...

9 hours ago
Phys.org / Researchers teach brain cells to play 'Doom'

Australian researchers have trained lab-grown brain cells on a silicon computer chip to play the nineties shooter game "Doom" and say they are just scratching the surface of what the neurons could be capable of doing.

15 hours ago
Phys.org / Why many fungicide-treated soybean seeds may boost harvests but not farm profits

Many soybean farmers use seeds treated with fungicides to ward off disease, but the profits from these increased yields might not offset the cost of the treatment in most cases, according to a study published in Scientific ...

12 hours ago
Phys.org / Hidden tick saliva protein may help stop disease spread at source

Few creatures inspire as much universal dislike as ticks. Though small, these parasites have an enormous impact on human and animal health. Each year, ticks spread viruses and bacteria that infect people, livestock, wildlife, ...

14 hours ago
Phys.org / Inside Europe's largest Copper Age tomb, children's bones expose an ancient health crisis hidden for 5,000 years

Nearly 5,000 years ago, respiratory infections, possibly including tuberculosis, were ravaging the children buried at Camino del Molino (CMOL), Spain. The massive circular burial cave carved into rock is Europe's largest ...

May 30, 2026