Phys.org news
Dialog / Researchers identify stability range for piezoelectric glycine using nanoconfinement
Have you ever wondered if the simple building blocks of life could one day power our wearable electronics? Glycine, the simplest amino acid found in our bodies, has a superpower in its β-phase form: it is highly piezoelectric, ...
Phys.org / Neanderthal dentists used stone drills to treat cavities nearly 60,000 years ago, ancient molar suggests
Neanderthals had the know-how to identify a tooth infection and the motor skills to drill out the damage, according to a study published May 13, 2026, in the open-access journal PLOS One by Alisa Zubova of Peter the Great ...
Phys.org / A history of containers, an ancient technology hundreds of thousands of years in the making
We hardly give them a second thought, but everyday objects like bags and backpacks belong to a long technological tradition that may stretch back hundreds of thousands of years.
Phys.org / Recreating dying stars reveals hydrogen's key role in cosmic dust formation
Silicon carbide (SiC) dust is one of the most important ingredients in cosmic dust, the tiny particles floating throughout the cosmos that eventually give rise to new planets and stars. This compound of silicon and carbon ...
Phys.org / Ancient iceberg scratches reveal reverse Great Lakes snowbelt
Buffalo's legendary snowfall totals are largely the result of one unlucky geographic reality: the city sits east of the Great Lakes instead of west. Anyone who has lived through a winter in Buffalo, Cleveland or any snowbelt ...
Phys.org / How flies dodge so fast: Brain map reveals rare synapses behind split-second escapes
Have you ever wondered how a fly manages to dodge you in a split second? Scientists have long been fascinated by the lightning-fast reflexes that help flies escape danger almost instantly. But despite decades of research, ...
Phys.org / Mostly empty foam overturns assumptions of electron beam stopping
When physicists fire beams of fast electrons at materials, they often need to know exactly how much energy those electrons will lose as they travel through. Through new research published in Physical Review Letters, a team ...
Phys.org / Rice plants observed trapping and killing fall armyworm caterpillars
Rice plants and Venus flytraps share something in common that was not scientifically documented until recently. Using a faint smell to lure caterpillars into a trap, rice plants killed early-stage fall armyworm larvae by ...
Phys.org / Chemists discover and isolate a new boron–oxygen molecule
Oxygen is a cornerstone of chemistry, largely because it is so good at building the organic molecules that make up our world. Some oxygen-based compounds called peroxides are famous for being highly reactive—they act like ...
Phys.org / A twinkling pulsar reveals invisible structures in space
The twinkling stars in the night sky are not just beautiful to look at. Their flickering reveals something about the varying temperatures and densities in the layers of Earth's atmosphere, which refract the light as it travels ...
Phys.org / Rising seasonal sea-level swings are under-reported, but could have a major impact
Sea levels are rising not only on average, but also in their seasonal fluctuations. This is a lesser-known trend that could have major consequences for mudflats, salt marshes and other coastal ecosystems. Researchers from ...
Phys.org / Statistical technique could uncover secrets of 'ringing' black holes
Researchers have developed a technique to analyze how black holes "ring" when they collide and merge: one of the universe's most dramatic events. When black holes merge, the collision produces a new, larger black hole that ...
