Phys.org news

Phys.org / How Artemis II livestreamed hi-def videos and images from the moon to Earth

This April, humanity had front-row seats to space as the Artemis II Orion spacecraft transmitted crystal-clear footage of its historic journey around the moon from more than 250,000 miles (about 402,000 kilometers) back to ...

Jun 8, 2026
Phys.org / Superheated magma may explain why similar volcanoes erupt in very different ways

Scientists have shed light on a thermal process in magma that may help explain why similar volcanic systems can produce very different eruptive behaviors.

Jun 8, 2026
Phys.org / Headless skeletons offer new insights into farming societies 7,000 years ago

Dozens of human skeletons, lying apparently randomly on and next to each other, with their skulls missing, present a terrifying sight at first glance. Since 2022, this is what researchers have been excavating in a 7,000-year-old ...

Jun 8, 2026
Phys.org / Cloud-tested quantum noise model predicts superconducting qubit errors with sevenfold better accuracy

Researchers from the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Maryland, and Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore have developed a practical, comprehensive noise-modeling framework for a popular class of ...

Jun 8, 2026
Phys.org / Aerosols may warm or cool the climate depending on timing, new study finds

A new study from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem challenges a long-held assumption in climate science by showing that aerosols—tiny particles suspended in the atmosphere—can either warm or cool the climate, depending on ...

Jun 8, 2026
Phys.org / DNA design unlocks nanometer-scale catalyst control for cleaner hydrogen production

The fixed idea that DNA is only a molecule that stores genetic information is being challenged. KAIST researchers have developed a technology that controls the chemical environment around catalysts at the nanometer scale ...

Jun 8, 2026
Phys.org / Rocket launches and reentries harm Earth's ozone layer

The space industry is surging. In coming years, nearly 10,000 spacecraft are slated to launch into low-Earth orbit for a variety of purposes, such as global surveillance, space tourism, and satellite "megaconstellations" ...

Jun 8, 2026
Phys.org / How plants survive constant DNA damage: Newly identified repair protein protects growth-critical stem cells

Similar to the way DNA damage can contribute to human diseases such as cancer, it can also disrupt growth, development and survival in plants. Every day, plants endure environmental stresses such as sunlight, radiation, drought ...

Jun 8, 2026
Phys.org / Neutron star merger simulations gain new precision with AI-driven r-process heating

Using a novel simulation model based on machine learning, an international research team at GSI/FAIR has succeeded in gaining a deeper understanding of element formation in stellar events such as neutron star mergers. For ...

Jun 8, 2026
Phys.org / X-ray scans uncover Nazi symbols hidden beneath postwar painting

Erich Mercker (1891–1973), a painter from Munich, was quite successful in his day. Between 1933 and 1945, he painted works containing Nazi symbolism, including "Die Stätte des 9. November," which depicts the Feldherrnhalle ...

Jun 8, 2026
Phys.org / Chemists unlock first total synthesis of rare plant alkaloid tied to anticancer activity

Plants are undeniably one of nature's most promising sources of new medicines, with monoterpenoid indole alkaloids (MIAs) being a great example. Some intricate compounds are built from multiple-linked chemical units that ...

Jun 8, 2026
Phys.org / Brazilian breadbasket's aquifers are falling, and new satellite maps show where water stress is growing

A collaboration of scientists from NASA and Brazilian research institutions has produced a detailed picture of groundwater change across Brazil. The images reveal significant declines in some of the aquifers that are critical ...

Jun 8, 2026