Phys.org news

Phys.org / AI method accelerates liquid simulations by learning fundamental physical relationships

Researchers at the University of Bayreuth have developed a method using artificial intelligence that can significantly speed up the calculation of liquid properties. The AI approach predicts the chemical potential—an indispensable ...

Feb 11, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Space mining without heavy machines? Microbes harvest metals from meteorites aboard space station

If humankind is to explore deep space, one small passenger should not be left behind: microbes. In fact, it would be impossible to leave them behind, since they live on and in our bodies, surfaces and food. Learning how they ...

Feb 11, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Warming may boost soil carbon storage in boreal Sphagnum peatlands, study finds

A new study reports that climate warming can increase soil carbon accumulation in boreal Sphagnum peatlands by boosting plant productivity, protecting iron, and inhibiting microbial decomposition. These responses contrast ...

Feb 11, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / Elevated lead levels could flow from some US drinking water kiosks

After high-profile water crises like the one in Flint, Michigan, some Americans distrust the safety of tap water, choosing to purchase drinking water from freestanding water vending machines or kiosks. Yet this more expensive ...

Feb 11, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / Stiff gels slow germs: Mapping the hydrogel properties that control bacterial growth

Hydrogels are soft, jelly-like materials that can absorb large amounts of water. They are widely used in medical technologies such as contact lenses and wound dressings, and are also a staple of laboratory research, where ...

Feb 11, 2026 in Chemistry
Phys.org / Rising CO₂ and warming jointly limit phosphorus availability in rice soils, decade-long study reveals

A decade-long study has revealed that rising atmospheric CO₂ and warming work together to reduce the availability of phosphorus in rice-upland crop rotation systems, potentially threatening future food security. The research, ...

Feb 11, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Bird guano powered rise of Chincha Kingdom in Peruvian Andes, archaeologists find

New archaeological evidence reveals that seabird guano—nutrient-rich bird droppings—was not only essential to boosting corn yields and supercharging agriculture in ancient Peru, but it may have been a driving force behind ...

Feb 11, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Predicting an animal's immune response based on its genetic data

What if cattle were selected not only for their productivity, but also for their resistance to disease? A study conducted by a team of scientists combining systemic immunology, genomics and machine learning provides a better ...

Feb 11, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Strike against mask wearing in 1930s echoed COVID-19 protests, study finds

New research from The University of Manchester has shown that debates and resistance about wearing face masks go back a lot further than the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Meng Zhang, a Wellcome Trust Research Fellow at the University's ...

Feb 11, 2026 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Twilight fish study reveals unique hybrid eye cells

Researchers have identified a new type of visual cell in deep-sea fish larvae that challenges a century of knowledge about vertebrate visual systems. Dr. Fabio Cortesi from The University of Queensland's School of the Environment ...

Feb 11, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Southern right whales are facing climate-driven decline in Australia

The tide has turned on the conservation success story of the southern right whale. Once considered a global conservation success story, the species is now emerging as a warning signal of how climate change is impacting threatened ...

Feb 11, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / A new way to 'cage' plutonium

Plutonium (Pu) exhibits one of the most diverse and complex chemistries of any element in the periodic table. Since its discovery in 1940, scientists have synthesized and studied many different types of plutonium-containing ...

Feb 11, 2026 in Chemistry