Phys.org news

Phys.org / Self-activating catalysts boost hydrogen output by reshaping themselves during electrolysis

To what extent can self-activating catalysts enhance hydrogen production in electrolyzers? Researchers at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) have investigated this question, and their findings were published in Advanced ...

May 12, 2026
Phys.org / Water-based nanocrystal provides a sticky solution to a pesky agricultural problem

A water-based formulation developed at the University of Waterloo using nanotechnology is both greener and more effective than conventional methods for delivering agricultural pesticides.

May 12, 2026
Phys.org / Birds can suffer serious harm from heat waves

Extreme weather poses a big threat to birds. Yet there is a lack of both knowledge and methods for measuring its negative effects. In a new study published in Trends in Ecology & Evolution, researchers from Lund University ...

May 12, 2026
Phys.org / Why do brown bats stop feeding during fireworks?

Firework shows are controversial in this day and age. While beautiful, fireworks are loud, bright, and smoky, and they can be dangerous to the surrounding environment, releasing contaminants into the air and frightening both ...

May 12, 2026
Phys.org / One drug, two cleanup crews: A built-in backup for targeted protein degradation

Most drugs work by inhibition: they block a protein's activity but leave the protein itself intact. Targeted protein degradation takes a fundamentally different approach, harnessing the cell's own quality-control machinery ...

May 12, 2026
Phys.org / Two proteins, one goal: New findings on stem cell differentiation

Stem cells are the original cell type from which all other cells and tissues in the body develop through a very tightly regulated process. However, how stem cells differentiate in addition to gene-control systems, such as ...

May 12, 2026
Phys.org / Metabolism-inspired hydrogels replicate heartbeat-like motion and photosynthesis

Living organisms sustain themselves through intricate metabolic processes that continuously convert energy and materials into useful functions. Inspired by these biological systems, researchers are now engineering synthetic ...

May 12, 2026
Phys.org / Support local people to protect world's nature, new report urges, as deadline for global conservation target looms

For better or worse, a huge number of people will be affected by efforts to achieve "30x30"—the internationally-agreed conservation goal to protect and conserve at least 30% of the world's land and seas by 2030. How many ...

May 12, 2026
Phys.org / Unexplored interactions between electrons and atomic nuclei shed light on dark matter

Dark matter particles could be mediators of the interaction between electrons and atomic nuclei, as shown by a study conducted by junior group leader, Dr. Konstantin Gaul, Dr. Lei Cong, and Professor Dr. Dmitry Budker, of ...

May 11, 2026
Phys.org / 'Elegant triangle' experiment suggests quantum internet may be closer than we think

For more than 60 years, Bell's theorem has been the gold standard for demonstrating that quantum mechanics defies the rules of classical physics. Now, an international team of researchers, including Constructor University ...

May 11, 2026
Phys.org / Why ocean warming experiments may be making misleading predictions

Accurate experiments on how ocean warming affects marine life are vital to ensure we can best prepare for the future, protect our food sources, and help safeguard ocean ecosystems. But some of these experiments may miss how ...

May 11, 2026
Phys.org / JWST spots two early black holes growing far faster than their galaxies

Astronomers have discovered two early-universe galaxies where the central black holes appear to have grown far faster than their host galaxies. Observations with the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) reveal that the black ...

May 11, 2026