Phys.org news
Phys.org / Multitasking quantum sensors can measure several properties at once
A special class of sensors leverages quantum properties to measure tiny signals at levels that would be impossible using classical sensors alone. Such quantum sensors are currently being used to study the inner workings of ...
Phys.org / Pill bugs don't just use the minerals they eat—they rebuild them inside their bodies
Placing small stones in a bug cage is beneficial when raising pill bugs, a type of woodlouse. Researchers at the University of Tsukuba have discovered that pill bugs do not directly incorporate ingested calcium carbonate ...
Phys.org / Machine learning tool pinpoints optimal locations for tree planting, offering a powerful tool for climate mitigation
Afforestation—establishing forests on previously non-forested land, or where forests have not existed for a long time—is one of the nature-based and cost-effective solutions for climate change mitigation because it offsets ...
Phys.org / Emerging in Alaska, dominant H5N1 strain spread continent-wide through migratory birds
An international group of scientists mapped the spread of the current dominant strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus through North American bird populations in 2024. Led by scientists from St. Jude Children's ...
Phys.org / As polar ice changes, so do the rules governing it
Sea ice is not just solid frozen water. It's riddled with tiny pockets and channels of liquid brine. Whether those pockets connect to form pathways determines whether seawater, nutrients and gases can move through the ice, ...
Phys.org / Back-to-basics approach can match or outperform AI in language analysis
A new study led by Dr. Andrea Nini at The University of Manchester has found that a grammar-based approach to language analysis can match or outperform advanced AI systems in identifying who wrote a text. The method, called ...
Phys.org / Drought takes a heavy toll on bumblebees
Drought significantly reduces the reproductive success of bumblebee colonies, according to a new study conducted by a research team at the University of Würzburg and published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological ...
Phys.org / Marine sponge bacterium enzyme reveals a two-part route to make terpenoids
The molecular structure of an enzyme from a marine bacterium with potential industrial uses has been determined by RIKEN researchers. The insights they have gained could help make a range of useful compounds through genetic ...
Phys.org / Ancient seabird guano reveals how climate change may shape future populations
By analyzing peat cores, researchers have shown how populations of nesting seabirds have fluctuated on a sub-Antarctic island over 8,000 years. They found that bird numbers rose and fell alongside shifts in climate, offering ...
Phys.org / Subaru telescope captures comet 3I/ATLAS composition change
The Subaru Telescope observed the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS on January 7, 2026, after it made its closest approach to the sun. By observing colors in the coma around the comet, astronomers could estimate the ratio of carbon ...
Phys.org / Can naked mole rats peacefully hand over power?
Naked mole rats keep kingdoms underground. One queen bears all the children, while others maintain complex subterranean tunnels, forage for food, take care of newborns, and perform other necessary upkeep. This society hinges ...
Phys.org / Color test 'sniffs out' dangerous staph strains fast
Researchers have developed a rapid color-changing test that can distinguish between different strains of golden staph, including those likely to be virulent and antibiotic resistant. Golden staph is a major human pathogen ...
