Phys.org news

Phys.org / Simplifying quantum simulations—symmetry can cut computational effort by several orders of magnitude

Quantum computer research is advancing at a rapid pace. Today's devices, however, still have significant limitations: For example, the length of a quantum computation is severely limited—that is, the number of possible ...

Feb 18, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Solving a longstanding mystery about complex life's origin—oxygen-tolerant Asgard archaea may explain eukaryotes' rise

The most widely accepted scientific explanation for the arrival of all complex life on Earth has had an unsolved mystery at its heart. According to the theory, all plants, animals and fungi, known collectively as eukaryotes, ...

Feb 18, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Feeling worse about money? Climate change may be part of the reason

Climate change is not just reshaping the planet, it's already affecting how people feel about their lives, their health and their financial security, according to a new study from the Universities of Portsmouth and Dundee. ...

Feb 18, 2026 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Homes in the fire zone: Why wildland-urban blazes create significantly more air pollution

A research team led by the U.S. National Science Foundation National Center for Atmospheric Research (NSF NCAR) has published a foundational inventory of emissions produced by structures destroyed by fires in the wildland-urban ...

Feb 18, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / Quantum-level effects in biology: Weak magnetic fields and isotopes can alter cell protein structures

A novel method to manipulate the inner structure of cells connects several scientific fields and could represent a significant step in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. ...

Feb 18, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Ultrasound-jiggled nanobubbles can crack cancer's collagen 'fortress'

Researchers at Case Western Reserve University have discovered a way to breach one of cancer's most stubborn defenses: the impenetrable fortress that solid tumors build around themselves.

Feb 18, 2026 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / Eclipse research finds turbulent times in the sun's corona

Researchers at the University of Hawaiʻi have uncovered new clues about how energy moves through the sun's outer atmosphere, using one of nature's rarest events as their window: total solar eclipses. Drawing on more than ...

Feb 18, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Map suggests up to 30% of western bird hotspots face severe wildfire risk

Up to 30% of bird diversity hotspots, places where large numbers of different bird species occur, in the western United States face threats from high-severity wildfires in the future that could eliminate critical forest habitats, ...

Feb 18, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / New durable hybrid materials enable faster radiation detection

Researchers at the University of Oklahoma have developed new hybrid materials that challenge conventional thinking about how light-emitting compounds work and could advance the field of fast radiation detection. The research, ...

Feb 18, 2026 in Chemistry
Phys.org / The making of doting dads may involve a specific gene

Male caregiving is rare. Of the nearly 6,000 mammalian species, fewer than 5% of fathers stick around to raise their own young. Most are even instinctively hostile. Even among the mammals that pitch in with caregiving duties, ...

Feb 18, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Trapping a single protein in a molecular cage: A new path to drug discovery for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Proteins often function in pairs or groups, concealing their internal connection points and making it difficult for scientists to study their individual units without altering their natural structure. In a study published ...

Feb 18, 2026 in Chemistry
Phys.org / Simulations map how single-crystal battery materials could boost cycle life

The performance of rechargeable batteries is governed by processes deep within their components. A fundamental understanding of electrochemistry, structure–property–performance relationships and the effects of processing ...

Feb 18, 2026 in Chemistry