Phys.org news

Phys.org / Novel catalyst design boosts solar-driven ammonia production under mild conditions

Sunlight, water, air and metal-organic catalysts—that could be all it takes. TU Wien has shown how catalyst design can be advanced for solar-driven NH3 synthesis. Without this chemical technology, feeding the world as we ...

Jun 10, 2026
Phys.org / Cells have a secret power line: How the nucleus gets its own private energy supply from mitochondria

For decades, biologists assumed a cell's energy simply diffused to wherever it was needed. It turns out the most important destination of all has a private delivery line.

Jun 10, 2026
Phys.org / Galaxy-killing wind discovered in the early universe

Astronomers have discovered a "galaxy-killing wind" that may explain why there are far more massive "dead" galaxies than expected in the early universe. This wind, powered by cosmic collisions between galaxies, could quickly ...

Jun 10, 2026
Phys.org / Newfound 'whale necropolis' reveals 5.3 million years of seafloor life

Whale falls form when whale carcasses sink to the seafloor, creating localized concentrations of biodiversity in the deep ocean. Besides playing a role in long-term carbon sequestration, whale falls help scientists understand ...

Jun 10, 2026
Phys.org / Microbial alliances, not mitochondria alone, may have built first eukaryotic cells

All cells in animals, plants, fungi, and protists share a fundamental characteristic: they are eukaryotic cells—complex cells with specialized internal compartments. The cells that make up our bodies are no exception.

Jun 10, 2026
Phys.org / Annual global migration has nearly tripled since 2000, reshaping where and how people move

Global migration has risen sharply from approximately 13 million people per year in 2000 to around 35 million people per year in 2023. This is according to a new dataset on human migration published in Nature by researchers ...

Jun 10, 2026
Phys.org / DNA tetrahedrons unlock sharper cancer targeting with vitamin E tweak

Conventional cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy, often lack specificity and can damage both cancerous and healthy cells, leading to severe side effects. With this in mind, researchers at Indian Institute of Technology ...

Jun 10, 2026
Phys.org / Ancient genome duplications laid the foundations of complex brains, research suggests

New findings, published in Nature, help answer the riddle of how vertebrates evolved the diverse array of brain cells that distinguishes them from other animals. It appears that a dramatic expansion of the genetic toolkit ...

Jun 10, 2026
Phys.org / Lab-created 'moon' rock could help scientists interpret lunar data and explore how water might form on the moon

The moon may look unchanged from afar, but its surface is constantly reshaped by microscopic impacts and a steady stream of particles from the sun, a process known as space weathering. Now, Georgia Tech researchers have recreated ...

Jun 10, 2026
Phys.org / Global rice production has nearly doubled over 50 years despite climate change

Global rice production nearly doubled between the 1960s and the 2010s, despite the negative impacts of climate change, according to a new study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The study found that management ...

Jun 10, 2026
Phys.org / A meteorite impact may have once rained gold on Western Australia

We're used to a lot of different natural things falling out of the sky. These can include snow, rain and sometimes even frogs (yes, really). All of these relate to weather phenomena.

Jun 10, 2026
Phys.org / Small optical component could change how telescopes view the sun

A new telescope technology—measuring just 6 millimeters (0.24 inches) in diameter—could improve how future space missions study and monitor the sun while simplifying onboard hardware and reducing costs.

Jun 10, 2026