Phys.org news

Phys.org / Electrons that lag behind nuclei in 2D materials could pave way for novel electronics

One of the great successes of 20th-century physics was the quantum mechanical description of solids. This allowed scientists to understand for the first time how and why certain materials conduct electric current and how ...

Jan 6, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Marine regression emerges as key driver of Late Paleozoic Ice Age in high-resolution model

Earth system box models are essential tools for reconstructing long-term climatic and environmental evolution and uncovering Earth system mechanisms. To overcome the spatiotemporal resolution limitations of current deep-time ...

Jan 6, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / Dentin inside wolffish teeth is a rare material: When compressed along its length—it also shrinks in width

The Atlantic wolffish is known for its powerful bite, capable of crushing hard-shelled prey with ease. Now, researchers have discovered that the fish's teeth don't just withstand these extreme forces, they respond in a way ...

Jan 6, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Shelled amoeba crawls like an octopus, shifting tactics on the go

An international team of researchers led by Hokkaido University has characterized the unique mechanics that enable Arcella, a shelled, single-celled amoeba, to move skillfully across different surfaces.

Jan 6, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Young galaxies grow up fast: Research reveals unexpected chemical maturity

Astronomers have captured the most detailed look yet at faraway galaxies at the peak of their youth, an active time when the adolescent galaxies were fervently producing new stars.

Jan 6, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Direct 3D printing of nanolasers can boost optical computing and quantum security

In future high-tech industries, such as high-speed optical computing for massive AI, quantum cryptographic communication, and ultra-high-resolution augmented reality (AR) displays, nanolasers—which process information using ...

Jan 6, 2026 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / Programmable microparticles morph and self-propel under electrical fields

Researchers at CU Boulder have created tiny, microorganism-inspired particles that can change their shape and self-propel, much like living things, in response to electrical fields.

Jan 6, 2026 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / Superheated sediments in a submarine pressure cooker—an unexpected source of deep-sea hydrogen

The mid-ocean ridge runs through the oceans like a suture. Where Earth's plates move apart, new oceanic crust is continuously formed. This is often accompanied by magmatism and hydrothermal activity. Seawater seeps into the ...

Jan 6, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / New tools turn grain crops into living biosensors

A collaborative team of researchers from the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, the University of Florida, Gainesville and University of Iowa have developed tools that allow grasses—including major grain crops like corn—to ...

Jan 6, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Nanoparticles with AI-crafted sensors open paths to at-home cancer screening

Detecting cancer in the earliest stages could dramatically reduce cancer deaths because cancers are usually easier to treat when caught early. To help achieve that goal, MIT and Microsoft researchers are using artificial ...

Jan 6, 2026 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / How well-meaning allies increase stress for marginalized people

Someone in the office makes a racially insensitive comment, and a white co-worker asks a Black colleague to help correct the offender.

Jan 6, 2026 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Single-atom photocatalyst enables green, oxidant-free C–H cross-coupling reactions

Chemists from the National University of Singapore (NUS) have developed a single-atom photocatalytic strategy that enables oxidant-free cross-dehydrogenative coupling (CDC) reactions between ring-shaped aromatic molecules ...

Jan 6, 2026 in Chemistry