Phys.org news

Phys.org / Porous material can arrange disordered gas molecules into a crystal-like structure, study predicts

Capturing carbon or storing hydrogen to combat global warming requires compressing gases into sponge-like porous materials. Until now, gas molecules were thought to adsorb in a disordered manner throughout the pores. But ...

Aug 11, 2026
Phys.org / AI-assisted grant proposals may win more often—while narrowing research ideas

A new study from Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management found that research proposals showing stronger signs of AI-assisted writing were four percentage points more likely to receive funding from the National Institutes ...

Aug 11, 2026
Phys.org / Ancient Colombians built huge water system without centralized rule, archaeologists say

Communities living in Colombia thousands of years ago achieved an engineering wonder of the world based on cooperation among family groups without top-down government, a new study shows. Archaeologists argue that policymakers ...

Aug 11, 2026
Phys.org / Rivers are moving sediment in intense bursts, a worrisome new pattern uncovered by AI

After a heavy rain, rivers often turn brown with sediment, sand, silt and soil washed from the landscape that play a vital role in shaping rivers.

Aug 11, 2026
Phys.org / Three energy-loss routes may explain Tarantula Nebula's X-ray shortfall

Like a collage made of layered sheets of colored cellophane, a vibrant new image layers observations of a famous star-forming nebula from NASA's space telescopes. The resulting cosmic "craft" reveals new details about the ...

Aug 11, 2026
Phys.org / Himalayan grain demonstrates the potential of pangenome-guided breeding for higher yields and adaptability

Scientists from the Centre for Crop and Food Innovation (CCFI) at Murdoch University have participated in a landmark proof-of-concept research project demonstrating how pangenome-guided breeding strategies can reunite two ...

Aug 11, 2026
Phys.org / Chinese label once tied to Boston Tea Party reveals 19th-century Pacific trade

When MIT historian Tristan Brown first examined a Chinese tea chest label displayed as a relic of the Boston Tea Party, he had no reason to doubt its story.

Aug 11, 2026
Phys.org / Perceived naturalness emerges as key driver of public support for climate technology

From nuclear energy to lab-grown meat, the list of effective but unpopular climate solutions is long. A new University of Colorado Boulder study sheds light on why people reject or accept some proposed sustainability technologies: ...

Aug 11, 2026
Phys.org / Oral nanomedicine improves cancer immunotherapy by harnessing gut bacterial metabolite

A joint research team—led by professor Young Seok Cho from the School of Medicine, alongside professor James J. Moon from the University of Michigan—has developed the world's first oral, microbiome-based nanomedicine. By ...

Aug 11, 2026
Phys.org / Can better civics education restore voter dissatisfaction over political corruption?

This summer, America celebrated the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, widely recognized as the formal founding of our nation and one of the early stages of establishing a democratic government.

Aug 11, 2026
Phys.org / Rescued platypuses quickly return to normal lives after five months in captivity

Platypuses rescued during a severe drought quickly returned to their old routines after being released back into the wild, suggesting emergency rescues can help protect vulnerable populations.

Aug 11, 2026
Phys.org / New optical method reveals internal dynamics of elusive Wigner crystals

Researchers at the University of Basel and the Technical University of Munich have developed a new method to reveal the collective motion of electrons in one of the most elusive states of matter: the Wigner crystal. Using ...

Aug 11, 2026