Phys.org news

Phys.org / Marine volcanic plateaus tied to at least 4 Triassic extinction events

Mass extinctions are extremely catastrophic events on Earth. Throughout Earth's evolutionary history, numerous mass extinctions have occurred, with five major mass extinctions being particularly representative. These extinctions ...

Jan 27, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / Red flowers have a 'magic trait' to attract birds and keep bees away

For flowering plants, reproduction is a question of the birds and the bees. Attracting the right pollinator can be a matter of survival—and new research shows how flowers do it is more intriguing than anyone realized, and ...

Jan 27, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / 'Spectral slimming' yields ultranarrow plasmons in single metal nanoparticles

Researchers have developed a new strategy to overcome a long-standing limitation in plasmonic loss by reshaping light–matter interactions through substrate engineering.

Jan 27, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Streaks on Mercury show that it is not a 'dead planet'

Although Mercury was geologically active in its early days, today its surface appears almost completely static. This is why it is often perceived as a dead and dry planet. A new study led by Dr. Valentin Bickel from the Center ...

Jan 27, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Hafted stone tools in China suggest early hominins were more inventive than thought

A newly excavated archaeological site in central China is reshaping long-held assumptions about early hominin behavior in Eastern Asia. Led by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, an international team of researchers conducted ...

Jan 27, 2026 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Raman sensors with push-pull alkyne tags amplify weak signals to track cell chemistry

Seeing chemistry unfold inside living cells is one of the biggest challenges of modern bioimaging. Raman microscopy offers a powerful way to meet this challenge by reading the unique vibrational signatures of molecules. However, ...

Jan 27, 2026 in Chemistry
Phys.org / A new route to synthesize multiple functionalized carbon nanohoops

The field of nanomaterials is witnessing a transformative shift at the intersection of organic chemistry and molecular engineering. Among the most promising molecular structures are carbon nanohoops, of which [n]cycloparaphenylenes ...

Jan 27, 2026 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / Net-casting spiders' adjustable silk stiffness point to tunable fiber design

What makes spider silk so extraordinarily strong and elastic at the same time? This was the focus of recent investigations carried out by researchers from the University of Greifswald, the University of Bonn and the Museum ...

Jan 27, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / How gut bacteria share antibiotic resistance genes and fuel dangerous hospital infections

Researchers from the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS Medicine), have uncovered how a high-risk class of genetic vectors can efficiently spread antibiotic resistance within the gut, enabling ...

Jan 27, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Twisted oxide crystals show how atomic patterns alone can trap or repel electrons

It has been revealed that simply twisting and stacking two layers of oxide crystals can allow the atomic arrangement itself to control the behavior of electrons. Much like the new patterns that emerge when two meshes are ...

Jan 27, 2026 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / First radio signals from rare supernova reveal star's final years

Astronomers have captured the first radio waves ever detected from a rare class of exploding star, a discovery that has given them an unprecedented look into the final years of a massive star before its death in a powerful ...

Jan 27, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Reconfigurable robotic fish reveals how stiffness and wave propagation shape swimming performance

How can some fish, like tuna, achieve remarkable speed while others, like eels, excel in maneuverability? A research team from Peking University (PKU) has developed a novel robotic platform that sheds new light on this classic ...

Jan 27, 2026 in Biology