Phys.org news

Phys.org / Did elephant energetics decide Hannibal's Alpine crossing route?

A new analysis sheds light on the most likely route for the Carthaginian general's famous crossing of the Alps. The study, led by the University of Oxford and iDiv/Friedrich Schiller University Jena, reveals that the Col ...

Jul 6, 2026
Phys.org / Astronomers characterize 'improbable' system shaped by brown dwarf

In the course of studying planets beyond our solar system (6,316 confirmed exoplanets and counting), scientists have discovered some very interesting systems. Consider TOI-201, a compact system populated by three bodies, ...

Jul 6, 2026
Phys.org / South Australian algal bloom species the world's most toxic harmful microalga yet recorded

The marine microalgae responsible for the most devastating effects of the South Australian harmful algal bloom (HAB) has now been shown to be the most toxic species of its kind ever studied.

Jul 6, 2026
Phys.org / Soil thickness controls landslide occurrence, study finds

Researchers at University of Tsukuba analyzed high-resolution topographic data from airborne LiDAR to examine the relationships among landslide area, depth, and slope gradient.

Jul 6, 2026
Phys.org / Older than the sun: Astronomers find new clues to the origin of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS

Astronomers have used the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope (ESO's VLT) to study the composition of 3I/ATLAS, the brightest interstellar object ever seen, in detail. By measuring specific chemical fingerprints—the ...

Jul 6, 2026
Phys.org / Euclid discovers the most ancient quasars in the universe

The European Space Agency's Euclid space telescope has discovered 31 of the most ancient quasars ever found. Two of these giant and dazzling galaxy cores, powered by gargantuan black holes, are the earliest quasars yet observed ...

Jul 6, 2026
Phys.org / Scientists observe water's behavior in a single molecular layer

New research has revealed that water behaves differently when confined to spaces just one molecule thick. For the first time, scientists have directly measured the vibrational signatures of truly two-dimensional water. In ...

Jul 6, 2026
Phys.org / Atomic 'domino effect' found to drive phase changes in a two-dimensional crystal

Phase transformations—in which a material changes from one crystal structure to another, thereby acquiring dramatically different properties—are ubiquitous in nature. Understanding the microscopic mechanisms of these transformations ...

Jul 6, 2026
Phys.org / Bees reveal emotion-like reactions, from 'lip licking' to head shaking, in new videos

New research proving bumblebees exhibit emotion-like behaviors—previously thought to exist only in mammalian species—has implications for how scientists understand the consciousness of insects.

Jul 6, 2026
Phys.org / A last dance before death: Binary stars and the origins of interacting supernovae

When massive stars die, they unleash some of the most powerful explosions in the universe. Yet not all supernovae are created equal. Some continue to shine brightly for months or even years as their expanding debris crashes ...

Jul 6, 2026
Phys.org / Engineers discover 'unexpected motion' in drug-delivery robots

One day, tiny swimming robots may travel through the human body to deliver drugs. The medication would target only areas of need—chemotherapy drugs for a tumor, for example—avoiding healthy tissue and minimizing side effects. ...

Jul 6, 2026
Phys.org / Earth's deepest rocks help define upper limit for viscosity beyond which materials effectively become rigid

Viscosity is one of the most fundamental physical properties used to describe how materials flow. It governs the movement of liquids, molten rocks and even slowly deforming regions deep inside the Earth. While scientists ...

Jul 6, 2026