Phys.org news

Phys.org / Earth's 40,000-year tilt cycle links Antarctic ice growth to subtropical productivity

Cycles in the growth and decay of Antarctica's ice sheets once shaped marine biological productivity thousands of miles away in the subtropical ocean, according to new research led by scientists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. ...

Mar 24, 2026
Phys.org / Chandra resolves why black holes hit the brakes on growth

Astronomers have an answer for a long-running mystery in astrophysics: why is the growth of supermassive black holes so much lower today than in the past? A study using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and other X-ray telescopes ...

Mar 24, 2026
Phys.org / Continued monitoring of sunken Soviet submarine shows ongoing radioactive leakage, but little impact

In 1989, the Soviet nuclear-powered attack submarine Komsomolets sank to the bottom of the Norwegian Sea, along with its nuclear reactor and two nuclear warheads onboard. Komsomolets was constructed with a titanium alloy ...

Mar 24, 2026
Phys.org / Europe's Late Neanderthals descended from a single population, DNA analysis suggests

A study incorporating new DNA data and archaeological evidence has shown that the last Neanderthals in Europe experienced a major population turnover, resulting in little diversity in their gene pool prior to their disappearance ...

Mar 24, 2026
Phys.org / How archaeology is preserving evidence of the Yahidne war crime

Archaeology is not just a powerful tool for revealing insights into the ancient past, but it can also be applied to more recent events. In a new paper published in the journal Antiquity, scientists reveal how archaeological ...

Mar 24, 2026
Phys.org / AI approach uncovers dozens of hidden planets in NASA's TESS data

Astronomers at the University of Warwick have validated over 100 exoplanets, including 31 newly detected planets, using a new artificial intelligence tool applied to data from NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite ...

Mar 24, 2026
Phys.org / The hidden cost of sperm storage: Ejaculates found to deteriorate across the animal kingdom

Current World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines typically recommend two to seven days of abstinence before taking semen samples or assisted reproduction. However, a new study led by Oxford University researchers suggests ...

Mar 24, 2026
Phys.org / A spinel crystal structure exhibits unusual, pressure-induced superconductivity

Superconductors are materials that conduct electricity with an electrical resistance of zero. Superconductivity is generally observed when materials are cooled down to extremely low temperatures. In some cases, however, like ...

Mar 24, 2026
Phys.org / Red-tailed bumblebees found to be key hosts for dangerous bee virus

Wild bumblebees serve as key hosts for acute bee paralysis virus. While the virus appears to cause little harm to bumblebees, infection is usually fatal to honeybees. Until now, it was assumed that honeybees were the key ...

Mar 24, 2026
Phys.org / Trapped subsurface heat may have triggered Antarctica's sudden sea ice loss

In 2016, Antarctic sea ice, which had previously shown record expansion, shifted rapidly toward unusually low levels. This abrupt shift left scientists scratching their heads, wondering why it had vanished so quickly despite ...

Mar 24, 2026
Phys.org / Bio-based polymer offers a sustainable solution to 'forever chemical' cleanup

Researchers at the University of Bath have discovered a renewable, bio-based polymer membrane capable of efficiently capturing toxic "forever chemicals" from water, offering a potential new route to more sustainable water ...

Mar 24, 2026
Phys.org / Agricultural soils exposed to controversial weedkiller may be unexpected breeding ground for hospital 'superbugs'

Each year, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is responsible for an estimated 1.1 to 1.4 million deaths worldwide. Now, scientists have found evidence that the spread of AMR isn't always driven by bacteria evolving to resist ...

Mar 24, 2026