Phys.org news

Phys.org / Microbubbles can release microplastics into our water

Microbubbles in the tap water you just poured into a plastic glass are strong enough to create tiny abrasions on the inner layer of the plastic—quietly adding to our growing microplastic problem.

Jan 13, 2026 in Chemistry
Phys.org / Glazed sherds in remote Gobi Desert reveal ancient Persian trade connections

In a study published in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, Dr. Ellery Frahm and his colleagues analyzed two unusual blue-green glazed ceramic sherds discovered in the Gobi Desert in 2016.

Jan 13, 2026 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / New massive hot subdwarf binary discovered

Astronomers report the discovery of a new binary system, designated LAMOST J065816.72+094343.1. The newfound binary consists of a massive and hot subdwarf and an unseen companion. The finding was detailed in the January issue ...

Jan 13, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Hygienic conditions in Pompeii's early baths were poor, according to isotope analysis

The city of Pompeii was buried by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79. Researchers at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) have now reconstructed the city's water supply system based on carbonate deposits—particularly ...

Jan 13, 2026 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Recovering tropical forests grow back nearly twice as fast with nitrogen

Young tropical forests play a crucial role in slowing climate change. Growing trees absorb carbon dioxide from the air, using photosynthesis to build it into their roots, trunks, and branches, where they can store carbon ...

Jan 13, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / A protein found in the GI tract can neutralize many bacteria

The mucosal surfaces that line the body are embedded with defensive molecules that help keep microbes from causing inflammation and infections. Among these molecules are lectins—proteins that recognize microbes and other ...

Jan 13, 2026 in Chemistry
Phys.org / When 'no-effect' isn't safe: Safe chemicals turn toxic in combination across generations

Researchers at National Taiwan University reveal that combined exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics and the preservative butylparaben, at a level considered safe on their own, can cause heritable harm, disrupting reproduction ...

Jan 13, 2026 in Chemistry
Phys.org / Scientists demonstrate low-cost, high-quality lenses for super-resolution microscopy

Researchers have shown that consumer-grade 3D printers and low-cost materials can be used to produce multi-element optical components that enable super-resolution imaging, with each lens costing less than $1 to produce. The ...

Jan 13, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / A centuries-old debate on how reptiles keep evolving skin bones is finally settled

Our bones did not begin deep inside the body. They started in the skin, not long after the first complex animals took shape.

Jan 13, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Signs of ancient life turn up in an unexpected place

Dr. Rowan Martindale, a paleoecologist and geobiologist at the University of Texas at Austin, was walking through the Dadès Valley in the Central High Atlas Mountains of Morocco when she saw something that literally stopped ...

Jan 13, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / First standalone spin-wave chip operates without external magnets for future telecom

The Politecnico di Milano has created the first integrated and fully tunable device based on spin waves, opening up new possibilities for the telecommunications of the future, far beyond current 5G and 6G standards. The study, ...

Jan 13, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Meta-analysis challenges the link between economic inequality and mental health

Does living in an unequal society make people unhappy? Not necessarily, reveals the largest study ever conducted on the subject. Nicolas Sommet, a social psychologist and research manager at the LIVES Centre at the University ...

Jan 13, 2026 in Other Sciences