Phys.org news

Phys.org / Freshwater mussel protein offers new source of inspiration for medical-grade glues

Researchers at the University of Toronto have identified a protein from the quagga mussel that can stick to surfaces underwater, even though it lacks a chemical feature long thought to be essential for this kind of adhesion. ...

May 6, 2026
Phys.org / On the ground or in the atmosphere? Swarm satellites help characterize and pinpoint destructive events

When solar storms strike Earth, they can disrupt power grids, rail systems, satellites, and even marine life. These effects arise because solar wind and geomagnetic activity disturb the magnetosphere–ionosphere system, generating ...

May 6, 2026
Phys.org / The lost koala: New fossil species was hiding in plain sight for 100 years

In 2024, the Western Australian Museum received a donation. It was a koala skull collected from Moondyne Cave in Margaret River by Lindsay Hatcher, an avid caver. There was something a bit odd about this skull, and we were ...

May 6, 2026
Phys.org / Bacterial protein map could open new path against drug-resistant infections

La Trobe scientists have made a pivotal discovery in the fight against dangerous drug-resistant bacteria, as the University launches a major research initiative focused on new ways to target antimicrobial resistance (AMR). ...

May 6, 2026
Phys.org / Federal grant terminations disproportionately impact minority scientists, study finds

Researchers from University of California San Diego Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science have found that recent federal grant terminations targeting research on health equity and gender identity ...

May 6, 2026
Phys.org / 'Atomic snapshots' of proofreading enzyme could lead to better COVID-19 drugs

The closest-ever detailed look at a key enzyme inside the virus that causes COVID-19 could lead to more effective treatment of the disease. Nucleotide analogs are a common type of antiviral medication that mimic the genetic ...

May 6, 2026
Phys.org / Indigenous Andeans have a digestive superpower—and it may be linked to potatoes

Indigenous people of the Andes were the first to domesticate the potato, making the starch-rich crop a dietary staple for this high-altitude population long before it spread to the rest of the world. Today, their descendants ...

May 5, 2026
Phys.org / Medieval jaw reveals Scotland's first known dental bridge made from 20-carat gold

Without good dental care, teeth tend to suffer. An abundance of archaeological evidence has shown that poor oral health was common throughout history. And unsurprisingly, there have been many attempts at dental restoration ...

May 5, 2026
Phys.org / Physics-based weather models more accurate than AI at predicting extreme weather

Weather forecasting is another aspect of modern life that artificial intelligence is transforming. Models like GraphCast, Pangu-Weather, and Fuxi are already better than traditional physics-based climate models at predicting ...

May 5, 2026
Phys.org / JWST pins down the origins of a planetary odd couple

Across the Milky Way galaxy, a planetary odd couple is circling a star some 190 light years from Earth. A normally "lonely" hot Jupiter is sharing space with a mini-Neptune, in a rare and unlikely pairing that's had astronomers ...

May 5, 2026
Phys.org / Astronomers map lifetime of over 100,000 molecular clouds across 66 galaxies

An international team of astronomers has analyzed the data from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) to investigate giant molecular clouds in nearby galaxies. The new ...

May 5, 2026
Phys.org / Why isolated human groups speak more diverse languages even as genetic diversity shrinks

Languages and human DNA both capture aspects of human diversity. But how are they related? A new international study led by the University of Zurich finds a clear but counterintuitive pattern: regions with high genetic diversity ...

May 5, 2026