Phys.org news

Phys.org / A 'cosmic clock' in tiny crystals reveals the rise and fall of Australia's ancient landscapes

Australia's iconic red landscapes have been home to Aboriginal culture and recorded in songlines for tens of thousands of years. But further clues to just how ancient this landscape is come from far beyond Earth: cosmic rays ...

Jan 14, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Do even low-mass dwarf galaxies merge? New clues from the outer stars of a Milky Way satellite

Using the Subaru Telescope's wide-field camera, astronomers have discovered a previously unknown structure surrounding a tiny satellite galaxy of the Milky Way. The newly discovered structure exhibits features resembling ...

Jan 14, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Ancient teeth are treasure troves of data on Iron Age lifestyles

Teeth provide a wealth of information about the lives of Iron Age Italians, according to a study published in the open-access journal PLOS One by Roberto Germano of Sapienza University of Rome, Italy and colleagues.

Jan 14, 2026 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Type Ia supernova delayed-detonation model supported by SN 2024gy observations

A research team from the Yunnan Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), in collaboration with domestic and international partners, has carried out observational studies on SN 2024gy—a high-velocity Type ...

Jan 14, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Frozen hydrogen cyanide 'cobwebs' offer clues to origin of life

A substance poisonous to humans—hydrogen cyanide—may have helped create the seeds of life on Earth. At cold temperatures, hydrogen cyanide forms crystals. And, according to computer models reported in ACS Central Science, ...

Jan 14, 2026 in Chemistry
Phys.org / Ancient Tethys Ocean shaped Central Asia's landscape, study suggests

New research from Adelaide University suggests the power of the ancient Tethys Ocean might have shaped Central Asia's topography during the Cretaceous period.

Jan 14, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / A nanomaterial flex—MXene electrodes help OLED display technology shine, while bending and stretching

The organic light-emitting diode (OLED) technology behind flexible cell phones, curved monitors, and televisions could one day be used to make on-skin sensors that show changes in temperature, blood flow, and pressure in ...

Jan 14, 2026 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / AI tools are expanding individual capabilities while contracting scientific attention, research finds

Artificial intelligence promises to accelerate scientific discovery and open new frontiers of inquiry. But new research from James Evans (Faculty Co-Director of Novel Intelligence; Max Palevsky Professor of Sociology & Data ...

Jan 14, 2026 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Fire on ice: The Arctic's changing fire regime

The number of wildland fires burning in the Arctic is on the rise, according to NASA researchers. Moreover, these blazes are burning larger, hotter, and longer than they did in previous decades.

Jan 14, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / From bolts to blue jets, lightning comes in many strange forms

Lightning has captured people's fascination for millennia. It's embedded in mythology, religion and popular culture. Think of Thor in Norse mythology or Indra in Hinduism.

Jan 14, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / Scientists measure cellular membrane thickness inside cells for the first time

Scientists have long known that cellular membranes vary in thickness, but measuring those differences inside actual cells has been out of reach.

Jan 14, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Hydrogel cilia set new standard in microrobotics

Cilia are micrometer-sized biological structures that occur frequently in nature. Their characteristic high-frequency, three-dimensional beating motions (5–40 Hz) play indispensable roles inside the body.

Jan 14, 2026 in Biology