Phys.org news

Phys.org / Sweet signals: Tracking crucial cell messengers for the first time

Complex sugar-protein molecules that sense external messages to help a cell grow or respond to its environment can now be tracked and analyzed, using a Nobel Prize-winning chemistry technique.

Jan 20, 2026 in Chemistry
Phys.org / Surprisingly in sync: Sunlight and sediments reveal climate history of Antarctica

The remnants of ice attached to the coast offer astounding insights into the climate history of past millennia. An international research team led by the CNR Institute of Polar Sciences (Italy) and involving the University ...

Jan 20, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / Innovations in spatial imaging could unlock higher wheat yields

Researchers at the John Innes Center and the Earlham Institute are pioneering powerful single-cell visualization techniques that could unlock higher yields of global wheat.

Jan 20, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Wildfires trigger massive soil loss for decades, new global map shows

Wildfires are devastating events that destroy forests, burn homes and force people to leave their communities. They also have a profound impact on local ecosystems. But there is another problem that has been largely overlooked ...

Jan 19, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / Fewer disinfection by-products present in bottled water compared to tap, study finds

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry researchers at the University of South Carolina measured disinfection by-products in bottled water, with total disinfection by-products ranging from 0.01–22.4 µg/L and compared ...

Jan 19, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / What deep sea mud is revealing about giant earthquakes along the Pacific Coast

Marine turbidites are layers of mud and sand deposited on the deep ocean floor by massive underwater landslides and are often used as a historical record for reconstructing earthquake histories.

Jan 19, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / Ancient CO₂ surge triggered widespread forest fires and erosion 56 million years ago

The climate warmed up almost as quickly 56 million years ago as it is doing now. When a huge amount of CO2 entered the atmosphere in a short period of time, it led to large-scale forest fires and erosion. Mei Nelissen, Ph.D. ...

Jan 19, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / Austrian cow shows first case of flexible, multi-purpose tool use in cattle

In 1982, cartoonist Gary Larson published a now-iconic "Far Side" comic titled "Cow Tools." In it, a cow stands proudly beside a jumble of bizarre, useless objects that are "tools" in name only. The joke hinged on a simple ...

Jan 19, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Quantum 'alchemy' made feasible with excitons

What if you could create new materials just by shining a light at them? To most, this sounds like science fiction or alchemy, but to physicists investigating the burgeoning field of Floquet engineering, this is the goal. ...

Jan 19, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / A new nanorobot designed to improve immune cell recognition could help treat colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer, the abnormal growth of cancerous cells in the large intestine or the rectum, is one of the most common types of cancers worldwide. Available treatments for this type of cancer include chemotherapy, radiation ...

Jan 19, 2026 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / Marine wildlife rarely interact with tidal turbines—and usually avoid collisions when they do, observations show

Tidal turbines harbor the potential to provide a natural, inexhaustible source of power, but have faced some regulatory hurdles and scientific uncertainty about risks to marine life.

Jan 19, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / X-ray observations reveal hidden disturbances in galaxy cluster Abell 3571

Using the Einstein Probe (EP), astronomers from China and Germany have observed a nearby galaxy cluster known as Abell 3571. Results of the observational campaign, published January 8 on the arXiv pre-print server, provide ...

Jan 19, 2026 in Astronomy & Space