Phys.org news

Phys.org / Private mission to rescue NASA's aging telescope runs into its own trouble

The spacecraft rushing to the rescue of an aging and sinking NASA telescope has run into its own problem.

Jul 29, 2026
Phys.org / Hydrothermal microbes shape seafloor minerals at newly found vents near Greek island

In August 2023, the German research vessel METEOR set sail on Expedition M192 to the Greek island of Milos with Dr. Solveig Bühring as chief scientist. The mission was to locate and investigate previously unknown hydrothermal ...

Jul 29, 2026
Phys.org / Strain turns non-chiral crystals left- or right-handed on demand

Mechanical strain is one of the most common tools used to tailor the properties of materials. In piezoelectric materials, stretching or compressing a crystal generates an electrical polarization. In piezomagnetic materials, ...

Jul 29, 2026
Phys.org / A successful, sustainable catalyst for ethanol dehydrogenation

Ethanol is an alcohol used in a vast number of industrial and household applications. When dehydrogenated—in this case, stripped of some of its hydrogen atoms—it yields another important compound: acetaldehyde, which is used ...

Jul 29, 2026
Phys.org / Shipwreck cargo reveals surprising global trade secrets of the 1600s

Using cargo recovered from one of Australia's most infamous shipwrecks, new Curtin University-led research has revealed how surprisingly sophisticated global supply chains helped source and transport construction materials ...

Jul 29, 2026
Phys.org / Biofilm clue opens route to anti-infection treatments of the future

A multidisciplinary study has uncovered a critical component in the formation of biofilms, the complex structures used by bacteria to colonize surfaces. The research may have implications for future infection treatments, ...

Jul 29, 2026
Phys.org / Two attosecond flashes capture electrons in motion

Electronic motion sets the stage for virtually every light-induced process in nature, from the first step of a chemical reaction to the flow of charge in a solid. Yet these processes unfold so rapidly that they can be observed ...

Jul 29, 2026
Phys.org / Repeating distance patterns let optical systems tackle large optimization problems

From planning transportation networks to organizing massive datasets, many of society's most important challenges boil down to an optimization problem: finding the best solution among an enormous number of possibilities. ...

Jul 29, 2026
Phys.org / Kitchen cling film helps build centimeter-scale ultrathin electronics and optics

As materials become thinner—now reaching the thickness of single atoms—it has become increasingly difficult to create sufficiently large sheets and transfer them without cracking them into tiny flakes. Recent work by a broad ...

Jul 29, 2026
Phys.org / Lake ice loss could accelerate after winter temperatures cross critical thresholds

For lakes across the Northern Hemisphere, winter ice is more than a frozen surface. It is a seasonal regulator that shapes underwater ecosystems and energy balance. But as the planet warms, this frozen season is disappearing ...

Jul 29, 2026
Phys.org / Icelandic fish 'hot tubs' reveal genetic adaptations to warming—and unexpected overeating

New research, led by the University of Glasgow reveals that adaptation to warmer waters causes fish to display a range of behavioral and biological differences, including obesity, overeating and lower metabolism.

Jul 29, 2026
Phys.org / Mosquitoes are rapidly activating enzymes against common insecticide, researchers warn

Traditionally, public health programs have relied on chemicals for mosquito management, which may be why combating mosquitoes is becoming more difficult. Over time, insecticides trigger biochemical and genetic variations ...

Jul 29, 2026