Phys.org news

Phys.org / From hyperbolic in-plane anisotropy to an optical chirality: A new route to nanoscale circular polarizers

In recent years, van der Waals crystals have evolved from scientific curiosities into a versatile platform for exploring novel quantum phases and unconventional nanophotonic phenomena. Their layered nature allows stacking, ...

Mar 3, 2026
Phys.org / Asteroid Ryugu samples offer new insights into early solar system magnetism

To uncover the history of our solar system, it is necessary to study the dynamic evolution of the ancient solar nebula materials. These materials interacted and coevolved with the weak but widespread magnetic field of the ...

Mar 3, 2026
Phys.org / BaSi₂-supported nickel catalyst boosts low-temperature hydrogen production

A new catalyst strategy developed at Institute of Science Tokyo uses BaSi2 as a support for nickel and cobalt to decompose ammonia at lower temperatures. By forming unique ternary transition metal–nitrogen–barium intermediates ...

Mar 3, 2026
Phys.org / Rainfall can shape bird populations as much as temperature, global study reveals

Scientists have long focused on rising temperatures to understand how climate change is reshaping the natural world. But there's a critical blind spot in that picture: rain. A new global study reveals precipitation has been ...

Mar 3, 2026
Phys.org / Tiny flows, big insights: Microfluidics system boosts super-resolution microscopy

Understanding how cells are organized and how their molecular components interact in a coordinated and cooperative manner is a central goal of modern life sciences. To answer these questions, researchers need to observe many ...

Mar 3, 2026
Phys.org / Intermediate phases unlock faster nanoparticle crystallization

Crystalline nanomaterials are valuable because their highly ordered structures give them useful properties for technologies such as data storage and optical devices. But forming nanoparticles from those orderly crystals is ...

Mar 3, 2026
Phys.org / Moths use magnetic compass and visual cues to guide them during migration

Nocturnal insects may use both Earth's magnetic field and visual cues to guide their migratory flight behaviors, according to recent findings. The research, published in eLife, presents compelling evidence on how geomagnetic ...

Mar 3, 2026
Phys.org / Letting atomic simulations learn from phase diagrams

A new computational method allows modern atomic models to learn from experimental thermodynamic data, according to a University of Michigan Engineering and Université Paris-Saclay study published in Nature Communications. ...

Mar 3, 2026
Phys.org / The key to attacking 'undruggable' proteins: Transient clustering state reveals a moving target

Intrinsically disordered proteins lack a fixed structure, which is why they have been considered "undruggable" targets for drug development for years. However, these proteins play a key role in numerous diseases—ranging ...

Mar 3, 2026
Phys.org / Permafrost is key to carbon storage. That makes northern wildfires even more dangerous

The devastating wildfires in northern Canada in recent years have climate consequences that go far beyond smoke and carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere, according to a new study co-authored by two NAU researchers. ...

Mar 3, 2026
Phys.org / Synthetic gene medicines may disrupt DNA repair

Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs), used to treat genetic diseases, can affect how cells repair damage to their DNA. This is shown in a new study from Karolinska Institutet, published in Nature Communications. The findings ...

Mar 3, 2026
Phys.org / Modern twist on wildfire management methods has a bonus feature that protects water supplies

Wildfires are among the most economically costly natural disasters and are becoming more severe and frequent due to global warming. The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction estimates that global damage from wildfires ...

Mar 3, 2026