Phys.org news

Phys.org / JWST maps cosmic web in record detail back to universe's first billion years

Using data from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), astronomers led by researchers at the University of California, Riverside have produced the most detailed map of the cosmic web ever made, tracing the network of galaxies ...

May 12, 2026
Phys.org / 'Calm' galaxy cluster hides a violent cosmic scene that took 4 billion years to settle

The galaxy cluster Abell 2029 is sometimes described as "the most relaxed cluster in the universe." This moniker does not arise from some sort of mellow vibe, but rather because of how calm and undisturbed the superheated ...

May 12, 2026
Phys.org / The fog is alive: Droplets host bacteria that clear toxins from our air

What if fog isn't just misty air, but a living ecosystem? This question hung over cloud researcher Thi Thuong Thuong Cao. As a Ph.D. student at Arizona State University, her curiosity led her from knocking on the doors of ...

May 12, 2026
Phys.org / Old newspapers track porpoise populations across the Baltic Sea

Harbor porpoises were once found across a much wider area of the Baltic Sea than they are today, including regions where they are now rare or absent. This is shown in a new study that uses centuries-old Swedish newspapers ...

May 12, 2026
Dialog / Novel technique measures polymer degradation during cathodic overprotection

Oil and natural gas are vital constituents of our energy ecosystem that need to be transported across long distances. Although steel pipelines are the infrastructure used for this purpose, thereby serving as the lifeline ...

May 12, 2026
Phys.org / Scientists dispute hypothesis that climate change will unleash massive agricultural pest populations

The widespread hypothesis that climate warming will result in unprecedented agricultural pest populations and cause food insecurity worldwide is oversimplified, according to a new study by a team led by Mia Lippey, an entomologist ...

May 12, 2026
Phys.org / How winds above Tibet quietly replenish water for nearly 2 billion people

The "Asian Water Towers" (AWTs), a high-altitude region with a mean elevation exceeding 4,000 meters, serve as the primary freshwater source for nearly 2 billion people. While the Indian summer monsoon is well known for shaping ...

May 12, 2026
Phys.org / New quantum protocol breaks distance and speed barriers in fiber networks

Scientists at the University of Science and Technology of China have successfully deployed a multi-mode quantum relay network, achieving matter–matter entanglement over 14.5 kilometers, according to media reports.

May 12, 2026
Phys.org / The shoal remembers: How signs of a collective memory shape a predator-prey arms race

Beneath the tropical trees of southern Mexico, enormous shoals of sulfur mollies blanket the water surface of toxic sulfur springs, where survival depends on collective defense against relentless attacks from predatory birds. ...

May 12, 2026
Phys.org / Swapping molecular building blocks one by one reveals how receptors tell adrenaline from dopamine

Different receptors respond to different neurotransmitters or hormones, such as adrenaline involved in the fight-or-flight response, or dopamine linked to reward and motivation. Both the receptors themselves and the substances ...

May 12, 2026
Phys.org / Molecular glue could hijack cells' natural machinery to help treat diseases

Proteins do most of the work in our body's cells. But when a protein is too active or does not function properly, it can lead to disease or other health problems. Researchers from the University of Toronto have discovered ...

May 12, 2026
Phys.org / Scientists use AI to interpret the sun's acoustic heartbeat

A new AI-based approach that can "hear" inside the sun could give vital signs of the solar disturbances that have significant effects in near-Earth space and on human activities. The solar cycle is an approximate 11-year ...

May 12, 2026