Phys.org news

Phys.org / ALMA makes first direct detection of star-forming gas in early galaxies

In the early universe, the first galaxies began to take shape roughly a million years after the Big Bang. Within these young systems, stars formed from vast reservoirs of cold gas, gradually building the structures we see ...

Jun 15, 2026
Phys.org / A waltz over evolutionary timescales: Why it's so hard for animals to invent a new mating dance

"Love makes fools of all of us," wrote 19th-century novelist William Makepeace Thackeray. A moment spent watching the pigeons at your local park suggests he was right: males with puffed-up, shimmering necks hop, pirouette, ...

Jun 15, 2026
Phys.org / Critical cellular system discovery may lead to treatment of some cancers

A molecular geneticist at Montana State University has discovered a cellular process once believed impossible by scientists—the creation of the amino acid cysteine within a living cell when the cell's primary systems for ...

Jun 15, 2026
Phys.org / Predators on the move may link the evolution of species thousands of kilometers apart

Can a snake in Thailand influence the evolution of a snake in the Philippines even if the two species never cross paths? According to a new study, the answer may be yes. The research suggests that migratory predators can ...

Jun 15, 2026
Phys.org / Scientists improve nearly every aspect of prime editing, moving it closer to treating more genetic diseases

Prime editing can potentially repair the vast majority of known disease-causing human mutations, but the technology, first developed in 2019, has not yet been widely used in the body, or in vivo, to treat genetic disease. ...

Jun 15, 2026
Phys.org / Wind patterns play surprising role in tropical rainfall trends

Changes in wind patterns play the leading role in influencing often devastating tropical rainfall changes, rather than simply the warming atmosphere holding more moisture, according to new research.

Jun 15, 2026
Phys.org / Redefined conformity model beats averaging in five real-world tests of opinion dynamics

Imagine you poll your friends on how many minutes per pound to roast a turkey. Five respond with 15 minutes; one answers 33 minutes. The most popular model of conformity, the French-Harary-DeGroot model (or more commonly, ...

Jun 15, 2026
Phys.org / PACE satellite tracks fall colors with near-daily global coverage

Researchers have developed a new approach using data from NASA's Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) satellite to observe the timing and progression of fall colors across landscapes.

Jun 15, 2026
Phys.org / Some bees cannot escape rising heat, and their tiny homes make crisis even harder

Bee species that nest in plant stems appear to be at the greatest short-term risk from increasing temperatures due to climate change, while those that nest in the ground are better able to evade extreme heat, according to ...

Jun 15, 2026
Phys.org / Listening to political opponents who share common values can ease polarization

Listening to someone who disagrees with you on a controversial topic, but shares basic values, might not change your mind—but it could moderate an extreme position, reducing polarization, new Cornell economics research finds.

Jun 15, 2026
Phys.org / Is 'gender gating' the secret to success in online dating?

Digital matching platforms—from professional networking to ride-sharing and accommodation services—add value by bringing supply and demand into balance. But deep-seated asymmetries can prove difficult to expunge, causing ...

Jun 14, 2026
Phys.org / Rare 500-year-old freeze-dried potatoes unearthed at Inca coastal site

Archaeologists digging at an Inca site on the arid coast of southern Peru have unearthed two rare, roughly 500-year-old freeze-dried potatoes. The potatoes are among the only ones found in more than a century and would have ...

Jun 14, 2026