Phys.org news

Phys.org / AI rebuilds molecules from exploding fragments

Researchers at the Department of Energy's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and collaborating institutions recently built a generative AI model that can recreate molecular structures from the movement of the molecule's ...

Mar 18, 2026
Phys.org / Dolls beat tablets at building social understanding, six-week study suggests

Research by Cardiff University has found that playing with Barbie dolls can help reach key milestones in developing empathy and social understanding during childhood. Doll play was found to be beneficial for both boys and ...

Mar 18, 2026
Phys.org / Scientists turn rubber waste into new materials and capture CO₂

Researchers at the University of St Andrews have unveiled two breakthrough techniques for chemically recycling and upcycling nitrile‑rubber products, such as disposable gloves, seals, and industrial parts, into new materials ...

Mar 18, 2026
Phys.org / Fossilized whale skulls reveal feeding secrets of sharks 5 million years ago

A new study analyzing two fossilized whale skulls from around 5 million years ago has revealed fragments of sharks' teeth lodged inside them. This provides rare evidence of how sharks fed on whales in north European waters ...

Mar 18, 2026
Phys.org / Using fiber-optic cables to detect moonquakes

Two recent studies suggest that fiber-optic cables laid directly on the moon's surface could potentially detect moonquakes, offering a simpler way to gather seismic data to support future human and robotic exploration.

Mar 18, 2026
Phys.org / Protein sequencing advance offers new insights into life's foundations

Proteins, one of the smallest building blocks of life on Earth, hold promise for answering some of biology's biggest questions. Consisting of amino acids strung together into peptide chains, these molecules perform much of ...

Mar 18, 2026
Phys.org / Study reveals hidden 'chemical currency' fueling the ocean's carbon cycle

A new study, led by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) and Columbia University, identifies a diverse set of molecules released by marine phytoplankton that fuel microbial life and help drive Earth's carbon cycle. ...

Mar 18, 2026
Phys.org / Why heights and snakes still hit harder: Study tracks fear sweat in 119 people

Fear-eliciting images of modern and ancestral threats are equally likely to evoke physiological reactions, despite their distinct evolutionary origins, according to a study published in the open-access journal PLOS One by ...

Mar 18, 2026
Phys.org / Satellite data reconstruct 2025 LA fires, showing rapid spread in first day

A severe drought, powerful Santa Ana winds and a not-fully-extinguished brushfire combined to create the most destructive wildfire in the history of Los Angeles in early 2025. The Palisades Fire, which fully ignited on Jan. ...

Mar 18, 2026
Phys.org / California's lead-ammo bans are working, but expanding condor ranges undercut gains

Recent data showing an increase in lead exposure and deaths among critically endangered California condors seems to fly in the face of decades of conservation measures, including bans on lead bullets and public-education ...

Mar 18, 2026
Phys.org / Rapid melting of Antarctic sea ice is largely driven by ocean warming, research reveals

Sea ice around Antarctica expanded for several decades until a dramatic decline in 2015. The reasons behind this are revealed by research led by the University of Gothenburg, which is published in Nature Climate Change.

Mar 18, 2026
Phys.org / 3D model predicts mosquito flight paths from sight and CO₂ cues

A mosquito finds its target with the help of certain cues in its environment, such as a person's silhouette and the carbon dioxide they exhale. Now researchers at MIT and Georgia Tech have found that these visual and chemical ...

Mar 18, 2026