Phys.org news

Phys.org / Can't tally love: Tracking favors may hurt relationship, research indicates

They say that love is a two-way street, but that may only hold true to a point. It turns out that couples who obsess over equal give-and-take may be sabotaging their relationship, suggests a study involving University of ...

Feb 9, 2026 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Physicists clarify key mechanism behind energy release in molybdenum-93

A team of physicists from the Institute of Modern Physics (IMP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, together with collaborators, has identified the dominant physical mechanism responsible for energy release in the nuclear ...

Feb 9, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Glaciers in retreat: Uncovering tourism's contradictions

As glaciers around the world melt at unprecedented rates, tourism in these icy landscapes is booming, adding pressure to vulnerable regions and disrupting delicate ecosystems. A collective effort, led by UNIL and published ...

Feb 9, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / A piece of Africa in Europe? New insights into plate tectonics of the Balkans

Around the Balkan Peninsula, the African plate is sinking beneath the European plate. A piece of deeply submerged African crust resurfaced 40 million years ago far away from the sinking zone. How this phenomenon of so-called ...

Feb 9, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / Intense sunlight reduces plant diversity and biomass across global grasslands, study finds

The sun is the basis for photosynthesis, but not all plants thrive in strong sunlight. Strong sunlight constrains plant diversity and plant biomass in the world's grasslands, a new study shows. Temperature, precipitation, ...

Feb 9, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Why elite chess ratings get stuck: A new model treats draws as data

Here's a statistical challenge worthy of a grandmaster: How do you create an accurate ranking system when the best players usually don't win? This is the conundrum of elite chess. The stronger the players, the greater the ...

Feb 9, 2026 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / People act more helpfully in poor environments than rich ones, research reveals

People are more likely to act helpfully in situations where there are poorer choices to give to others, according to a new study that tested willingness to help others in different contexts.

Feb 9, 2026 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Seeing the whole from a part: Revealing hidden turbulent structures from limited observations and equations

The irregular, swirling motion of fluids we call turbulence can be found everywhere, from stirring in a teacup to currents in the planetary atmosphere. This phenomenon is governed by the Navier-Stokes equations—a set of ...

Feb 9, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Muon Knight shift reveals the behavior of superconducting electron pairs

Quantum materials and superconductors are difficult enough to understand on their own. Unconventional superconductors, which cannot be explained within the framework of standard theory, take the enigma to an entirely new ...

Feb 9, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Bioengineers build branched, perfusable kidney collecting ducts using 3D bioprinting

The human kidney filters about a cup of blood every minute, removing waste, excess fluid, and toxins from it, while also regulating blood pressure, balancing important electrolytes, activating Vitamin D, and helping the body ...

Feb 9, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Mitochondrial superoxide signal helps preserve the nuclear envelope and delay aging, study finds

The nuclear envelope (NE) is a dynamic and selective barrier that organizes genome function and nucleocytoplasmic communication, and its structural deterioration is a hallmark of aging associated with diverse human diseases. ...

Feb 9, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Ultra-clean MXenes deliver 160-fold higher conductivity

An international team of researchers has developed a breakthrough method for producing MXenes—an important family of two-dimensional materials—with unprecedented purity and control. The new "gas–liquid–solid" process ...

Feb 9, 2026 in Nanotechnology