Phys.org news

Phys.org / Astrophysicists test a new piece of the sky to probe dark matter and dark energy

In the leading model of cosmology, most of the universe is invisible: a combined 95% is made of dark matter and dark energy. Exactly what these dark components are remains a mystery, but they have a tremendous impact on our ...

Dec 4, 2025 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / New study challenges the idea of humans as innately nature-loving

Nature is a source of well-being and recovery for many people. However, research shows that there is also a growing number of individuals who experience negative emotions, such as fear, discomfort, or even disgust, toward ...

Dec 4, 2025 in Earth
Phys.org / Scientists capture first detailed look inside droplet-like structures of compacted DNA

Inside human cells, biology has pulled off the ultimate packing job, figuring out how to fit six feet of DNA into a nucleus about one-tenth as wide as a human hair while making sure the all-important molecules can still function.

Dec 4, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Camera traps snap nearly three times more images of endangered Sumatran tigers than before

Destroyed habitats, poaching, and prey depletion have dramatically reduced tiger habitats around the world. Today, tigers occupy just 5–10% of their historical habitats. But on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, an important ...

Dec 4, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Lightning channels reveal hidden bursts: Lateral negative re-discharges observed for first time

A new study led by researchers from the Institute of Atmospheric Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) has uncovered the first observational evidence of lateral negative re-discharges occurring on negative leader ...

Dec 4, 2025 in Earth
Phys.org / Nanotyrannus was not a juvenile T. rex, new study confirms

For decades, paleontologists argued over the lone skull used to establish the distinct species Nanotyrannus. Was it truly a separate species or simply a juvenile Tyrannosaurus rex? A new paper published in Science has definitively ...

Dec 4, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Magnetism switching in antiferromagnets: Two distinct mechanisms successfully visualized

A research team led by Ryo Shimano of the University of Tokyo has successfully visualized two distinct mechanisms through which up and down spins, inherent properties of electrons, switch in an antiferromagnet, a material ...

Dec 4, 2025 in Physics
Phys.org / How volcanic eruptions set off a chain of events that brought the Black Death to Europe

Clues contained in tree rings have identified mid-14th-century volcanic activity as the first domino to fall in a sequence that led to the devastation of the Black Death in Europe.

Dec 4, 2025 in Earth
Phys.org / Space debris poses growing threat, but new study suggests cleanup is feasible

High up in Earth's orbit, millions of human-made objects large and small are flying at speeds of over 15,000 miles per hour. The objects, which range from inactive satellites to fragments of equipment resulting from explosions ...

Dec 4, 2025 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Sargasso Sea shift reveals dramatic decline in some historic seaweed populations

A study led by researchers at the University of South Florida's College of Marine Science has found that certain populations of the seaweed sargassum have experienced a significant decline over the past decade, even as increased ...

Dec 4, 2025 in Earth
Phys.org / 'Free-range' dinosaur parenting may have created surprisingly diverse ancient ecosystems

Picture a baby Brachiosaurus the size of a golden retriever, hunting for food with its siblings while dodging predators that would happily eat it. Meanwhile, its parents—towering over 40 feet tall—are dozens of miles ...

Dec 4, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Chlorine and potassium found in supernova remnant at unexpectedly high levels

"Why are we here?" is humanity's most fundamental and persistent question. Tracing the origins of the elements is a direct attempt to answer this at its deepest level. We know many elements are created inside stars and supernovae, ...

Dec 4, 2025 in Astronomy & Space