Phys.org news

Phys.org / Engineering analysis of Thrinaxodon fossils uncovers unexpectedly advanced hearing in early mammal kin

One of the most important steps in the evolution of modern mammals was the development of highly sensitive hearing. The middle ear of mammals, with an eardrum and several small bones, allows us to hear a broad range of frequencies ...

Dec 8, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Olfaction written in bones: New insights into the evolution of the sense of smell in mammals

The sense of smell is vital for animals, as it helps them find food, protect themselves from predators and interact socially. An international research team led by Dr. Quentin Martinez and Dr. Eli Amson from the State Museum ...

Dec 8, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / NYC congestion pricing cuts air pollution by 22% in Manhattan, study finds

Since New York City introduced congestion pricing in January 2025, the state has heralded significant reductions in traffic and rush hour delays, fewer crashes and noise complaints, and toll revenue projected to hit $500 ...

Dec 8, 2025 in Earth
Phys.org / Expanding the search for quantum-ready 2D materials

Quantum technologies from ultrasensitive sensors to next-generation information processors depend on the ability of quantum bits, or qubits, to maintain their delicate quantum states for a sufficiently long time to be useful.

Dec 8, 2025 in Physics
Phys.org / Sum-frequency microscope can image an invisible 2D material

Researchers from the Physical Chemistry and Theory departments at the Fritz Haber Institute have found a new way to image layers of boron nitride that are only a single atom thick. This material is usually nearly invisible ...

Dec 8, 2025 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / Cosmic gas flows, not collisions, explain Milky Way's double chemical signature

Clues about how galaxies like our Milky Way form and evolve and why their stars show surprising chemical patterns have been revealed by a new study.

Dec 8, 2025 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Electrons stay put in layers of mismatched 'quantum Legos'

Electrons can be elusive, but Cornell researchers using a new computational method can now account for where they go—or don't go—in certain layered materials.

Dec 8, 2025 in Physics
Phys.org / Adrift like Shackleton: Robot float survives Antarctic ice

A robotic float has measured the temperature and salinity from parts of the ocean never sampled before—underneath massive floating ice shelves in East Antarctica.

Dec 8, 2025 in Earth
Phys.org / New model describes how reaction-diffusion networks develop 'foams'

For numerous fundamental processes of life, the formation of certain protein patterns is essential. Protein pattern formation controlled by molecular switches is—like many processes in nature—far removed from a state ...

Dec 8, 2025 in Physics
Phys.org / Reconfigurable platform slows lights for on-chip photonic engineering

Integrated circuits are the brains behind modern electronic devices like computers or smart phones. Traditionally, these circuits—also known as chips—rely on electricity to process data. In recent years, scientists have ...

Dec 8, 2025 in Physics
Phys.org / Parasitic fungus may have emerged 18 million years before the ants with which it lives today

A genus of fungi previously considered a parasite of fungi associated with ants may actually have much more complex ecological functions. According to a study published in the journal Communications Biology, one piece of ...

Dec 8, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / A geometric recipe for stabilizing atomically thin metals

Metallenes are atomically thin metals whose unique properties make them extremely promising for nanoscale applications. However, their extreme thinness makes them also flimsy.

Dec 8, 2025 in Nanotechnology