Phys.org news

Phys.org / Van der Waals forces can play unexpected role in thin film properties

Researchers have demonstrated the ability to use van der Waals forces to tune the physical and electronic properties of ferroelectric thin films. The work opens the door to new techniques for engineering materials for use ...

Jun 8, 2026
Phys.org / Satellites reveal cities' 'urban pulse,' tracking neighborhood growth in near real time

For over a century, doctors have used electrocardiograms (EKGs) to render the invisible electrical activity of the human heart visible, using the pulse to diagnose disease before it becomes fatal. Now, scientists have invented ...

Jun 8, 2026
Phys.org / NASA satellites reveal major ocean nutrient stress

A new study combining NASA satellite observations, ocean surveys and genetic testing of marine microorganisms found evidence that warming ocean waters may be limiting nutrient availability across much of the global ocean. ...

Jun 8, 2026
Phys.org / Alien signal claims face stricter verification under updated disclosure rules

The IAA SETI Committee has updated rules for evaluating and revealing the detection of extraterrestrial intelligence.

Jun 8, 2026
Phys.org / Ocean collapse triggered ancient wildfires, research suggests

Research led by the University of Alabama found that widespread wildfires during one of Earth's ancient environmental crises did not trigger an ocean collapse but were a consequence of it.

Jun 8, 2026
Phys.org / Plants could be used to grow medicines in space, study shows

Astronauts on long space missions may one day use plants to produce fresh stocks of medicines on demand, thanks to new research by engineers at the University of California San Diego. The team developed a simple method to ...

Jun 8, 2026
Phys.org / Researchers craft a new, simple recipe for highly entangled quantum states

Building useful quantum technologies—from sensors to computers—requires generating highly complex entangled states, in which the properties of particles are deeply intertwined. Producing such states has traditionally required ...

Jun 8, 2026
Phys.org / New cryogenic silicon carbide hardware addresses quantum computing bottleneck

Researchers from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) and the Centre for Advanced Semiconductors and Integrated Circuits (CASIC) have achieved ...

Jun 8, 2026
Phys.org / Twisted stacking lets 2D conductor keep single-layer performance in bulk form

Two-dimensional (2D) materials, which are significantly thinner than a single sheet of paper, have long drawn attention for their exceptional performance. However, they have faced a critical limitation: Their performance ...

Jun 8, 2026
Phys.org / Research uncovers novel electronic properties in quantum material

Florida State University physicists are part of a team that has discovered unusual superconducting states in parts of graphene, with the potential to drive unexpected quantum technologies.

Jun 8, 2026
Phys.org / How wax moth larvae can help reduce animal testing in research

Researchers at the Helmholtz Institute for One Health (HIOH) have demonstrated that larvae of the greater wax moth, Galleria mellonella, are suitable as an alternative infection model for investigating the pathogenicity of ...

Jun 8, 2026
Phys.org / Magnon momentum microscopy: A new window into nanoscale spin-wave physics

An international team led by the Max Born Institute has developed a new type of momentum microscopy to image magnons—the quanta of collectively excited spins—directly in two-dimensional reciprocal space using soft X-rays. ...

Jun 8, 2026