Phys.org news

Phys.org / Researchers capture inception of hydrogen-uranium reaction for the first time

When hydrogen gas interacts with uranium metal, the combination creates a chemically reactive powder and a runaway reaction that is difficult to stop. The result can impact the safety and lifespan of technology critical for ...

May 26, 2026
Phys.org / Teaching thermodynamic laws to AI unlocks a polymer modeling challenge

For more than half a century, materials scientists have struggled with how to simulate the complexity of polymer materials. An individual chain can comprise tens of thousands of atoms, a melt or composite contains billions, ...

May 26, 2026
Phys.org / As wolves recover, golden jackals may still conquer most of Europe thanks to 'human shield'

Human activity may be enabling the expansion of golden jackals across Europe by reducing the suppressive effect of gray wolves, suggests research published in Nature Ecology & Evolution. This human-mediated interaction could ...

May 26, 2026
Phys.org / Trophic rewilding by large herbivores supports insect diversity, scientists find

Insects are declining across Europe. Czech scientists have determined this decline can be mitigated by returning large ungulates—horses, aurochs cattle, and wisents—to landscapes. This has been shown by a recent study by ...

May 26, 2026
Phys.org / Surface design transforms thermal management and enables frictionless systems

A research team led by Professor Steven Wang, Associate Vice President (Resources Planning) and Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and School of Energy and Environment, has designed a revolutionary ...

May 26, 2026
Phys.org / Ancient dust points to retreat of West Antarctic Ice Sheet during last warm period

Antarctica's Ross Ice Shelf and the West Antarctic Ice Sheet may have been far smaller during one of Earth's most recent warm periods, according to a new study that traced the origin of ancient dust preserved in Antarctic ...

May 26, 2026
Phys.org / Plastic upcycling method turns food packaging into faster-degrading materials

Scientists have discovered a way to convert widely used plastics into new materials with distinct properties that degrade more rapidly. Applying this new process to upcycle existing plastics—such as those used for food packaging ...

May 26, 2026
Phys.org / Discovery of furtivovirus advances understanding of giant virus evolution

In evolutionary biology, all life on Earth is theoretically part of a single phylogenetic tree, indicating common ancestry. This model suggests that every living organism can be traced back to a distant common ancestor. However, ...

May 26, 2026
Phys.org / Data-driven model captures dynamics of turbulence at scale

Whether the dust borne on the violent winds of a tornado or the sugar grains in a swirled cup of coffee, the behavior of particles carried along in turbulence is subject to some similarities—all of them difficult to predict ...

May 26, 2026
Phys.org / Tiny on-chip circuit could power next-generation quantum and AI technologies

Researchers from Monash University have developed a breakthrough nanoscale circuit that can generate, direct, and read light-based information, all on a single chip.

May 26, 2026
Phys.org / Single-step 8-9x expansion reveals nanoscale centrioles without electron microscopy

In a study published in ACS Nano, researchers from National Taiwan University report a new expansion microscopy strategy termed high-fold homogeneous expansion microscopy (hiHomoExM), capable of achieving approximately 8–9× ...

May 26, 2026
Phys.org / Dog daycare leptospirosis outbreak in Los Angeles reveals broader public health risks

A 2021 outbreak of leptospirosis that sickened more than 200 dogs in Los Angeles County reveals critical gaps in vaccination practices and raises broader concerns about the spread of the disease between animals and people, ...

May 26, 2026