Phys.org news

Phys.org / Solar energy transforms polystyrene waste into valuable chemicals using sulfur

Turning waste into wealth may no longer be just a marketing slogan, as a team of researchers in China has found an eco-friendly way to do exactly that. The abundant sunlight our planet receives was put to use for transforming ...

Mar 17, 2026
Phys.org / Experiment challenges hypothesis of cell-like membranes on Titan

New experimental results have cast doubt on earlier proposals suggesting that spherical, cell-like membranes could form in the methane lakes of Saturn's largest moon. Through results published in Science Advances, Tuan Vu ...

Mar 17, 2026
Phys.org / New DNA evidence reveals the complex origin of Palau's first settlers

A new genetic study published in the journal Cell is filling in some important details about the earliest inhabitants of Palau, an island nation in the western Pacific Ocean consisting of approximately 340 islands.

Mar 17, 2026
Phys.org / Discrete time crystal acts as a usable sensor for weak magnetic oscillations

The bizarre properties of discrete time crystals could be harnessed to detect extremely subtle oscillations of magnetic fields, physicists in the US and Germany have revealed. Publishing their results in Nature Physics, a ...

Mar 17, 2026
Phys.org / Carbon nanotube 'black paint' absorbs terahertz radiation to cut 6G interference

Skoltech researchers and their colleagues from KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden, have created an important building block for future 6G communication technology, which will make wireless data transfer at superior ...

Mar 17, 2026
Phys.org / Bell-bottoms today, miniskirts tomorrow: Math reveals fashion's 20-year cycle

Fashion insiders and beauty magazines have long cited the "20-year-rule"—the idea that clothing trends often resurface every two decades. According to Northwestern University scientists, that observation isn't just anecdotal. ...

Mar 17, 2026
Phys.org / Scientists discover new heavy proton-like particle at CERN

Scientists from the University of Manchester have played a leading role in the discovery of a new subatomic particle at CERN's Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The particle, known as the Ξcc⁺ (Xi‑cc‑plus), is a new type ...

Mar 17, 2026
Phys.org / Scientists create a new state of matter at room temperature using light and nanostructures

Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) have created a new and unusual state of matter—known as a supersolid—by engineering how light and matter interact inside a nanoscale device. The work, published in ...

Mar 17, 2026
Phys.org / Using cow dung for sustainable carbon dioxide capture

Climate change is one of the most pressing global challenges in the present times. Increasing carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations in the atmosphere are a major factor contributing to this phenomenon. Activities such as the ...

Mar 17, 2026
Phys.org / Perovskite crystals can host qubits, challenging long-held assumptions

For the first time, researchers have demonstrated that the properties of the perovskite family of materials can be used to create so-called quantum bits. The findings, published in the journal Nature Communications, pave ...

Mar 17, 2026
Phys.org / How humans took over the planet: The role of cultural evolution

Humans really do rule the world. We took over fast and far, more than any other wild vertebrates. We inhabit nearly every corner of the world, and can thrive in deserts, tropical rainforests and even extremely cold climates. ...

Mar 17, 2026
Phys.org / Quantum-inspired laser system delivers distance measurements with sub-millimeter accuracy

A new laser range-finding technique, inspired by quantum physics, that can measure distances under strong solar background has been demonstrated by researchers at the University of Bristol. The team has proved their hypothesis ...

Mar 17, 2026