Phys.org news

Phys.org / A single asteroid impact may explain the appearance of Mars' moon Deimos

Deimos, the smaller and outermost of Mars' two moons, is roughly oval in shape and has a deep depression at its south pole. Unlike its heavily scarred sister moon, Phobos, Deimos is covered by a loose layer of dust and rubble—a ...

Aug 18, 2026
Phys.org / New bone analysis challenges long-held theory on farming's arrival in Ireland and Great Britain

New research led by University College Dublin has rewritten a key chapter in Irish prehistory, revealing that bones long thought to mark the beginning of farming in Ireland belong to bear and wild boar, not cattle.

Aug 18, 2026
Phys.org / A new mathematical tool to uncover 'who eats whom' in nature

Understanding "who eats whom" is the key to keeping our oceans alive—and our dinner plates full. However, this invisible network that makes up the food chain can unravel with the pull of just one thread. Overfish one species, ...

Aug 18, 2026
Phys.org / Each degree of warming could add a month of intolerable heat for 1 billion people

The threat that rising temperatures fueled by climate change pose to the health of older people has been dramatically underestimated, according to a U.S. modeling study published Tuesday.

Aug 18, 2026
Phys.org / Novel plastic turns into a gas when heated—then reforms once cooled

In a study published in Macromolecules, researchers introduce a novel polymer that could simplify how materials are applied, removed and recycled by eliminating several complex processing steps used today.

Aug 18, 2026
Phys.org / New photonic crystal method improves single-photon sources for quantum networks

Quantum communication promises many advantages over today's standard technologies, including absolutely secure transmission of large amounts of data. However, it requires single photons—and generating them is very difficult. ...

Aug 18, 2026
Phys.org / Robotic ocean glider reveals giant phytoplankton chains in the Mediterranean Sea

Scientists at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego and the Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography in Marseille, France, have discovered something surprising in the Mediterranean Sea: giant chains of phytoplankton.

Aug 18, 2026
Phys.org / Experiment shows how AI discoveries can shape human cultural evolution

Artificial intelligence can develop solutions that humans would be unlikely to discover on their own. But what happens when machines do more than solve individual problems and actually discover entirely new solution strategies? ...

Aug 18, 2026
Phys.org / Artificial intelligence acts as an 'ideological chameleon' and may deepen political polarization

Researchers at the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP) in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, examined the ideological stance of large language models—artificial intelligence systems trained to understand and generate human ...

Aug 18, 2026
Phys.org / Loud snoring—simulation reveals the physical mechanism that keeps so many of us awake at night

Anyone who has had to share a room—or worse, a bed—with a loud snorer knows the effect unchecked snoring can have on sleep, sanity and emotional stability. An entire industry of products, technologies and treatments claims ...

Aug 18, 2026
Phys.org / Double spiral inside narwhal tusks may explain their resistance to bending

The narwhal's impressive tusk has long been the subject of myths. In the Middle Ages, they were sold as unicorn horns believed to possess magical powers. Now, an international team of researchers led by Aarhus University ...

Aug 18, 2026
Phys.org / Study suggests three-quarters of Indo-Pacific coral reefs could drown as sea levels rise

Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) scientists have found that most coral reefs across the Indo-Pacific may struggle to grow fast enough to keep pace with accelerating sea-level rise. Their study found ...

Aug 18, 2026