Phys.org news

Phys.org / Geologists in films are the good guys... but they often die

It all began with a perfectly ordinary chat over coffee between four researchers. How many films featuring geologists can we think of? Quite quickly, the colleagues were able to come up with about 10 films. But then the scientific ...

May 13, 2026
Phys.org / Torpedo bats may shift baseball's sweet spot, acoustic analysis shows

In the spring of 2025, baseball fans were treated to a surprise when the New York Yankees began the season with a unique style of bat. Termed "torpedo bats," these new designs tapered slightly toward the end, so the widest ...

May 13, 2026
Phys.org / The stability paradox: How do organisms change shape over the course of evolution?

Researchers at the Technion have discovered how changes in genetic regulatory sequences can lead to alterations in the form and structure of animals—even when genetic regulatory systems are stable and resistant to change. ...

May 13, 2026
Phys.org / The cinema effect: Turning films into a gateway to science

The sci-fi film Project Hail Mary, currently in theaters, is capturing the attention of both audiences and the scientific community for its science-based content. It manages to engage viewers with complex, cutting-edge topics—from ...

May 13, 2026
Phys.org / Prehistoric Danish people continued to eat fish and hunt even after the rise of agriculture, study indicates

Agriculture reached the coast of southern Denmark around 4000 BCE, but these prehistoric Scandinavians continued to fish and hunt too, according to a study published in PLOS One by Daniel Groß from the Museum Lolland-Falster, ...

May 13, 2026
Dialog / Researchers identify stability range for piezoelectric glycine using nanoconfinement

Have you ever wondered if the simple building blocks of life could one day power our wearable electronics? Glycine, the simplest amino acid found in our bodies, has a superpower in its β-phase form: it is highly piezoelectric, ...

May 13, 2026
Phys.org / How flies dodge so fast: Brain map reveals rare synapses behind split-second escapes

Have you ever wondered how a fly manages to dodge you in a split second? Scientists have long been fascinated by the lightning-fast reflexes that help flies escape danger almost instantly. But despite decades of research, ...

May 13, 2026
Phys.org / Fire that scorched African mountain range was unprecedented in the last 12,000 years, research shows

In 2012, a wildfire ripped through 42 square kilometers of alpine moorland in Africa's Rwenzori Mountains, a range of glaciated peaks on the border of Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The blaze, which occurred ...

May 13, 2026
Phys.org / Why heavier rain can mean less usable water as global warming intensifies

A Dartmouth study shows that annual rainfall in much of the world has consolidated over the past four decades into heavier storms with longer dry periods in between.

May 13, 2026
Phys.org / The dam dilemma: How to build anew without repeating old harms

As the U.S. and other countries expand clean energy, large hydropower dams, often seen as a reliable renewable solution, can come with significant environmental and social costs if not planned thoughtfully.

May 13, 2026
Phys.org / The hidden force of growth: Dividing cell colonies drive phase separation in passing particles

In physics, the spontaneous de-mixing of two substances is known as phase separation. It is an important mechanism in nature to create structure and patterns and typically requires some form of attraction between the constituents. ...

May 13, 2026
Phys.org / A hidden lubricant in creeping faults? Uncovering the mysteries of aseismic slip

Geological faults hold many secrets that may help us answer important questions about the nature of our planet and what really happens deep underground. One of the biggest mysteries lies within the Atotsugawa Fault System ...

May 13, 2026