Phys.org news

Phys.org / Physicists observe polaron formation for the first time

When an electron travels through a polar crystalline solid, its negative charge attracts the positively charged atomic cores, causing the surrounding crystal lattice to deform. The electron and lattice distortion then move ...

Feb 17, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Gotland hunter-gatherer graves hint at how Stone Age families organized

A woman was buried with two children, but they were not her own. In another grave, two children were placed. They were not siblings and were more distantly related, perhaps cousins. In a new study published in the Proceedings ...

Feb 17, 2026 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Prehistoric fossil poses puzzles in shark research

A newly examined prehistoric shark from the age of dinosaurs provides surprising insights into the early evolution of modern sharks. It cannot be confidently assigned to any shark order that exists today and thus calls into ...

Feb 17, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / A yeast enzyme helps human cells overcome mitochondrial defects

Nucleotide synthesis—the production of the basic components of DNA and RNA—is essential for cell growth and division. In most animal cells, this process depends closely on properly functioning mitochondria, the organelles ...

Feb 17, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Rhythm during sex in bonobos provides new insights into the evolution of communication

An international research team, including VUB data scientist Yannick Jadoul, has shed new light on the rhythmic nature of sexual behavior in bonobos. By precisely analyzing the tempo of movements during sex, researchers aim ...

Feb 17, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / JWST spots most distant jellyfish galaxy to date

Astrophysicists from the University of Waterloo have observed a new jellyfish galaxy, the most distant one of its kind ever captured. Jellyfish galaxies are named for the long, tentacle-like streams that trail behind them. ...

Feb 17, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / New amplifier design promises less noise, more gain for quantum computers

The low-noise, high-gain properties needed for high-performance quantum computing can be realized in a microwave photonic circuit device called a Josephson traveling-wave parametric amplifier (JTWPA), RIKEN researchers have ...

Feb 17, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Horses with over 30 minutes of REM sleep show better persistence in learning tasks

Just as for humans, sufficient sleep supports learning and coping for horses. A recent study at the University of Helsinki indicates that short periods of REM sleep impair horses' perseverance and performance in demanding ...

Feb 17, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Renewable biological catalyst carries the potential to transform wastewater into phosphorus resource

Phosphorus is an essential nutrient for plants and managing its availability is critical for growing crops to maintain the global food supply. In an effort to move toward a more sustainable bioeconomy, researchers from the ...

Feb 17, 2026 in Chemistry
Phys.org / Tropical forests generate rainfall worth billions, study finds

Tropical forests help to generate vast amounts of rainfall each year, adding weight to arguments for protecting them as water and climate pressures increase, say researchers. A new study led by the University of Leeds has ...

Feb 17, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / Plasma rotation simulations could help fusion reactors survive decades of use

Scientists have long seen a puzzling pattern in tokamaks, the doughnut-shaped machines that could one day reliably generate electricity from fusing atoms. When plasma particles escape the core of the magnetic fields that ...

Feb 17, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Specially engineered crystal reveals magnetism with quantum potential

Researchers at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory, working with international partners, have uncovered surprising behavior in a specially engineered crystal. Composed of tantalum, tungsten and selenium—elements ...

Feb 17, 2026 in Physics