Phys.org news

Phys.org / How supermassive black holes feed themselves

Astronomers are closer to solving the mystery of how supermassive black holes feed themselves thanks to new images from the James Webb Space Telescope, or JWST. The images provide the clearest view ever seen of gaseous filaments ...

Jul 14, 2026
Phys.org / New technique for building ultra-thin material stacks promises quantum breakthrough

Scientists have unveiled a new fabrication technique for the ultra-clean manufacturing of 2D heterostructures—materials just a few atoms thick—that could be used in quantum technology and electronics. Experts from Southampton ...

Jul 14, 2026
Phys.org / 'Amazing moths': Study pinpoints insect habitat that draws grizzlies to glacier peaks

When grizzly bears clamber onto the talus slopes high in Glacier National Park, they're searching for an abundant, fatty meal: army cutworm moths. The inch-long (2.5-centimeter-long) moths hatch on the Great Plains and fly ...

Jul 14, 2026
Phys.org / Engineers find a precise way to grow artificial blood vessels

Tissue engineers are finding ways to grow living organs and tissues from cells, with the aim of replacing diseased and damaged counterparts in the body. Scientists have successfully grown artificial muscles, livers, kidneys, ...

Jul 14, 2026
Phys.org / Mystery of why some toads survive deadly fungus revealed

The mystery of why some amphibian populations recover following outbreaks of a deadly fungus has been solved in a new study led by University College London (UCL), ZSL and Imperial College London.

Jul 14, 2026
Phys.org / 'Uncanny valley' effect observed in macaques through 3D animated monkey avatars

A new tool that allows researchers to create realistic full-body animations of monkeys has provided the first evidence that nonhuman primates experience the "uncanny valley" phenomenon for body avatars, according to a study ...

Jul 14, 2026
Phys.org / Europe's last pagan state was already diverse: Medieval Vilnius drew migrants from Christian lands

Lithuania was famously the final pagan state in Europe. While the rest of the continent converted to Christianity, Lithuania remained officially pagan until Catholicism was adopted in AD 1387. Despite this, the extent to ...

Jul 14, 2026
Phys.org / Roman telescope will spot distant black holes that shred stars

How do black holes at the centers of galaxies form and grow over time? To answer this question, scientists need to detect and study supermassive black holes at great distances that existed much earlier in the universe's history. ...

Jul 14, 2026
Phys.org / Research brings the era of microbial cell factories one step closer

The era of "biomanufacturing," in which microbes, not petroleum, produce chemical products, is one step closer. A KAIST research team has analyzed the key challenges limiting the commercialization of biomanufacturing and ...

Jul 14, 2026
Phys.org / Magnetic fingerprint of a cosmic explosion detected for the first time

Astronomers have made a series of landmark observations of one of the universe's most violent events. Using the U.S. National Science Foundation Very Large Array (NSF VLA) radio telescope, which is operated by the U.S. National ...

Jul 14, 2026
Phys.org / Hidden muscle machinery reveals 50 new gene subfamilies across vertebrates

Within every muscle of every living species with a backbone, a protein called myosin tugs on a partner protein to generate a muscle contraction. This function, discovered in mammals a century ago, has been presumed by scientists ...

Jul 14, 2026
Phys.org / The spin of Pluto's moon, Charon, may be slowing down

Evidence of the slowing of Charon's spin period (despinning) is recorded in tectonic features on the surface of Pluto's icy moon, according to a modeling study published in Nature Communications. The findings offer insights ...

Jul 14, 2026