Phys.org news

Phys.org / Letting atomic simulations learn from phase diagrams

A new computational method allows modern atomic models to learn from experimental thermodynamic data, according to a University of Michigan Engineering and Université Paris-Saclay study published in Nature Communications. ...

Mar 3, 2026
Phys.org / Moths use magnetic compass and visual cues to guide them during migration

Nocturnal insects may use both Earth's magnetic field and visual cues to guide their migratory flight behaviors, according to recent findings. The research, published in eLife, presents compelling evidence on how geomagnetic ...

Mar 3, 2026
Phys.org / Tiny flows, big insights: Microfluidics system boosts super-resolution microscopy

Understanding how cells are organized and how their molecular components interact in a coordinated and cooperative manner is a central goal of modern life sciences. To answer these questions, researchers need to observe many ...

Mar 3, 2026
Phys.org / Intermediate phases unlock faster nanoparticle crystallization

Crystalline nanomaterials are valuable because their highly ordered structures give them useful properties for technologies such as data storage and optical devices. But forming nanoparticles from those orderly crystals is ...

Mar 3, 2026
Phys.org / The key to attacking 'undruggable' proteins: Transient clustering state reveals a moving target

Intrinsically disordered proteins lack a fixed structure, which is why they have been considered "undruggable" targets for drug development for years. However, these proteins play a key role in numerous diseases—ranging ...

Mar 3, 2026
Phys.org / Permafrost is key to carbon storage. That makes northern wildfires even more dangerous

The devastating wildfires in northern Canada in recent years have climate consequences that go far beyond smoke and carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere, according to a new study co-authored by two NAU researchers. ...

Mar 3, 2026
Phys.org / Synthetic gene medicines may disrupt DNA repair

Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs), used to treat genetic diseases, can affect how cells repair damage to their DNA. This is shown in a new study from Karolinska Institutet, published in Nature Communications. The findings ...

Mar 3, 2026
Phys.org / Modern twist on wildfire management methods has a bonus feature that protects water supplies

Wildfires are among the most economically costly natural disasters and are becoming more severe and frequent due to global warming. The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction estimates that global damage from wildfires ...

Mar 3, 2026
Phys.org / Dense, dark forests in Europe are a modern phenomenon

For over 20 million years, the landscape of Europe has been a tree-rich mosaic of grasslands, scrubs and more or less open woodlands with an abundance of wildflowers. This is the conclusion of a new and comprehensive study ...

Mar 2, 2026
Phys.org / Microplastics and nanoplastics in urban air originate mainly from tire abrasion, research reveals

Although plastic particles in the air are increasingly coming into focus, knowledge about their distribution and effects is still limited. Chemical analyses from Leipzig now provide details from Germany for the first time: ...

Mar 2, 2026
Phys.org / Superfluids emerge in 2D moiré crystal formed from time, study predicts

Conventional crystals are materials in which atoms arrange themselves in repeating spatial patterns. Time crystals, on the other hand, are phases of matter characterized by repeating motions over time without constantly heating ...

Mar 2, 2026
Phys.org / Newfound third cell type enables fully functional hair follicles in the lab

Hair regrowth treatment may soon take a major leap forward, as researchers in a recent study have successfully grown complete, fully functional hair follicles outside of the living body, in a dish. This was made possible ...

Mar 2, 2026