Phys.org news

Phys.org / Asteroid that wiped out dinosaurs had limited impact on sharks and rays, study shows

A new study using advanced artificial intelligence (AI) has revealed that the asteroid strike that wiped out the dinosaurs 66 million years ago caused only a modest decline in shark and ray species. The findings, published ...

Jan 28, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Chip-sized optical amplifier can intensify light 100-fold with minimal energy

Light does a lot of work in the modern world, enabling all types of information technology, from TVs to satellites to fiber-optic cables that carry the internet across oceans. Stanford physicists recently found a way to make ...

Jan 28, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Great white sharks grow a whole new kind of tooth for slicing bone as they age

A great white shark is a masterwork of evolutionary engineering. These beautiful predators glide effortlessly through the water, each slow, deliberate sweep of the powerful tail driving a body specialized for stealth, speed ...

Jan 28, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Essential oils may provide a natural remedy for antibiotic resistance

Thyme, rosemary, and lavender have long been associated with natural medicine. Today, however, these aromatic plants are increasingly being studied by researchers. "In an era of ever-increasing microbial resistance to antibiotics, ...

Jan 28, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / A protein thought to play a supporting role in DNA replication actually facilitates the whole process

Every time a cell divides, it must copy its entire genome so that each daughter cell inherits a complete set of DNA. During that process, enzymes known as polymerases race along the DNA to copy its code and build new strands. ...

Jan 28, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Rare fossils reveal 91 new species that survived ancient mass extinction

Almost a hundred new animal species that survived a mass extinction event half a billion years ago have been discovered in a small quarry in China, scientists revealed Wednesday.

Jan 28, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Small-scale farmers produce more of the rich world's food than previously thought

Who grows our food? This seemingly simple question is getting harder to answer in a world where our food crosses borders to get to our plate.

Jan 28, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Massive runaway stars in the Milky Way: Observational study explores origins and ejection process

Researchers from the Institute of Cosmos Sciences of the University of Barcelona (ICCUB) and the Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia (IEEC), in collaboration with the Institute of Astrophysics of the Canary Islands (IAC), ...

Jan 28, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Hearing angry or happy human voices is linked to changes in dogs' balance

In a small study, dogs experienced both stabilization and destabilization of their balance upon hearing angry or happy human voices, but angry voices were linked to the biggest destabilizing effects. Nadja Affenzeller and ...

Jan 28, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Laser beam flips a ferromagnet's polarity without heating the material

Researchers at the University of Basel and the ETH in Zurich have succeeded in changing the polarity of a special ferromagnet using a laser beam. In the future, this method could be used to create adaptable electronic circuits ...

Jan 28, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Pesticides significantly affect soil life and biodiversity, study finds

Seventy percent of soils in Europe are contaminated with pesticides. A Europe-wide study co-led by researchers of the University of Zurich now shows that their effects on soil life are substantial, as pesticides suppress ...

Jan 28, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Probing the jet base of M87's supermassive black hole

Some galaxies eject powerful streams of charged particles—jets—from their centers into space. The prominent jet of Messier 87 (M87) in the constellation Virgo is visible over distances of 3,000 light-years and can be ...

Jan 28, 2026 in Astronomy & Space