Phys.org news

Phys.org / Neanderthals in Central Europe hunted pond turtles—not for food, but likely for their shells

Neanderthals hunted European pond turtles (Emys orbicularis) in Central Europe, though probably not for food. The careful cleaning of carapace elements at Neumark-Nord indicates that shells were reused, perhaps as small containers ...

Apr 8, 2026
Phys.org / Optical control of nuclear spins in molecules points to new paths for quantum technologies

Researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) have reported important progress in quantum physics and materials science by optically initializing, controlling, and reading out nuclear spin states in a molecular ...

Apr 8, 2026
Phys.org / Ancient tectonic processes are the key to locating rare minerals

New research from Adelaide University has revealed that geological processes dating back billions of years are critical to locating the rare earth elements needed for modern technologies and the global clean energy transition. ...

Apr 8, 2026
Phys.org / Momentum-engineered photonic states make bulk silicon shine

An international team of researchers, led by scientists from the University of California, Irvine, has demonstrated a fundamentally new way to make silicon emit light—overcoming one of the most persistent limitations in modern ...

Apr 8, 2026
Phys.org / Electron–atom scattering encodes the quantum state of electron wave packets

A new analysis reveals what happens when very short or narrow electron beams encounter a particle. The research is published in the New Journal of Physics. Scientists should be able to achieve a new level of control over ...

Apr 8, 2026
Phys.org / Satellites capture the volatile human–luminescence relationship

From space, Earth's populated areas glow on the otherwise "black marble" of the planet at night. For decades, scientists assumed this glow was steadily increasing as the world developed. However, a new study published in ...

Apr 8, 2026
Phys.org / Seal tooth pendant reveals ancient human culture and long-distance trading

The identity of a mysterious artifact found in Devon almost 160 years ago has finally been revealed. New research has identified it as a pendant made from the tooth of a gray seal, which would have been worn by an ancient ...

Apr 8, 2026
Phys.org / Artemis II astronauts make long-distance call to the space station as they head home from the moon

Still aglow from their triumphant lunar flyby, the Artemis II astronauts made more history Tuesday: calling their friends aboard the International Space Station hundreds of thousands of miles away as they headed home from ...

Apr 8, 2026
Phys.org / A 'stemness checkpoint' helps control stem cell identity

A study published in Cell Research advances a central idea in stem cell biology by identifying a checkpoint that controls the identity of many different types of stem cells across developmental stages. For nearly two decades, ...

Apr 8, 2026
Phys.org / Ancient architecture shows public opinion influenced Maya divine kings

Excavation of a council house at the major Lowland Maya center of Ucanal, Guatemala, reveals how the public gained some influence over Maya politics more than 1,000 years ago. These colonnaded, open halls were likely council ...

Apr 8, 2026
Phys.org / Robust against noise, geometric-phase swap gates bring stability to quantum operations

Researchers at ETH Zurich have realized particularly stable quantum logical operations with qubits made of neutral atoms. Since these operations, called quantum gates, are based on geometric phases, they are extremely robust ...

Apr 8, 2026
Phys.org / Student research on coronal holes improves space weather forecasting

Fast solar winds originating from the sun can have direct impacts on Earth—disrupting systems like GPS, aviation, electrical grids, and satellite and radio communications. A new paper by New Mexico State University astronomy ...

Apr 8, 2026