Phys.org news

Phys.org / Melting diamond could unlock triple fusion gain and the secrets of ice giant planets

Diamond is more than a dazzling gem—the extremely hard form of carbon makes up the pellet that encases fuel for inertial confinement fusion, and scientists believe it rains down deep inside ice giant planets like Neptune ...

Aug 13, 2026
Phys.org / Copper's surprising melting behavior provides insights into future fusion design

Future fusion power plants aim to recreate the heart of a star here on Earth to power our future energy needs. While the core fusion plasma will burn at hundreds of millions of degrees, the surrounding structural components ...

Aug 13, 2026
Phys.org / Thinking fast and slow: Wild fish reveal how cognition evolved in two closely related species

Why do two individuals faced with the same information sometimes make completely different decisions? It is a question made famous by Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman, whose book "Thinking, Fast and Slow" explored the contrast ...

Aug 13, 2026
Phys.org / While Great Lakes ice cover is slipping, a 'temporary respite' may be on the way

There's good news and bad news for folks who love a good coat of ice on the Great Lakes for the activities and businesses it supports. The good news is that, after decades of declining annual average ice cover, there's reason ...

Aug 13, 2026
Phys.org / 'Real mummy's curse' behind sale and trade of mummified remains exposed

A new study, led by researchers at the University of Staffordshire, has found evidence of potentially hazardous microbial growth on mummified human and animal remains advertised for sale online—posing risks to both sellers ...

Aug 13, 2026
Phys.org / Layered nano-biohybrid uses sunlight, air and water to make hydrogen peroxide

A research team led by the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory has developed a new material that combines inorganic material with biological components to produce hydrogen peroxide more efficiently.

Aug 13, 2026
Phys.org / Synchronized star pairs unleash radio bursts via a Jupiter-Io-like mechanism

Researchers have helped unravel the mystery of why certain pairs of stars pulse with regular, long-period bursts of radio waves. The particular class of objects observed comes in pairs that always include a compact dead star, ...

Aug 13, 2026
Phys.org / Climate change decided who ruled as top predator 35 million years ago

An international team of researchers from Belgium, France, Switzerland, Spain and the U.S. has reconstructed the evolution of body mass in carnivorous mammals during the Paleogene—a crucial window in the diversification of ...

Aug 13, 2026
Phys.org / Theoretical framework expands directional light control beyond ordered crystal structures

A research team has developed a new theoretical framework that can suppress light scattering in certain directions while enhancing it in others, even in irregularly arranged materials. The work extends research on controlling ...

Aug 13, 2026
Phys.org / Fulfilling friendships linked to better health and well-being across 22 countries

Fulfilling friendships and close social relationships are strongly linked to excellent physical and mental health, finds a substantial global study published in the Journal of Mental Health.

Aug 13, 2026
Phys.org / Mutation hotspots help 'friendly' viruses outmaneuver the bacteria in your gut

Every 15 minutes, someone in the U.S. dies from a drug-resistant superbug. A few decades from now, antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections threaten to become the leading cause of death worldwide, outpacing cancer.

Aug 13, 2026
Phys.org / Uniaxial strain reveals new way to tune electron flow in altermagnet material

Altermagnetism is a new, third type of magnetism of great interest for spin-transport applications like computer memory. If properly harnessed, it could combine the benefits of the two existing types of magnetism, ferromagnetism ...

Aug 13, 2026