Phys.org news

Phys.org / Fossil ribs reveal new secrets about ichthyosaur swimming technique

Ichthyosaurs ruled the oceans for 150 million years during the Mesozoic Era. Their fish-shaped bodies were built for high speeds. In that context, it is normally an advantage to be as light as possible.

Sep 9, 2026
Phys.org / Ancient DNA reveals 1,000 years of human-environment interactions at Crawford Lake

An international team of scientists has recreated a 1,000-year timeline documenting ecological changes and human impact on the area surrounding Crawford Lake, the famed location of the proposed Anthropocene.

Sep 9, 2026
Phys.org / Electrical fingerprint on tiny cell particles could offer new way to spot pancreatic cancer signals

An electrical fingerprint found on tiny particles in the blood may help detect signs of pancreatic cancer that are often overlooked, according to new research from Rice University. The researchers developed a device that ...

Sep 9, 2026
Phys.org / Layer-based design offers new route to topological magnets

Topological quantum materials combine unusual electronic states with properties such as magnetism or superconductivity, offering possibilities for future electronics and quantum technologies. Researchers at Tohoku University ...

Sep 9, 2026
Phys.org / Researchers chart new course for AI-powered biomedical discoveries

University of Missouri researchers are paving the way as artificial intelligence transforms biomedical research. A team from the College of Engineering and collaborators recently published one of the most comprehensive reviews ...

Sep 9, 2026
Phys.org / AI reveals new class of cellular 'off switch' linked to cancer pathways

Cornell researchers have used artificial intelligence to uncover a previously unknown way cells control how proteins move inside them, a process essential for growth, communication and movement that is often disrupted in ...

Sep 9, 2026
Phys.org / The Anthropocene was rejected as a geological epoch—but the idea is still changing how we see the world

The Anthropocene became part of the zeitgeist after Nobel laureate Paul Crutzen launched the idea in 2000. This is the notion that a crescendo of human impacts has recently propelled Earth out of the relatively stable climatic ...

Sep 9, 2026
Phys.org / Asian elephants can resist impulsive behavior, researchers find

Researchers at the CUNY Graduate Center and Hunter College have found that Asian elephants can suppress impulsive behaviors and adjust their actions when circumstances change—a cognitive ability that may help explain the ...

Sep 9, 2026
Phys.org / Taxing billionaires and redistributing wealth could save millions of lives amid global aid cuts

Wealth redistribution policies currently under discussion in international forums could avert between 6.6 million and 29.5 million deaths by 2030, according to a study published in The Lancet and led by ISGlobal in collaboration ...

Sep 9, 2026
Phys.org / Physics-aware benchmark reveals why similar materials AI models can predict thermal conductivity differently

Material properties such as sound insulation, resistance to extreme heat and thermal expansion originate from how the zillions of microscopic building blocks (nuclei and electrons) interact at equilibrium and respond to perturbations. ...

Sep 9, 2026
Phys.org / A 'wholistic' view of cellular communication across an entire animal

It can't be heard, but different parts of the human body are in constant conversation, communicating to keep the entire system running efficiently. For biologists, being able to listen in on this discussion is a long-sought-after ...

Sep 9, 2026
Phys.org / These bacteria can change their diet to survive inside the body

The human body fights staph infections by starving it of essential nutrients. Staph, it turns out, is remarkably good at changing what's on the menu. Staphylococcus aureus—the infamous agent behind MRSA and most staph infections—needs ...

Sep 9, 2026