Phys.org news

Phys.org / Disordered atoms steer shared light pulses by matching motion and timing

A research team at the Institute of Applied Physics at TU Darmstadt has shown for the first time that atoms that are completely disordered and in constant motion can nevertheless emit jointly directed light preferentially ...

Sep 15, 2026
Phys.org / Laser altimeter BELA ready to explore Mercury's surface

Launched on Oct. 20, 2018, the joint ESA/JAXA BepiColombo mission has traveled for almost eight years, using a carefully planned but eventful sequence of planetary flybys and solar-electric propulsion to gradually approach ...

Sep 15, 2026
Phys.org / Great Salt Lake's ancient past reveals how quickly fresh water can disappear

From a mountainside overlooking Utah's Great Salt Lake, a time traveler turning back the clock 20,000 years would watch a dramatic transformation of the landscape. The shallow, salty lake below would swell into an immense ...

Sep 15, 2026
Phys.org / High-resolution weather data could pinpoint neighborhoods facing greatest heat stress

Heat stress is a leading cause of weather-related deaths and can be especially dangerous in cities, where phenomena like urban heat islands drive temperatures higher than in surrounding rural areas. Now, a new dataset developed ...

Sep 15, 2026
Phys.org / Mitotic chromosomes may assemble from pre-existing chromatin 'building blocks' during cell division

Inside each human cell, about 2 meters (6.6 feet) of genomic DNA must be accurately copied and equally transmitted to two daughter cells during cell division. To achieve this, the copied DNA is condensed into thick, short ...

Sep 15, 2026
Phys.org / Examining Americans' complicated relationship with science

A new study finds that while most Americans are interested in science and believe it benefits society, the public's relationship with science is more complicated than those positive views suggest.

Sep 15, 2026
Phys.org / Robots and AI uncover unexpected pathway in classic 135-year-old chemical reaction

Chemical reactions are often written as simple equations: Starting materials go in, and a product comes out. In reality, the same substrates can follow many different pathways depending on their concentrations, temperature, ...

Sep 15, 2026
Phys.org / Scientists create 'super ice' that is ten times stronger and far harder to shatter

Ice is cheap, abundant and surprisingly strong. But it has one major weakness: Cracks can race through it, causing it to shatter without warning. Now, scientists have developed a new material that could overcome that problem. ...

Sep 15, 2026
Phys.org / New peanut genome map uncovers hidden gene, boosts dense-planting yields 20%

An international team that includes researchers from Murdoch University's Centre for Crop and Food Innovation (CCFI) has built the most comprehensive genetic map of the peanut yet and used this new genomic resource to breed ...

Sep 15, 2026
Phys.org / Home advantage or pastures new? High-Arctic shorebirds rarely return to the same breeding area

Shorebirds are capable of some of the longest migrations on Earth, yet most return year after year to the same area to breed. Coming back has distinct advantages, including knowing the best spots to feed or roost, having ...

Sep 15, 2026
Phys.org / A 5,000-year-old royal mystery: Digital clues point to Meretneith as Egypt's female king

More than 5,000 years ago, a royal woman named Meretneith (also written as Merneith) lived in ancient Egypt. She was possibly the daughter of Djer, the third king of the First Dynasty, a period when the first kings ruled ...

Sep 15, 2026
Phys.org / Bubbles the food-stealing dolphin finds shortcut to easy meal

A dolphin that harasses fish until they regurgitate their food—then swoops in to steal it—has astonished University of the Sunshine Coast researchers who have documented this novel feeding strategy.

Sep 15, 2026