Phys.org news

Phys.org / Tiny sesame sea slug species discovered in the waters of northern Taiwan

Translucent, speckled, and barely the size of a grain of rice, a new species of sea slug has been identified in the coastal waters of Keelung, Taiwan. Because of its minute size and distinctive black and yellow markings, ...

May 26, 2026
Phys.org / Protein shape mapping could detect diseases before symptoms appear

A University of Mississippi professor and his team have developed a technology that may one day lead to the early diagnosis of juvenile diabetes and CTE caused by traumatic brain injuries. The technology allows researchers ...

May 26, 2026
Phys.org / Unsealing cells' 'black box' strategy to regulate gene activation

While scientists have known for more than two decades that all cells use a strategy called RNA interference to regulate gene expression, a new study is the first to describe how a specific protein manages the step-by-step ...

May 26, 2026
Phys.org / Tropical butterflies 'hedge bets' on reproduction as extreme seasons reshape Amazon life

New research from Queen Mary University of London shows how extreme seasonal patterns are causing rainforest butterflies to adapt their reproductive strategies at a rapid pace, with implications for species resilience under ...

May 26, 2026
Phys.org / After the fires: Protecting LA's trees while learning lessons for the future

Southern California is emerging from yet another round of wildfires just as the wildfire season gets underway. It's been less than 18 months since catastrophic wildfires hit the communities of Altadena and Pacific Palisades.

May 26, 2026
Phys.org / Microcrystals in bioluminescent fish scatter light like a prism

Approximately 75% of marine organisms are bioluminescent, with specialized light-emitting organs called photophores. They use the light they produce for various purposes, like attracting mates, luring prey, or confusing predators.

May 26, 2026
Phys.org / Metal-free method unlocks selective carborane editing for cancer therapy and sensors

Carboranes are molecules composed of carbon, boron and hydrogen atoms that are proving to have applications of great interest in chemistry, materials science and biomedicine. They are being used, for example, in the fight ...

May 26, 2026
Phys.org / 'Butterfly' molecule spotted at last, completing a 20-year quantum zoo hunt

For two decades, physicists have predicted the existence of a remarkable family of exotic molecules: giant atoms bound to ordinary atoms, with an electron so distant from its nucleus that it sculpts the pair into bizarre ...

May 25, 2026
Phys.org / Hydrogen puts quantum wormhole conjecture to the test

A new Physical Review Letters study places constraints on the ER = EPR conjecture, showing that under the authors' assumptions, the conjecture would imply possible alterations to the hyperfine structure and effective charge ...

May 25, 2026
Phys.org / Chaos after queen loss reveals the wasps that keep colonies running

When the loss of a queen wasp triggers a power struggle and social turmoil, colonies can survive the upheaval thanks to helpful wasps that pick up the slack, finds a new study led by UCL researchers.

May 25, 2026
Phys.org / Universe's most distant 'Hot DOG' yet may owe extreme infrared glow to polar dust, Webb reveals

New observations from the James Webb Space Telescope have revealed fresh details about one of the most luminous known objects in the universe: the dust-shrouded quasar W2246−0526, seen just 1.2 billion years after the Big ...

May 25, 2026
Phys.org / Gentoo penguins cope with climate change heat waves by breeding earlier

Over the past few decades, heat waves have become more common in several parts of the world as our planet warms. That's a huge problem for many animals, as it can lead to habitat loss and push their bodies to lethal thresholds. ...

May 25, 2026