Phys.org news

Phys.org / First gap-free peanut genomes reveal genes behind bigger seeds and better oils

An international team of researchers has produced complete, gap-free genome sequences for six peanut varieties, providing a comprehensive blueprint for future peanut breeding and improvement strategies.

Apr 24, 2026
Phys.org / Extra sets of chromosomes may help aggressive tumor cells spread, study finds

One of the biggest challenges in cancer research is understanding why some tumor cells become especially aggressive, invasive and resistant to treatment. Scientists have increasingly linked these dangerous traits to polyploid ...

Apr 24, 2026
Phys.org / Genomic tool untangles how microbes spread—even when they look almost identical

Researchers have developed a powerful new tool that can track how microbes spread between people with unprecedented precision, offering new ways to prevent infections and improve treatments in the future. The research, published ...

Apr 24, 2026
Phys.org / Amazon recovery masks diversity loss as fires, droughts and windstorms reshape forest edges

Even after fires, severe droughts, and windstorms, the vegetation in degraded Amazonian forests demonstrates a high capacity for regeneration, including tree species. However, recovery occurs under new ecological conditions, ...

Apr 24, 2026
Phys.org / These eight coastal cities sit on America's flood front line, and AI shows why

New York, New Orleans and Miami are among the eight cities along the US Gulf and Atlantic coasts facing the highest flood risk, according to a new study published in Science Advances. Scientists developed a new AI-driven ...

Apr 23, 2026
Phys.org / Physicists revive 1990s laser concept to propose a next-generation atomic clock

Researchers in the US and Germany have unveiled a theoretical blueprint for an atomic clock driven by a highly synchronized laser, where atoms work in concert rather than independently. Publishing their results in Physical ...

Apr 23, 2026
Phys.org / Neanderthals may have shared key DNA for complex language, reshaping when human speech began

In a first-of-its-kind finding, researchers at University of Iowa Health Care discovered that specific genetic sequences have an outsized impact on humans' language abilities and that these sequences evolved before humans ...

Apr 23, 2026
Phys.org / Why groups slowly stop working well together, even when conditions are good

Humans are generally a cooperative bunch and most of us probably like to think of ourselves as reliable team players. Cooperation is useful for all sorts of reasons, from running a business and managing community resources ...

Apr 23, 2026
Phys.org / Mysterious gas clouds near Milky Way's black hole now have a likely source

New observations and simulations by a team of researchers led by MPE reveal that a massive binary star near our galaxy's center is responsible for creating a series of enigmatic gas clouds—compact gas clumps that help feed ...

Apr 23, 2026
Phys.org / Quantum chips could scale faster with new spin-qubit readout that reduces sensors and wiring

Quantum computers, devices that process information leveraging quantum mechanical effects, could tackle some tasks that are difficult or impossible to solve using classical computers. These systems represent data as qubits, ...

Apr 23, 2026
Phys.org / Climate and competition alone cannot explain Neanderthal extinction, study finds

A new modeling study suggests that greater connectivity between groups may have given Homo sapiens the edge over Neanderthals. Why Neanderthals went extinct and Homo sapiens established a lasting presence in Europe is still ...

Apr 23, 2026
Phys.org / Giant octopuses may have ruled the oceans 100 million years ago

Today's octopuses are intelligent, remarkably flexible animals that lurk in reefs, hide in crevices, or drift through the deep sea. But new research suggests that their earliest relatives may have played a far more predatory ...

Apr 23, 2026