Phys.org news

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 / 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
Phys.org / Months trapped together in Antarctic isolation reveal a risk few long missions can afford to ignore

How can people continue to function as a team when they live together in isolation for months on end? A new study led by the University of Zurich shows that loneliness isn't the only challenge posed by extreme environments. ...

May 25, 2026
Phys.org / New three‑dimensional magnetic structure discovered with laser light

Flashes of femtosecond laser light, lasting just a few trillionths of a second, have made it possible to observe new magnetic structures for the first time. By using light as a remote control, researchers were able to switch ...

May 25, 2026
Phys.org / Supercharging solar cells: Quantum dot-molecule hybrid states enable near-maximum efficiency

Solar panels have become more efficient over the years, but even the best designs still lose a large fraction of the energy they absorb. Scientists around the world have been searching for ways to capture more energy from ...

May 25, 2026
Phys.org / Payre fossils from Europe's earliest Neanderthals reveal dynamic evolution shaped by climatic oscillations

The Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana (CENIEH) has led the international team behind a new study published in Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences exploring the complex evolution of Neanderthals ...

May 25, 2026