Phys.org news

Phys.org / 'Conflict entrepreneurs': Examining divisive political rhetoric and the pursuit of celebrity by politicians

American politics is increasingly characterized by high levels of polarization and divisive rhetoric, despite stated preferences among voters for civility and substantive debate. Sean J. Westwood and colleagues sought to ...

Mar 17, 2026
Phys.org / Changing flight paths could slash aviation's climate impact

Small changes to aircraft flight paths to avoid the atmospheric conditions that create condensation trails—known as contrails—could reduce aviation's global warming impact by nearly half, a new study suggests. The study, ...

Mar 17, 2026
Phys.org / Nano 3D metallic parts turn out to be surprisingly strong despite defects

Scientists at Caltech have figured out how to precisely engineer tiny three-dimensional (3D) metallic pieces with nanoscale dimensions. The process can work with any metal or metal alloy and yields components of surprising ...

Mar 17, 2026
Phys.org / Moths are flying later in the year than a century ago, study finds

South of Fall Creek by the edge of the woods, the moths would gather. They were, of course, drawn by light—set out by a researcher working in Cornell University's old Insectory building. In 1889, the lure came from a kerosene ...

Mar 17, 2026
Phys.org / AI model improves flood forecasting with higher accuracy than current methods

New paired studies from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities show that machine learning can improve the prediction of floods. The studies, published in Water Resources Research and the Proceedings of the IEEE International ...

Mar 17, 2026
Phys.org / Graphene sensors stay stable in liquids, boosting sensitivity up to 20 times

Accurately measuring small shifts in biological markers, like proteins and neurotransmitters, or harmful chemicals in the water supply, can identify critical problems before they have a chance to impact patients or the environment. ...

Mar 17, 2026
Phys.org / 3D structure reveals how tuberculosis bacteria power themselves

Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) have uncovered how the bacteria that causes tuberculosis fuels itself during infection, providing new insights into one of the world's deadliest infectious diseases. ...

Mar 17, 2026
Phys.org / Genetic analyses show that many sponge species in the Indo-Pacific are regionally unique

The Indo-Pacific is the largest marine biogeographical region on Earth and a global center of marine biodiversity. Nevertheless, there are gaps remaining in our understanding of the diversity, distribution, and endemism of ...

Mar 17, 2026
Phys.org / Extremely rare second-generation star discovered inside ancient relic dwarf galaxy

Discovered in the Pictor II dwarf galaxy, star PicII-503 has an extreme deficiency in iron—less than 1/40,000th of the sun. This signature makes it the clearest example of a star within a primordial system that preserves ...

Mar 16, 2026
Phys.org / ISS study identifies thresholds for muscle atrophy and fiber changes in reduced gravity

It's well known that spaceflight causes muscle atrophy and other biological changes in reduced gravity, and especially in near-zero gravity (microgravity) environments. However, the gravity threshold needed to maintain sufficient ...

Mar 16, 2026
Phys.org / Globular cluster NGC 5824 is embedded in a dark matter halo, study suggests

Using data from the Magellan Clay telescope and the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT), astronomers have investigated a galactic globular cluster known as NGC 5824. Results of the new study, available in a paper published ...

Mar 16, 2026
Phys.org / Bull sharks form social relationships with specific 'friends,' research reveals

Sharks are often viewed as solitary, but a new study—carried out on the Shark Reef Marine Reserve in Fiji—has found that rather than mixing at random, bull sharks have "active social preferences" and choose their social ...

Mar 16, 2026