Phys.org news

Phys.org / Ion trap enables 1 minute in the nanocosmos

At the Department of Ion Physics and Applied Physics at the University of Innsbruck, a research team has succeeded for the first time in storing electrically charged helium nanodroplets in an ion trap for up to one minute.

Jan 20, 2026 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / Sinking salty ice suggests pathway for life-sustaining conditions in Europa's ocean

A recent study by geophysicists at Washington State University offers insight into how nutrients may reach the subsurface ocean of Europa, one of Jupiter's moons and a leading candidate for extraterrestrial life in the solar ...

Jan 20, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Physicists employ AI labmates to supercharge LED light control

In 2023, a team of physicists from Sandia National Laboratories announced a major discovery: a way to steer LED light. If refined, it could mean someday replacing lasers with cheaper, smaller, more energy-efficient LEDs in ...

Jan 20, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Knock, knock... mapping comedic timing with a computational framework

Researchers propose a computational method to reveal the hidden timing structure of live performance. Vanessa C. Pope and colleagues present a framework, called Topology Analysis of Matching Sequences (TAMS), that algorithmically ...

Jan 20, 2026 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Seismic 'snapshot' reveals new insight into how the Rocky Mountains formed

No one ever thought the birth of the Rocky Mountains was a simple process, but we now know it was far more complex than even geophysicists had assumed.

Jan 20, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / With planning, birds and floating solar can coexist

Solar panels on bodies of water in the northeastern U.S. might generate renewable energy but could also carry risks for birds, especially waterbirds. Now a new study provides a data-informed approach to siting floating solar ...

Jan 20, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / New method reveals quantum states using indirect measurements of particle flows

A team from UNIGE shows that it is possible to determine the state of a quantum system from indirect measurements when it is coupled to its environment.

Jan 20, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Multiple autonomous AI systems spontaneously collaborate to advance materials research

A joint research team from NIMS and University of Tsukuba have developed an autonomous AI network technology that allows multiple autonomous AI systems to efficiently discover new materials by spontaneously collaborating ...

Jan 20, 2026 in Chemistry
Phys.org / Virtual staining advances: AI uses cell context to improve imaging accuracy

To ensure our bodies function correctly, the cells that compose them must operate properly. Imagine a cell as a bustling city where tiny parts called organelles move, reorganize, and respond to external stresses. To understand ...

Jan 20, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / A two-week leap in breeding: Antarctic penguins' striking climate adaptation

A decade-long study led by Penguin Watch, at the University of Oxford and Oxford Brookes University, has uncovered a record shift in the breeding season of Antarctic penguins, likely in response to climate change.

Jan 20, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Ancient 'spaghetti' in dogs' hearts reveals surprising origins of heartworm

Research led by the University of Sydney is reshaping scientific understanding of one of the world's most widespread canine parasites, suggesting heartworm disease has a far deeper and more complex evolutionary history than ...

Jan 20, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Women treat AI with greater skepticism than men do, study suggests

Women perceive artificial intelligence (AI) as riskier than men do, according to a study. Beatrice Magistro and colleagues hypothesized that women are both more exposed to risk from AI and are more averse to risk in general ...

Jan 20, 2026 in Other Sciences