Phys.org news

Phys.org / Complex tongue bones, fleshy teeth on the roof of earliest known bird's mouth might have helped it snag food

Flying is really hard work. Compared to walking, swimming, or running, flying is the form of movement that takes the most energy and requires the most calories. That means that birds have had to evolve specialized ways to ...

Feb 2, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Unraveling the physics behind Kamchatka's 73-year earthquake cycle

A research team from University of Tsukuba and collaborating institutions has clarified why M9-class megathrust earthquakes recur off the Kamchatka Peninsula with an unusually short cycle of 73 years. By analyzing the rupture ...

Feb 2, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / A clearer look at critical materials, thanks to refrigerator magnets

With an advanced technology known as angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES), scientists are able to map out a material's electron energy-momentum relationship, which encodes the material's electrical, optical, ...

Feb 2, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Our ocean's 'natural antacids' may act faster than we thought

Earth's ocean absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, helping to temper the impact of climate change but increasing ocean acidity. However, calcium carbonate minerals found in the seabed act as a natural antacid: Higher ...

Feb 2, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / Reshaping gold leads to new electronic and optical properties

By changing the physical structure of gold at the nanoscale, researchers can drastically change how the material interacts with light—and, as a result, its electronic and optical properties. This is shown by a study from ...

Feb 2, 2026 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / Banning lead in gas worked: The proof is in our hair

Prior to the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency in 1970, Americans lived in communities awash with lead from industrial sources, paint, water supply pipes and, most significantly, tailpipe emissions. A dangerous ...

Feb 2, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / New database reveals how Americans use water

Water powers our lives. It feeds our crops, keeps factories running, generates electricity, and fills our taps. But until now, no one had a clear, national picture of how much water we're using—and for what.

Feb 2, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / Teen's 1958 find becomes Australia's oldest dinosaur fossil

University of Queensland research has confirmed Brisbane's only dinosaur fossil is Australia's oldest, dating back to the earliest part of the Late Triassic period 230 million years ago. The 18.5-centimeter footprint was ...

Feb 2, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / AI streamlines deluge of data from particle collisions

Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory have developed a novel artificial intelligence (AI)-based method to dramatically tame the flood of data generated by particle detectors at ...

Feb 2, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / NASA fuels its moon rocket in a crucial test to decide when Artemis astronauts will launch

NASA fueled its new moon rocket in one final make-or-break test Monday, with hopes of sending astronauts on a lunar fly-around as soon as this coming weekend.

Feb 2, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Perseverance rover completes first AI-planned drive on Mars

NASA's Perseverance Mars rover has completed the first drives on another world that were planned by artificial intelligence. Executed on Dec. 8 and 10, and led by the agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, ...

Feb 2, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Automating microfluidic chip design: Hybrid approach combines machine learning with fluid mechanics

Researchers led by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Savaş Taşoğlu from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Koç University have developed a new, open-access and machine learning-assisted design tool aimed at automating microfluidic ...

Feb 2, 2026 in Biology