Phys.org news

Phys.org / Webb and Hubble find massive star clusters emerge faster

Astronomers using the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope together with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope have looked deeply at thousands of young star clusters in four nearby galaxies, studying clusters at different ...

May 6, 2026
Phys.org / Landsat 9 captures Russia's restless Shiveluch volcano mid-eruption

Near-constant activity continues on the volcano in Russia. Shivelyuch (also called Shiveluch), the most northerly active volcano on the Kamchatka Peninsula, is one of the most active volcanoes in the world. On a near-daily ...

May 6, 2026
Phys.org / Quantum geometry applied to light-based systems expands toolkit for topological photonics

Quantum geometry describes quantum states in systems with changing system parameters, such as an electron spinning in a magnetic field whose direction is slowly changing. The state of the electron evolves, and this change ...

May 6, 2026
Phys.org / How the rise of continents may have set the stage for life on Earth

Earth's earliest continents may have set the chemical stage for life by regulating boron levels in ancient oceans, a new study in Terra Nova suggests.

May 6, 2026
Phys.org / A new kind of CRISPR could treat viral infection and cancer by shredding sick cells' DNA

A new kind of CRISPR that destroys cells rather than gene editing them has shown potential for killing sick cells while leaving healthy cells untouched. The technology has largely been tested in cells in a dish, but if it ...

May 6, 2026
Phys.org / How quasars shut down star formation in the early universe

Supermassive black holes lurk at the centers of massive galaxies, including our own Milky Way. Puzzlingly, supermassive black holes more than a billion times the mass of the sun appear to exist just a few hundred million ...

May 6, 2026
Phys.org / Space junk falls to Earth faster when sunspots peak, reshaping satellite collision forecasts

Solar emissions exert 'drag' on space junk orbiting Earth. From historical measurements across a period of 36 years, researchers have now shown that space junk begins to fall down much faster once the sun's activity across ...

May 6, 2026
Phys.org / Death-defying protein found in tardigrades preserves synthetic cells

A protein found only in microscopic tardigrades, one that allows them to survive extreme conditions like dehydration, can convey similar durability in synthetic cells, according to new research from University of Michigan ...

May 6, 2026
Phys.org / Hourglass nanographenes unlock strong, robust multi-spin entanglement

Researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) and collaborators have developed a predictive design strategy for creating graphene-like molecules with multiple interacting spins and enhanced resilience to magnetic ...

May 6, 2026
Phys.org / Light without electricity? Glowing algae could make it possible

Imagine a sea of glowing blue lights pulsing to the beat of the music. But instead of glow sticks filled with toxic chemicals, the luminescence comes from living algae, shimmering on demand. In a new study published in Science ...

May 6, 2026
Phys.org / DNA-guided CRISPR flips gene editing script, opening a new path for precise diagnosis and antivirals

A research team led by Prof. Hsing I-Ming, Professor of the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering (CBE) at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), in collaboration with Prof. Zhai Yuanliang, ...

May 6, 2026
Phys.org / Fewer insects, fewer nutritious crops: Pollinator decline puts human health at risk

Biodiversity loss is directly threatening human health and welfare, according to new research led by the University of Bristol. The study, published in Nature reveals, for the first time, how the decline of insect pollinators ...

May 6, 2026