Phys.org news
Phys.org / Megalibraries could reshape AI-driven materials discovery faster than self-driving labs
Scientists may soon stop hunting for new materials—and start designing them to order. For the first time, Northwestern University scientists have demonstrated that megalibraries—tools that dramatically accelerate materials ...
Phys.org / Four decades of overlooked data reveal the hidden amphipod diversity of Italian seas
What if some of the most important clues about marine biodiversity were already collected but never fully shared? That's the question that motivated a study, published in Biodiversity Data Journal. It brought together over ...
Phys.org / Remote fieldwork and museum collections reveal hidden pit viper diversity in High Asia
The high mountain ranges of Asia remain among the least biologically explored regions of the continent. Now, an international team of researchers has shown that one of their most elusive venomous snakes, long treated as a ...
Phys.org / Visualizing how flutter kick vertical vortices generate propulsion and suppress body sway in swimmers
Researchers at University of Tsukuba used advanced techniques to visualize the water flow generated by flutter kicking during front-crawl swimming. They analyzed how this kicking motion generates propulsive force and contributes ...
Phys.org / New 'AI scientists' are improving—but reveal their fundamental limits
Many of the most exciting discoveries in science involve highly specialized knowledge and making connections between far-flung facts. Scientists must combine deep analysis with broad reasoning strategies.
Phys.org / Heavily reddened quasars caught going through a 'blow-out' phase
At the center of most large galaxies sits a supermassive black hole (SMBH). When these black holes are actively consuming material, they become incredibly luminous quasars. But some quasars appear wrapped in thick clouds ...
Phys.org / 'Patchwork families' existed more than 5,000 years ago, Neolithic DNA reveals
Children from previous relationships growing up as siblings in a new family, couples adopting or fostering children: So-called patchwork families are a widespread way of life today. It is considered modern, but is in fact ...
Phys.org / Gold-coated optical fiber rapidly gathers microscopic targets for faster, more sensitive detection
Osaka Metropolitan University researchers have developed a light-driven technique that quickly amasses thousands of bacteria into a single spot, boosting detection speed and sensitivity. Their approach paves the way for earlier ...
Phys.org / When order gives way to chaos—the turbulent birth of magnetic nanovortices
Magnetic switching processes are considered a prime example of controllable physics at the nanometer scale: in certain thin-film systems, a short electrical current pulse is sufficient to reverse the magnetization in a targeted ...
Phys.org / Honeybees reveal Weber's law in flight when choosing paths
Honeybees are among the widely studied insects, due to their sophisticated, hierarchical social organization and their essential ecological role. Bees can move swiftly in natural environments, passing through narrow openings ...
Phys.org / Controlled experiments reveal how nuclear fallout particles form
In less than a millionth of a second after a nuclear detonation or a severe nuclear reactor accident, an enormous burst of energy heats the surrounding air and materials. Everything in the vicinity is vaporized into a hot, ...
Phys.org / 'Permanently wet' coating method could transform wastewater treatment by helping bacteria survive better
Living bacteria embedded in coatings could clean wastewater, capture carbon and generate biofuels—but only if they survive the manufacturing process. Researchers at the University of Surrey and the University of Warwick have ...