Phys.org news

Phys.org / Prussian blue goes from pigment to purification

The deep, murky pigment known as Prussian blue put the "blue" in traditional blueprints, colored Hokusai's "Great Wave off Kanagawa" and today is used for industrial purposes, from laundry to battery components to poison ...

Feb 23, 2026 in Chemistry
Phys.org / Diamond owl swoops in with new method to keep electronics cool

At Rice University, a research lab's signature keepsake has helped perfect a method for growing patterned diamond surfaces that could help decrease operating temperatures in electronics by 23 degrees Celsius. The paper is ...

Feb 23, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Ultra-efficient optical sensors can keep light circulating longer inside a microscopic chip

CU Boulder researchers have built high-performing optical microresonators, opening the door for new sensor technologies. At its simplest form, a microresonator is a tiny device that can trap light and build up its intensity. ...

Feb 23, 2026 in Physics
Dialog / Bringing quantum ideas to the messy world of disordered proteins

Imagine trying to design a key for a lock that is constantly changing its shape. That is the exact challenge we face in modern drug discovery when dealing with intrinsically disordered proteins.

Feb 23, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Early-life challenges and experiences shape how boldly bats behave as adults

What makes one bat take risks and venture far from its roost in search of food, while another stays close to familiar, safer areas? A new study from Tel Aviv University's School of Zoology reveals that the environment in ...

Feb 23, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Breadcrumbs offer fossil fuel–free production of everyday goods

The humble breadcrumb could hold the key to cutting out fossil fuels from one of the chemical industry's most widely used reactions, according to a new study. Scientists have found a one-pot microbial formula that uses waste ...

Feb 23, 2026 in Chemistry
Phys.org / Researchers copy viral strategies to get mRNA medicines into cells in one piece

Drugs made of mRNA have the potential to transform medicine—if only they could get into cells in one piece. Now, University of Connecticut researchers have shown that packaging mRNA like a virus could smuggle it into cells ...

Feb 23, 2026 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / Missing geomagnetic reversals: Earth's past may be incomplete

Several studies have predicted that not all geomagnetic reversals have been discovered, but it was unknown in which periods they might be hidden. Researchers led by the National Institute of Polar Research used a statistical ...

Feb 23, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / EPA criminal sanctions align with a county's wealth, not pollution, study finds

When the federal government brings its toughest environmental enforcement actions against polluters, they tend to be in communities of greater wealth, not the most polluted places. That's the takeaway from a new paper co-authored ...

Feb 23, 2026 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Plant hormone therapy could improve global food security by balancing growth with immunity

Plants have an immune system, like people, and when it is triggered by threats like disease or pests, a plant's defenses are activated. But there's a downside to this protective mechanism: the plant's growth is suppressed ...

Feb 23, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Study reveals hidden climate impact of digital industries

Digital technologies are widely viewed as drivers of efficiency, growth, and innovation. However, their contribution to climate change is significantly greater than previously understood. A new study published in the journal ...

Feb 23, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / Big broods, better manners: What a fish study suggests about siblings and social skills

For many animals, siblings are a key component of their social environment during early life. Previous research has shown that the early social environment is important, but it has not yet been clear whether the number of ...

Feb 23, 2026 in Biology