Phys.org news

Phys.org / From trash to climate tech: Rubber gloves find new life as carbon capturers

Every year, over 100 billion nitrile rubber gloves are produced. They are made from synthetic polymers—a material chemically related to plastic and derived from crude oil. The vast majority is used in the health care sector, ...

Feb 27, 2026 in Chemistry
Phys.org / Most lab testing quietly inflates 2D transistor performance, research reveals

For nearly two decades, two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors have been studied as a complement or possible successor to silicon transistors, promising smaller, faster and more energy-efficient processors. To ease their production ...

Feb 27, 2026 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / Satellite data enable first global estimate of aerosol cloud cooling

Particles in the atmosphere, known as aerosols, cool the climate by acting as cloud condensation nuclei. The more cloud droplets form around these particles, the less sunlight penetrates a cloud. This cools the climate, although ...

Feb 27, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / Genetic discovery could lead to faster growing duckweed

Duckweed is the fastest-growing flowering plant, but new knowledge of duckweed genetics discovered by Adelaide University researchers could lead to even faster growing rates. The research team, led by Professor Nikolai Borisjuk ...

Feb 27, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / A study in stardust: Massive binary stars emit tiny carbon particles

Yale junior Donglin Wu leads a new study showing that some of the biggest stars in the universe shed some of the smallest dust particles. It's fitting that Wu's first major scientific journal article as lead author focuses ...

Feb 27, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Assessment of rare 'teenage' planetary system deepens understanding of cosmic evolution

Planetary systems such as our solar system take hundreds of millions of years to evolve. Since humanity has only existed for a sliver of that time, astronomers have only observed planetary systems at birth or, more often, ...

Feb 27, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Protein regulator of sugars and fats may work with an unexpected partner—itself

A protein that is a key modulator of fat, glucose and cholesterol levels in the body usually works in tandem with another protein, but new research shows it can also work with an unexpected partner—itself. A team of Penn ...

Feb 27, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Why tropical cyclones' rainfall surges before landfall

A research team at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has analyzed 40 years of data covering about 1,500 tropical cyclones and discovered that average rain rates surge by more than 20% in the 60 hours ...

Feb 27, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / AI toolkit turns microscopy images into multi-feature microstructure datasets

A research team from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has developed GrainBot, an AI-enabled toolkit that automatically extracts and quantifies multiple microstructural features from microscopy images. ...

Feb 27, 2026 in Chemistry
Phys.org / Filamentous cyanobacteria exhibit a unique navigation strategy due to their chiral gliding

Cyanobacteria are among the most significant life forms in the history of our planet. As one of the first organisms to produce oxygen through photosynthesis, they shaped early Earth and created the atmosphere in which complex ...

Feb 27, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Molecular map reveals Andes hantavirus entry protein at the nanoscale

Hantaviruses, transmitted from rodents to people, have a death rate approaching 40%. They're found around the world, and because there are no approved vaccines or treatments, they're among the pathogens of highest concern ...

Feb 27, 2026 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / Female Daubenton's bats share scarce feeding grounds at the edge of their range, study finds

At newly colonized high-elevation sites in the central Italian Apennines, female Daubenton's bats take turns using the same hunting spots instead of feeding side by side. A study published by a research team from the University ...

Feb 27, 2026 in Biology