Phys.org news

Phys.org / How longer exciton lifetimes could ease efficiency trade-off in organic solar cells

Although the efficiency of organic solar cells has now risen to more than 20%, there are physical limits that make it difficult to further increase their performance. A research team from Linköping University in Sweden, the ...

Jun 24, 2026
Phys.org / What happens when environmental change outpaces life's ability to adapt?

When an animal's environment changes faster than the animal can adapt, its chances of survival can flatline. The same is true for populations and even entire species. Now, scientists at MIT and the University of Leicester ...

Jun 24, 2026
Phys.org / A nanotrap for HIV: Liposomes repurposed to trigger immune response

Medical advancements over the last several decades have made great strides in the treatment of HIV. Pharmaceutical treatments are able to contain and reduce a patient's viral load to the point where it is nearly undetectable. ...

Jun 24, 2026
Phys.org / Do hyenas eat livestock and rhinos? Behavioral biologists investigate a surprisingly charming population

For conservation and the management of human–wildlife conflicts, it is of great interest to know which species are eaten by carnivores. Scientists from the Ngorongoro Hyena Project at the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife ...

Jun 24, 2026
Phys.org / Fiber-optic cables detect silent whales off Svalbard by tracking pressure waves

A 100-year-old equation and a fiber-optic cable off the coast of Svalbard led researchers to discover they could detect swimming whales—even if they were completely silent. The discovery broadens the tools biologists could ...

Jun 24, 2026
Phys.org / Axolotl-inspired skin matrix may help heal wounds with less scarring

Researchers in Taiwan have developed a cell-free extracellular matrix material from axolotl skin that helped mouse burn wounds close faster and show signs of reduced fibrotic scarring. The findings suggest that one of nature's ...

Jun 24, 2026
Phys.org / Talking edible robot deepens human perception of food culture and ethics

A research group led by Associate Professor Yoshihiro Nakata from the Graduate School of Informatics and Engineering at the University of Electro-Communications, Japan, in collaboration with researchers from Doshisha University ...

Jun 24, 2026
Phys.org / X-ray snapshots reveal how viral shells change shape as they dry out

When viruses travel through the air in tiny droplets, they can quickly start to dry out. Yet many viruses remain infectious after rehydration—something that is still not fully understood. Now, an international team of researchers ...

Jun 24, 2026
Phys.org / Pseudomonads boost crop growth in salty soils across multiple plants, could protect against rising sea levels

Researchers at the University of East Anglia have helped uncover a hidden ally in the fight against one of agriculture's greatest threats—salty soil. Led by Chinese collaborator Dr. Yanfen Zheng, the team's new study shows ...

Jun 24, 2026
Phys.org / Ultrafast X-rays allow researchers to 'watch' how molecules rearrange during a chemical reaction controlled by light

Since the 1980s, researchers have sought to use laser light to control chemical reactions relevant to photochemistry, catalysis and light-responsive materials. But this technique, known as coherent control, has a blind spot: ...

Jun 24, 2026
Phys.org / Mathematical modeling helps advance use of magnetic particles in targeted drug-delivery systems

A Florida State University computational scientist is paving the way for future medical breakthroughs by developing mathematical models and simulations to predict the behavior of a unique drug-delivery method, which aims ...

Jun 24, 2026
Phys.org / Scientists design 'tunable' biomolecules to probe how sugars behave

Sugars are not just a source of energy—they also play a crucial role in how cells communicate, how proteins interact and how materials behave in medicine and industry. But studying these processes is challenging because sugar ...

Jun 24, 2026