Phys.org news

Phys.org / Positive interactions dominate among marine microbes, six-year study reveals

A six-year analysis of marine microbes in coastal California waters has overturned long-held assumptions about how the ocean's smallest organisms interact.

Jan 21, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Natural peptides from cyanobacteria offer eco-friendly solution to marine biofouling

A new CIIMAR study demonstrates that natural peptides produced by cyanobacteria are capable of replacing toxic biocides that dominate the market for anti-fouling paints used in the maritime industry. The use of these peptides ...

Jan 21, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Vast cluster of ancient galaxies could rewrite the history of star formation

Astronomers have discovered a vast, dense cluster of massive galaxies just 1 billion years after the Big Bang, each forming stars at an intense rate from collapsing clouds of dust. Reported in Astronomy & Astrophysics by ...

Jan 20, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / It started with a cat: How 100 years of quantum weirdness powers today's tech

A hundred years ago, quantum mechanics was a radical theory that baffled even the brightest minds. Today, it's the backbone of technologies that shape our lives, from lasers and microchips to quantum computers and secure ...

Jan 20, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Hubble tension: Primordial magnetic fields could resolve one of cosmology's biggest questions

A Simon Fraser University cosmologist believes his team's new research may bring them a step closer to cracking one of science's biggest questions—the Hubble tension.

Jan 20, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Complex building blocks of life form spontaneously in space, research reveals

Challenging long-held assumptions, Aarhus University researchers have demonstrated that the protein building blocks essential for life as we know it can form readily in space. This discovery, appearing in Nature Astronomy, ...

Jan 20, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / An electrically powered source of entangled light on a chip

Quantum technologies are cutting-edge systems that can process, transfer, or store information leveraging quantum mechanical effects, particularly a phenomenon known as quantum entanglement. Entanglement entails a correlation ...

Jan 20, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / SPHEREx imaging reveals increased sublimation activity on 3I/ATLAS

The interstellar object, 3I/ATLAS, was first discovered in July 2025, and made its closest approach to the sun (perihelion) in late October. New observations of 3I/ATLAS were taken in December from the SPHEREx observatory—a ...

Jan 20, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Ancient Mesopotamian medical texts reveal the role of divine sanctuaries in treating ear and spleen ailments

In a study published in the journal Iraq, Dr. Troels Arbøll analyzed medical prescriptions from ancient Mesopotamia to understand and re-evaluate the role sanctuaries played in the healing process. The study found that specific ...

Jan 20, 2026 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Gaia data release reveals four substructures in open cluster NGC 752

By analyzing the data from ESA's Gaia satellite, Chinese astronomers have investigated the structure of a nearby open cluster known as NGC 752. The new study identified four substructures and delivered evidence for mass segregation ...

Jan 20, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Howler monkey roars exaggerate body size but are truthful to other howlers

Howler monkeys are relatively small primates known for their incredibly loud, low-frequency roars that sound as if they come from a much larger creature. This is useful in the animal kingdom because sounding big can deter ...

Jan 20, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Ancient Jordan mass grave reveals human impact of first known pandemic

"A plague is upon us'' may have been a common phrase in ancient Jordan, where countless people perished from a mysterious malady that would shape both a society and an era of civilization.

Jan 20, 2026 in Other Sciences