Phys.org news

Phys.org / Space worms! A microscopic crew goes into orbit to support future moon missions

British scientists have launched a crew of microscopic worms to the International Space Station in a pioneering experiment that could help unlock the secrets of long-duration space travel—and support ambitions to reach the ...

Apr 13, 2026
Phys.org / In Arizona's desert, tiny ants turn into living hygienists, climbing inside bigger ants' mandibles and cleaning them

Ants are known for many things. They fight, bite and sometimes compete for every crumb. We can now possibly add cleaning services to that list, according to a study published in the journal Ecology and Evolution.

Apr 13, 2026
Phys.org / 'Ghost tunnels' guide sound waves in one direction while staying invisible to others

Acoustic metamaterials are a fast-evolving family of materials which manipulate sound waves in ever more advanced ways. Now, a team led by Changqing Xu at Nanjing Normal University in China has engineered an acoustic metamaterial, ...

Apr 13, 2026
Phys.org / Cracking a 16-year proton mystery as ultra-precise hydrogen measurements confirm a smaller-than-expected core

The simplicity of a hydrogen atom makes it an ideal model for studying atomic structure and interactions. Yet, despite the fact that its simplest form consists of only one proton and one electron, physicists have had a hard ...

Apr 13, 2026
Phys.org / Revived Nubian royal robes shed light on prestige and authority in a lost Christian kingdom

A recent archaeological project has physically reconstructed the ceremonial dress of medieval Nubian royalty and clergy, offering a rare glimpse into how clothing shaped and communicated authority in Christian Nubia. The ...

Apr 13, 2026
Phys.org / Powerful imaging pulls lost ocean life from 445-million-year-old stone and exposes a hidden extinction record

New technology has helped a team of scientists uncover more than 20 microscopic fossils, including a species previously unknown to science. The discovery may provide us with fresh insights into the Late Ordovician, one of ...

Apr 13, 2026
Phys.org / A new fruit wash removes pesticides and extends shelf life

University of British Columbia researchers have developed a natural, biodegradable wash that removed up to 96% of pesticide residue from fruit and slowed browning and moisture loss. This could mean safer apples, grapes and ...

Apr 13, 2026
Phys.org / The sun is tearing an asteroid to pieces, and Earth is now flying through the fallout

Across Earth, every night, thousands of automated stargazers are waiting to take pictures of shooting stars. I am one of the scientists who study these meteors.

Apr 13, 2026
Phys.org / Lost seal of Edward the Confessor resurfaces after going missing for 40 years

An 11th-century Anglo-Saxon seal belonging to Edward the Confessor has been rediscovered more than 40 years after being declared lost. The wax impression of the "Saint-Denis seal" disappeared without official explanation ...

Apr 13, 2026
Phys.org / Ultrasound creates light inside the body, opening a new path to targeted treatments

Light has an increasing number of applications in biology and medicine—it can be used to stimulate cell growth, manipulate neural signals, and treat some cancers—but it doesn't easily pass through tissue. Most methods to ...

Apr 13, 2026
Phys.org / Global warming is changing the hatching of bees and wasps

A large-scale experiment shows that warmth brings bees and wasps out of hibernation earlier—leaving some of them with poorer starting conditions. This is particularly true for species in cooler regions that emerge during ...

Apr 13, 2026
Phys.org / Date palm waste yields bio-oil, unlocking energy use for 150 million trees

Researchers have developed a method to extract bio-oil from the surface fiber waste of date palm trees, an abundant, low-cost, and sustainable biomass resource generated by an estimated 150 million date palm trees worldwide. ...

Apr 13, 2026