Phys.org news

Phys.org / Greenland's largest glacier could soon reach a tipping point, scientists say

Greenland's largest glacier, Jakobshavn Glacier, may be edging closer to a critical threshold as meltwater runoff from the Greenland Ice Sheet accelerates in ways not seen in over a century, according to new research published ...

Feb 27, 2026
Phys.org / A new scientific discipline to ensure humanity's deep future

Will humanity extend into the far future? It's likely many of us think it should. The problem is that each of us, individually and collectively, act otherwise—we are destroying the environment and climate at every turn. ...

Feb 27, 2026
Phys.org / Could Mars soil block Earth microbes? 'Water bears' offer a clue

Tardigrades, commonly known as water bears, may be better suited by a new name: Tardiguardians of the Galaxy. Unlike the fictional ragtag team of unenthusiastic heroes, the microscopic animals are providing real insight into ...

Feb 27, 2026
Phys.org / Size-shifting nanoparticles successfully deliver mRNA medicine to the pancreas

In recent years, mRNA in lipid nanoparticles (mRNA–LNPs) has emerged as a promising strategy for treating numerous conditions, including COVID-19, various cancers and chronic genetic disorders. To date, this technology ...

Feb 27, 2026
Phys.org / How a common fungus outsmarts drugs and our immune system

Our bodies are home to millions of fungi that, for the most part, are completely harmless. However, they can sometimes change from peaceful residents into dangerous invaders. One such is Candida parapsilosis, which normally ...

Feb 27, 2026
Phys.org / The screech of peeling sticky tape conceals a rapid train of tiny shockwaves, ultrafast imaging shows

A new experiment has uncovered the mechanism responsible for the screeching sound made by peeling sticky tape. Using a combination of ultrafast imaging and synchronized acoustic recordings, Sigurdur Thoroddsen and colleagues ...

Feb 27, 2026
Phys.org / Luminescence dating confirms Roman-era gold mines in the Eastern Pyrenees

A study by the UAB and the University of A Coruña has succeeded in demonstrating the existence of Roman-era alluvial gold mines in the Eastern Pyrenees. The discovery was made possible by dating two samples from the infill ...

Feb 27, 2026
Phys.org / Dynamical freezing can protect quantum information for near-cosmic timescales

Preserving quantum information is key to developing useful quantum computing systems. But interacting quantum systems are chaotic and follow laws of thermodynamics, eventually leading to information loss. Physicists have ...

Feb 27, 2026
Phys.org / Stress-testing the Cascadia Subduction Zone reveals variability that could impact how earthquakes spread

The Cascadia Subduction Zone is unusually quiet for a megathrust fault. Spanning more than 600 miles from Canada to California, the fault marks the convergence of the Juan de Fuca and North American plates. While other subduction ...

Feb 27, 2026
Phys.org / Cooling without gases: Molecular design brings solid-state cooling closer to reality

Some solid materials can cool down or heat up when pressure is applied or released. This behavior enables cooling and heating technologies that do not rely on climate-damaging refrigerant gases. In practice, however, a major ...

Feb 27, 2026
Phys.org / Older male humpbacks sire more calves as populations recover from whaling

New research from the University of St Andrews published in Current Biology has shown that the role of age in male humpback whale reproduction has changed as populations recover from centuries of exploitation. Whaling drove ...

Feb 27, 2026
Phys.org / Promoters and enhancers: Tool catches gene-controlling DNA sequences doing each other's jobs

Researchers at the Weill Institute for Cell and Molecular Biology have uncovered new evidence that two major types of gene-controlling DNA sequences, promoters and enhancers, operate with a shared logic and often perform ...

Feb 27, 2026