Phys.org news

Phys.org / More effective, longer-lasting sunscreen made from natural extracts

Scientists from the Laboratory of Dermatological Photobiology of the University of Malaga, in collaboration with Cantabria Labs España, have carried out a study in which, for the first time, they have demonstrated how a natural ...

Apr 21, 2026
Phys.org / Before the melt begins, sea stars show hidden immune collapse and tissue failure driving a coastal die-off

Scientists are homing in on a mysterious wasting disease that has killed billions of sea stars along the Pacific coast of North America since 2013. Sea star wasting disease can rapidly wipe out entire populations, leaving ...

Apr 21, 2026
Phys.org / Half of America sits in democratic limbo—and that silent middle may decide what breaks next

If you were to ask democracy scholars what they consider the greatest threat to American democracy, you might assume it is voters who support undemocratic practices or policies. But the real answer may surprise you: These ...

Apr 21, 2026
Phys.org / A laser inspired by black holes: Extreme physics recreated in the lab

Researchers from Bar-Ilan University have successfully recreated key features of black hole physics in a laboratory setting using an innovative optical system that mimics how black holes behave after violent cosmic events ...

Apr 21, 2026
Phys.org / Self‑replicating circular RNA persists in extreme environments: Insights from hot spring microbiomes

Although the genetic material of most living organisms is DNA, various self-replicating agents rely instead on RNA, including RNA viruses and viroids, which are infectious RNA molecules that are smaller and structurally simpler ...

Apr 21, 2026
Phys.org / Cell membranes may store memories after electrical stimulation

The science of memories has been pursued and studied since the days of ancient Greece and Aristotle. Today, research conducted by Dima Bolmatov, assistant professor in the Department of Physics & Astronomy at Texas Tech University, ...

Apr 21, 2026
Phys.org / Crabs' iconic sideways walk evolved from common ancestor, study suggests

Researchers have provided new insights into the evolutionary origin of sideways walking in crabs. Their study, published today as a Reviewed Preprint in eLife, presents the largest comparative dataset on crab locomotion to ...

Apr 21, 2026
Phys.org / Astronomers precisely date rare brown dwarf companion, offering new test for how these objects cool

Astronomers at the University of Hawaiʻi have precisely measured the age of a nearby sun-like star and its unusual companion, known as a brown dwarf, an object that falls between a planet and a star. The discovery offers ...

Apr 21, 2026
Phys.org / Deep-rooted grass stores significantly more carbon, says new study

Soil biologist Eric Slessarev has some advice for conservationists, landscapers, and farmers with fallow fields: Go touch deep-rooted grass. Or better yet, go plant some. Slessarev, an assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary ...

Apr 21, 2026
Phys.org / Perovskite quantum dots crack two big barriers, staying stable in polar solvents and growing with atomic precision

Perovskite quantum dots are considered promising materials for LEDs, photocatalysis, and future quantum light sources. Researchers at LMU Munich have managed to master two major hurdles in working with these quantum dots: ...

Apr 21, 2026
Phys.org / Birds and monkeys in the Amazon share information via 'internet of the forest'

You might go for a walk in the forest to disconnect from work and calm your nerves after a busy week. The chirping and calls of birds in the canopy above might be exactly what allows you to relax.

Apr 21, 2026
Phys.org / A few extra minutes of daily play can strengthen your bond with your dog in four weeks

Playing a little extra with your dog improves the emotional bond between owner and dog, according to a new study from Linköping University. However, training did not give the same results. The study is relevant for all dog ...

Apr 21, 2026