Phys.org news

Phys.org / Tuning into quantum sounds: Acoustic devices simplify quantum sensors

When a singer belts out a tune while a guitar player strums along, sound waves travel through the air, driving collective oscillations of the molecules within. Meanwhile, at the quantum level, something similar is going on. ...

May 25, 2026
Phys.org / Who's missing? Why underrepresentation often goes unnoticed in the workplace and classroom

During a staff meeting, we may look around to take account of who is present—an observation that could consider the race or gender of who is in the room. But would everyone notice a complete absence of women, colleagues of ...

May 25, 2026
Phys.org / Megalibraries could reshape AI-driven materials discovery faster than self-driving labs

Scientists may soon stop hunting for new materials—and start designing them to order. For the first time, Northwestern University scientists have demonstrated that megalibraries—tools that dramatically accelerate materials ...

May 25, 2026
Phys.org / Randomization can improve quantum computer performance in presence of noise

New research led by a graduating Ph.D. student in The University of New Mexico Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering has shown that randomization can improve quantum computer performance in the presence of noise.

May 25, 2026
Phys.org / Four decades of overlooked data reveal the hidden amphipod diversity of Italian seas

What if some of the most important clues about marine biodiversity were already collected but never fully shared? That's the question that motivated a study, published in Biodiversity Data Journal. It brought together over ...

May 25, 2026
Phys.org / Remote fieldwork and museum collections reveal hidden pit viper diversity in High Asia

The high mountain ranges of Asia remain among the least biologically explored regions of the continent. Now, an international team of researchers has shown that one of their most elusive venomous snakes, long treated as a ...

May 25, 2026
Phys.org / Visualizing how flutter kick vertical vortices generate propulsion and suppress body sway in swimmers

Researchers at University of Tsukuba used advanced techniques to visualize the water flow generated by flutter kicking during front-crawl swimming. They analyzed how this kicking motion generates propulsive force and contributes ...

May 25, 2026
Phys.org / Mathematicians solve decades-old mystery about the hidden order in high-dimensional randomness

Three mathematicians have laid out proof that solves a long-standing problem in mathematics. Even the mathematician—an Abel prize winner—that first posed the problem didn't believe it would ever be solved. The solution provides ...

May 24, 2026
Phys.org / Heavily reddened quasars caught going through a 'blow-out' phase

At the center of most large galaxies sits a supermassive black hole (SMBH). When these black holes are actively consuming material, they become incredibly luminous quasars. But some quasars appear wrapped in thick clouds ...

May 24, 2026
Phys.org / This tiny blue octopus from the Galápagos could curl up in your hand and shows how much deep ocean remains unexplored

The Galápagos Islands off the coast of Ecuador are home to more than a thousand plant and animal species found nowhere else on Earth—things like marine iguanas and giant tortoises. In a new paper in the journal Zootaxa, scientists ...

May 24, 2026
Phys.org / 'Patchwork families' existed more than 5,000 years ago, Neolithic DNA reveals

Children from previous relationships growing up as siblings in a new family, couples adopting or fostering children: So-called patchwork families are a widespread way of life today. It is considered modern, but is in fact ...

May 24, 2026
Phys.org / New 'AI scientists' are improving—but reveal their fundamental limits

Many of the most exciting discoveries in science involve highly specialized knowledge and making connections between far-flung facts. Scientists must combine deep analysis with broad reasoning strategies.

May 24, 2026