Phys.org news

Phys.org / NASA says targeting ISS medical evacuation for January 14

NASA crewmembers aboard the International Space Station (ISS) could return to Earth as soon as Thursday, the US space agency said, after a medical emergency prompted the crew to return from their mission early.

Jan 10, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Cold neutral gas in early universe prompts rethink of galaxy cluster evolution

A small group of young researchers at the Cosmic Dawn Center, Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, have, through observations of the early stages of an extremely large galaxy cluster's evolution, shown that the ...

Jan 9, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Scientists call for 'systems reset' to redefine sustainable development

A new international study calls for a fundamental reset in how humanity understands and pursues sustainable development. The article is published in the journal Communications Sustainability.

Jan 9, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / What past global warming reveals about future rainfall

To understand how global warming could influence future climate, scientists look to the Paleogene Period that began 66 million years ago, covering a time when Earth's atmospheric carbon dioxide levels were two to four times ...

Jan 9, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / Most people believe climate change primarily affects others

Research conducted by researchers at the University of Gothenburg shows that people tend to rate their own risk of being affected by climate change as lower than that of others. This perception may reduce individuals' willingness ...

Jan 9, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / Photographing climate change: Ice porters on the frozen Chadar river

Every winter in the Ladakh region in northwest India, the two roads that connect the small villages in the Zanskar Valley with the rest of the country close, overwhelmed by snow. But for centuries, locals have had a workaround: ...

Jan 9, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / The vast majority of US rivers lack any protections from human activities, new research finds

The U.S. boasts more than 4 million miles of rivers, peppered with laws and regulations to protect access to drinking water and essential habitat for fish and wildlife. But in the first comprehensive review of river protection, ...

Jan 9, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / How personality traits influence the way we flirt with others

Flirting is often seen as playful behavior that signals interest to a potential partner. But according to new research, there is much more to the teasing, light-hearted conversation and coquettish glances than meets the eye. ...

Jan 9, 2026 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / New Zealand's rare flightless parrot begins breeding again

New Zealand's critically endangered flightless parrot, the kakapo, started breeding last week for the first time in four years, the government conservation department said.

Jan 9, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / The 'Age of Fishes' began with mass death, fossil database reveals

Some 445 million years ago, life on Earth was forever changed. During the geological blink of an eye, glaciers formed over the supercontinent Gondwana, drying out many of the vast, shallow seas like a sponge and giving an ...

Jan 9, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / System can diagnose infections in 20 minutes, aiding fight against drug resistance

A new technique which slashes the time taken to diagnose microbial infections from days to minutes could help save lives and open up a new front in the battle against antibiotic resistance, researchers say.

Jan 9, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Commercially viable biomanufacturing: Designer yeast turns sugar into lucrative chemical 3-HP

Using a tiny, acid-tolerant yeast, scientists have demonstrated a cost-effective way to make disposable diapers, microplastics, and acrylic paint more sustainable through biomanufacturing.

Jan 9, 2026 in Biology