Phys.org news

Dialog / Dark energy flips its sign, but the Hubble tension refuses to budge

For nearly a century, astronomers have known that the universe is expanding. In the late 1990s, two independent teams, the Supernova Cosmology Project, led by Saul Perlmutter, and the High-Z Supernova Search Team, led by ...

Jul 10, 2026
Phys.org / Capturing the cosmic 'drift' before a star is born

Stars like our sun are formed from the collapse of stellar objects called prestellar cores, cold and dense concentrations of gas and dust held together by gravity. While many questions remain about the exact mechanisms of ...

Jul 10, 2026
Phys.org / Why natural forests survive heat waves better than planted forests

When a record-breaking drought and heat wave swept across China's Yangtze River Basin in 2022, forests across the region faced an extreme test. The event provided a rare opportunity for researchers to test how different forests ...

Jul 10, 2026
Phys.org / Darwin's 150‑year‑old hillside steps mystery may have a new answer from virtual grazing animals

Steep hillsides and mountainsides in many regions worldwide are often covered in characteristic step-like patterns, also known as terracettes. These repeating landforms have fascinated scientists for more than a century, ...

Jul 10, 2026
Phys.org / New Jurassic dinosaur species identified in Thailand from a single bone

A new study published in Scientific Reports describes the identification of a new species of long-necked dinosaur found in the Phu Kradung Formation in Thailand. The team calls the dinosaur Uragasaurus kalasinensis and says ...

Jul 10, 2026
Phys.org / Hidden health risks found in New York City's free-roaming cats

Cats may be cute and adorable, but stray and feral cats can sometimes pose a risk to human health. Veterinary researchers have discovered that more than 50% of free-roaming cats in New York City carry parasites that could ...

Jul 10, 2026
Phys.org / Warm Jupiter exoplanet transiting a sun-like star discovered

An international team of astronomers reports the discovery of a new exoplanet orbiting a sunlike star as part of the Next Generation Transit Survey (NGTS). The newfound alien world, designated NGTS-39 b, is a Jupiter-sized ...

Jul 10, 2026
Phys.org / Bacteria turn dissolved uranium into stable compound in 130 days, study finds

Researchers at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), together with Wismut GmbH and scientists from the University of Granada in Spain, have demonstrated for the first time that bacteria can convert uranium dissolved ...

Jul 10, 2026
Phys.org / Geoscientists reveal how Earth's forces are shaping the 'Roof of the World'

Geoscientists at the University of Glasgow have helped reveal new evidence about the formation of one of the highest mountainous areas on Earth—the Tibetan Plateau. A study by an international team of Chinese and U.K. geoscientists ...

Jul 10, 2026
Phys.org / Physical laws explain why most flies evolved similar flight, with mosquitoes as outliers

A new study in PLOS Biology of 133 species of flies, mosquitoes and their relatives shows that most species fly in surprisingly similar ways. Physical and aerodynamic laws shape the evolution of their flight behavior more ...

Jul 10, 2026
Phys.org / Math reveals how honeybee hives balance the 'daring few, patient many' strategy

How do bees make group decisions without a leader? Math experts have determined that the best strategy is for a few to assume the risk of foraging under all conditions while the majority stay safely back and forage only when ...

Jul 10, 2026
Phys.org / Researchers find simple solution for extending the lifespan of LEDs made from glowing quantum dots

A new study led by MIT researchers could drive the development of more energy-efficient digital displays—such as flat-screen TVs, augmented and virtual reality headsets, smartphone screens, medical imaging devices and even ...

Jul 10, 2026