Phys.org news

Phys.org / Scientists discover a strange new form of ice that could help explain the interiors of Neptune and Uranus

Scientists have discovered that there is ice deep inside planets like Neptune and Uranus and want to find out what form it takes and how it behaves. They cannot dig for it and transport it all the way back to Earth, so they ...

Sep 11, 2026
Phys.org / New analysis reconstructs the dawn of dinosaurs and other reptiles

About 252 million years ago, at the end of the Permian Period, a large proportion of species on Earth rapidly became extinct. After this mass extinction, many groups of organisms began to recover, while reptiles known as ...

Sep 11, 2026
Phys.org / Blue light breaks long-standing chemistry rule, unlocking 3D drug building blocks

For more than a century, pharmaceutical companies have relied on flat structures called aromatic rings, which can help drugs bind to target sites in the body. They include benzene rings and other flat, nitrogen-containing ...

Sep 11, 2026
Phys.org / Giant volcanic blanket reveals hidden 'Pompeii' of Andean landscapes

A vast sheet of volcanic rock in the Andes has preserved clues to a buried landscape that existed 22 million years ago, according to a new study led by UCL (University College London) researchers.

Sep 11, 2026
Phys.org / Low-cost phone lessons keep children learning during emergency school closures across five countries

The COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns forced people to find ways to get things done remotely. Companies developed systems that made working from home run smoothly. Educators also had to shift to mobile phones and group video calls ...

Sep 11, 2026
Phys.org / How one RNA nucleotide switch activates fluorescent dyes

RhoBAST is a tiny RNA molecule that activates fluorescent dyes, enabling researchers to track RNA molecules in living cells with super-resolution. An international collaboration, which includes Ronald Micura and his team ...

Sep 11, 2026
Phys.org / Dogs and cats carry antibiotic-resistant bacteria also found in people, study finds

Dogs and cats may carry strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae, a potentially serious bacterium that can cause infections and is also found in humans, according to new research from Bournemouth University published in the journal ...

Sep 11, 2026
Phys.org / New genome study rewrites the early history of grasses, the world's most important plant family

An international team of scientists, including Donald Danforth Plant Science Center member emerita Elizabeth "Toby" Kellogg, Ph.D., has produced a chromosome-level genome assembly that offers a new view of the earliest evolution ...

Sep 11, 2026
Phys.org / Healthy checkout policy shows promise for reducing soda sales and increasing healthy snack purchases

In March 2021, Berkeley, Calif., became the first city in the world to ban the display of sugary beverages and snacks in store checkout lanes, where candy, chocolate and soda are commonly placed to encourage impulse buying ...

Sep 11, 2026
Phys.org / AI extracts interpretable constitutive laws directly from solid-mechanics data

Researchers at the Eastern Institute of Technology (EIT), Ningbo, have developed a graph-based approach that directly extracts concise, accurate constitutive equations from solid-material experimental data. The study, published ...

Sep 11, 2026
Phys.org / Compost microbe yields enzyme that tackles polyurethane foam and nylon

Researchers from Aarhus University and the Danish Technological Institute have taken a new approach in the search for enzymes capable of breaking down some of the most difficult types of plastic to recycle. They collected ...

Sep 11, 2026
Phys.org / Single nanostructure enables independent control of two light resonance modes

Metallic nanostructures are exceptionally effective at concentrating light into tiny volumes, while dielectric nanostructures excel at storing light with minimal energy loss. Combining these complementary properties has traditionally ...

Sep 11, 2026