Phys.org news
Phys.org / Subway systems are uncomfortably hot—and worsening, study finds
For millions of commuters, the workday doesn't just begin with a train ride. It also begins with a blast of heat. In one of the largest studies ever conducted on thermal comfort in metro systems, Northwestern University scientists ...
Phys.org / Strange cosmic burst from colliding galaxies shines light on heavy elements
A recently detected flash of energy appears to have emanated from the wreckage of colliding galaxies, according to an international team of astronomers led by Penn State scientists. The burst, known as GRB 230906A, was likely ...
Phys.org / Subglacial weathering may have slowed planet's escape from snowball Earth
A new study led by researchers at the Earth-Life Science Institute (ELSI) at Institute of Science Tokyo challenges a long-standing assumption about Earth's most extreme ice ages. Using numerical geochemical models, the team ...
Phys.org / Miniature laser technology could bring lab testing into your home
A research team at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, has developed new laser technology that could lead to tiny, cost-effective biosensors. The sensors integrate lasers and optics together on a centimeter-sized chip, ...
Phys.org / More than clothing: How ancient needles and awls shaped survival, medicine and ritual
A study led by McKenna Litynski, a Ph.D. graduate in anthropology and adjunct assistant professor at the University of Wyoming, confirms that ancient needles and awls enabled humans to survive in cold climates and shows these ...
Phys.org / How a shift in the Gulf Stream could signal the collapse of a major ocean current system
Changes in the Gulf Stream, a strong ocean current in the Atlantic, could serve as an early warning of the imminent collapse of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). The AMOC is a massive system of ocean ...
Phys.org / Nearby red dwarf star hosts at least four planets—with one in the habitable zone
In 2020, a study confirmed that two planets orbited the nearby red dwarf, GJ 887. Now, astronomers have confirmed the existence of two additional planets orbiting GJ 887 in a new study published in Astronomy and Astrophysics. ...
Phys.org / In search of a room-temperature superconductor, scientists present a research agenda
The search for materials that can conduct electricity at room temperature without losing energy is one of the greatest and most consequential challenges of modern physics: loss-free power transmission, more efficient motors ...
Phys.org / Raccoons solve puzzles for the fun of it, new study finds
They raid compost bins, outsmart latches and sometimes look gleeful doing it. A new study in Animal Behaviour suggests raccoons may not just be opportunistic—they may be genuinely curious.
Phys.org / Antarctic sea ice rebounds in 2026, nearing average after four years
Antarctic sea ice coverage has likely rebounded this year, coming closer to its annual summer average after four years of extreme lows, US scientists said Monday.
Phys.org / Deep ocean microbes may already be prepared to tackle climate change
Deep-sea waters are warming due to heat waves and climate change, and it could spell trouble for the oceans' delicate chemical and biological balance. However, a study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences ...
Phys.org / U.S. Indigenous peoples experience higher rates of fatal police violence in and around reservations
Indigenous people in the United States are at higher risk of fatal police violence in and around American Indian/Alaska Native (AIAN) reservations, according to the first comprehensive national study on the subject from researchers ...