Phys.org news

Phys.org / Surrounded by stardust: Antarctic ice cores confirm Earth is accumulating iron-60 from local interstellar cloud

Our solar system is currently passing through the Local Interstellar Cloud, a region of highly diluted gas and dust between the stars. On its path, Earth continuously accumulates iron-60, a rare radioactive isotope of iron ...

18 hours ago
Phys.org / When politics enter the picture, credentials take a back seat

Most Americans know what a real expert's credentials look like: relevant degree, years of experience, and respect from peers. The problem, according to a study recently published in Scientific Reports, is that none of it ...

17 hours ago
Phys.org / Neutrino flavor flips could be key to triggering supernovae

Despite being so elusive, neutrinos are produced in abundance in some of the most violent events in the universe. One of their strangest properties is that they can spontaneously switch between three types, or "flavors": ...

May 17, 2026
Phys.org / Hidden cell networks emerge in 3D as new nanoscopy tracks living bridges

A new nanoscopy technique developed at The Australian National University (ANU) has uncovered hidden networks used for communication between cells, opening new ways to understand human diseases. Described in an article published ...

May 17, 2026
Phys.org / First outbursting hot subdwarf binary discovered

An international team of astronomers has utilized the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) and the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) to investigate a binary system designated ZTF J0007+4804. As a result, they have found ...

May 16, 2026
Phys.org / Why some water fleas suddenly grow helmets: Key receptors reveal how predator warnings trigger defense

Daphnia, commonly known as water fleas, are tiny crustaceans that live in freshwater ponds and lakes. When they sense predators in their surroundings, these small organisms can swiftly move away or adapt their body shape, ...

May 16, 2026
Phys.org / Medieval teeth open a new perspective on leprosy care and toxic medicine

A recent study published in the Journal of Archaeological Science, led by Dr. Elena Fiorin and her colleagues investigated the potential use of mercury-based treatments for leprosy during the late medieval period. Typically, ...

May 16, 2026
Phys.org / New recyclable protein textiles could cut microplastic pollution and lower clothing waste

The textile industry produces a substantial portion of the world's waste, with only about 12% of fiber materials ending up in recycling. Textiles also account for much of the microplastics in oceans. During every wash cycle, ...

May 16, 2026
Phys.org / Hidden small RNA in cholera bacterium helps determine whether it can infect humans

Scientists from St. Jude Children's Research Hospital have uncovered what gives Vibrio cholerae, the bacterium that causes cholera, the ability to colonize the human gut. The researchers found that a small RNA embedded within ...

May 16, 2026
Phys.org / Saturday Citations: Prehistoric dentistry; sleep and aging; our photogenic sun

This week in science news: Are you a mosquito magnet? Here's why. Researchers using topological mathematics have uncovered a hidden rule in abstract art that corresponds to people's perceptions. And scientists developed a ...

May 16, 2026
Phys.org / Common cancer protein may be therapeutic target, study finds

A protein doctors routinely use to measure how aggressively tumors are growing may also help prevent the chromosome errors that drive cancer, new research by academics at Brunel University of London suggests.

May 16, 2026
Phys.org / Lobster embryo microbiomes remain resilient in future ocean conditions, sequencing reveals

As ocean temperatures rise and marine ecosystems change, scientists are working to understand how valuable species like the American lobster will respond. New research from William & Mary's Batten School of Coastal & Marine ...

May 16, 2026