Phys.org news
Phys.org / Bumpy battery surfaces can masquerade as nanoscale ion pathways, misleading material design
A signal that appears to show ions moving inside a battery may, in fact, be an illusion caused by an uneven surface. A KAIST research team has identified the origin of this type of artifact, which can lead researchers to ...
Phys.org / Excavations at Prado Vargas now span 140 square meters of a Neanderthal layer
The 2026 field season at Prado Vargas Cave, located in the village of Cornejo in the northern province of Burgos, Spain, within the Ojo Guareña karst complex, has expanded the excavation of Neanderthal sublevel 4D by 32 square ...
Phys.org / From strays to territory bosses: Epigenetics makes cheetahs adaptable
The findings of a new study led by the Leibniz-IZW on Namibian free-ranging cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus jubatus) demonstrate that epigenetic mechanisms might play an important role in how animals develop different phenotypes ...
Phys.org / Deep biosphere has endured mountain-building and erosion over hundreds of millions of years
A new study reveals that microbial life deep within Earth has persisted and repeatedly flourished through hundreds of millions of years of mountain-building and erosion. By analyzing minerals, fluids and gases from a 2.3-kilometer-deep ...
Phys.org / What happens when you flush? Study reveals how toilet aerosols reach the breathing zone
Researchers from Flinders University have found that flushing toilets can release aerosols and bioaerosols into the surrounding air, with some studies detecting particles at heights corresponding to adults' breathing zones.
Phys.org / How climate change may amplify the impact of earthquakes in the Arctic
Permafrost refers to permanently frozen ground. The rock is held together by ice, much like cement binds concrete. However, when the ice thaws, the ground becomes weak and unstable. During an earthquake, this can trigger ...
Phys.org / Why 'you're smart' can backfire: Young children may cheat more after ability praise
Parents and teachers might think telling kids "they're smart" is a helpful way to build self-confidence and support positive development.
Phys.org / Slender crystal's blue-to-yellow glow could make invisible forces visible
Applying pressure to luminescent organic crystals usually brings molecules closer together and weakens their fluorescence. Materials that instead brighten and undergo a large color change are rare, and clear design principles ...
Phys.org / Can atmospheric methane removal limit peak warming?
In a new report, the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) concludes that global warming is expected to exceed 1.5°C within the next few years. This makes two questions increasingly important: how high will temperatures ...
Phys.org / How 'hyperselection' is making modern life efficient, pleasant—and boring
It's difficult to imagine a song like Queen's 1975 "Bohemian Rhapsody" topping the charts today. Almost six minutes long, it moves through several radically different musical sections and famously ignores the conventional ...
Phys.org / Reversible electric control unlocks persistent chiral phonon states
Atoms in a material are rarely still. They jiggle back and forth in collective lattice vibrations known as phonons. Their motion can also carry a rotational element: In 2023, scientists at PSI experimentally proved the existence ...
Phys.org / Neutrophil vesicles help Candida albicans evade immune-cell engulfment
The immune system is a highly sophisticated defense network designed to protect against pathogens. A research team from the Universities of Würzburg and Jena and the Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection ...
