Phys.org news

Phys.org / Tides can be mapped much more locally using a new method based on satellite images

When high or low tide occurs, the water does not necessarily rise and fall uniformly along the entire coastline. In fact, the height of the tide in a bay can vary by up to one meter (3 feet) from one location to another just ...

Aug 30, 2026
Phys.org / The length of your online reviews may help scammers map your friends and target them

On the surface, posting online reviews looks like a win-win activity. It helps both businesses we like and people who might frequent them. But although posting reviews can benefit others, it can also put us all at risk, according ...

Aug 30, 2026
Phys.org / Centuries of child labor left lasting spinal damage in Dutch children, study finds

Children in the postmedieval Dutch workforce worked so hard that their spines became worn and deformed, with some children affected before they even had a chance to lose their baby teeth, a new study published in the International ...

Aug 29, 2026
Phys.org / How plastic welds retain a molecular 'memory' of their former surfaces to strengthen pipe joints

Welding plastic is a critically important part of everyday engineering—especially for preventing leaks in underground water and gas pipes. For decades, engineers have understood that a properly welded joint in polyethylene ...

Aug 29, 2026
Phys.org / A never-before-seen picture of eagle migrations

In 1899, scientists began tracking avian migration by placing a small ring with an identifier around birds' ankles. Researchers then had to recapture the birds elsewhere, leaving the journey between those points a mystery. ...

Aug 29, 2026
Phys.org / Airborne tuberculosis bacteria may mutate as they dry, revealing a target to curb drug resistance

Tuberculosis bacteria released into the air from infected individuals dry out to form infectious particles that are second only to measles in contagiousness. Weill Cornell Medicine investigators have discovered specific mechanisms ...

Aug 29, 2026
Phys.org / Nano-sandwich photocathode improves solar conversion of CO₂ into ethanol

Czech researchers at Charles University in Prague, led by Pavla Eliášová, have developed an advanced photocathode that helps convert the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide into pure ethanol using sunlight. The new technology solves ...

Aug 29, 2026
Phys.org / How everyday household tasks impact relationships

The physical, cognitive and emotional loads of running a household should be recognized when examining the health of a couple's relationship, new research has found. A University of Queensland study examined the "tri-load" ...

Aug 29, 2026
Phys.org / Takeaway cups may be releasing microplastics into your coffee

Single-use paper cups used for takeout coffee and other beverages release millions of microplastic particles when exposed to hot liquid, University of Queensland researchers have found.

Aug 29, 2026
Phys.org / Engineered bacteria offer a new way to accelerate rock weathering for carbon removal

Rock weathering, the breakdown and dissolving of rocks and minerals caused by their exposure to water, air and biological life, is a major regulator of Earth's atmospheric CO2 levels and climate. Throughout Earth's history, ...

Aug 28, 2026
Phys.org / Light reveals internal motion in electron crystals and can trigger their melting

Electrons, particles that carry a negative electric charge, typically move through materials. At low densities and temperatures, however, the electrical repulsion between them can overpower their tendency to move, prompting ...

Aug 28, 2026
Phys.org / Why some earthquakes caused by fracking come with warning signs

Fracking, the injection of high-pressure fluid to fracture rock and release oil or gas, can trigger earthquakes. While some sites generate small tremors beforehand that may provide an early warning, others produce few or ...

Aug 28, 2026