Phys.org news

Phys.org / When tropical oceans were oxygen oases

Research reveals when and why ancient tropical seas transitioned from oxygen oases to marine dead zones, providing clues to the long-term evolution of oceanic environments.

Jan 16, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / Plant diversity shapes chemical communication in ecosystems

Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology and the University of Kiel have provided experimental evidence showing that reducing plant species diversity alters plant chemical signals across whole communities ...

Jan 16, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Cells use dual strategies to fine-tune inflammatory gene activation

Inflammation has to fight pathogens fast—but it can't get out of control. Researchers at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) have now deciphered in more detail how the organism masters this balancing act. Their work ...

Jan 16, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Exploring mutations that spontaneously switch on a key brain cell receptor

Many people are familiar with histamine, a biological molecule that serves as a key driver of allergic reactions and other immune responses. However, histamine is also a major neurotransmitter in the mammalian brain, regulating ...

Jan 16, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Ancient Type II supernova discovered from universe's first billion years

Using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), an international team of astronomers has discovered a new Type II supernova. The newly detected supernova, named SN Eos, exploded when the universe was only 1 billion years old. ...

Jan 15, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Antarctic submillimeter telescope enables more complete view of the carbon cycle in star-forming regions

Chinese researchers have braved the cold and harsh environment of Antarctica in order to get a unique view of star formation in the interstellar medium (ISM). The Chinese National Antarctica and Arctic Research Expedition ...

Jan 15, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Temporal anti-parity–time symmetry offers new way to steer energy through systems

The movement of waves, patterns that carry sound, light or heat, through materials has been widely studied by physicists, as it has implications for the development of numerous modern technologies. In several materials, the ...

Jan 15, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Slowing down muon decay with short laser pulses

Muons are unstable subatomic particles that spontaneously and rapidly transform into other particles via a process known as electroweak decay. Altering the speed with which muons decay into other particles was so far deemed ...

Jan 15, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Construction emissions are higher than thought—but the solution isn't building less, new study finds

Many cities are making great strides in the fight against climate change, such as improving building energy efficiency, reducing traffic congestion and switching to renewable power sources. But there is another often overlooked ...

Jan 15, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / How concrete jungles could be changing dandelion seed dispersal in Japan

Dandelions are incredible plants with a highly efficient seed-dispersal system, meaning even a gentle breeze can carry seeds and their parachutes great distances. But in several places in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, they have ...

Jan 15, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Wormholes may not exist—we've found they reveal something deeper about time and the universe

Wormholes are often imagined as tunnels through space or time—shortcuts across the universe. But this image rests on a misunderstanding of work by physicists Albert Einstein and Nathan Rosen.

Jan 15, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / 'Reborn' black hole awakens after 100 million years of silence

One of the most vivid portraits of "reborn" black hole activity—likened to the eruption of a "cosmic volcano" spreading almost 1 million light-years across space—has been captured in a gigantic radio galaxy.

Jan 15, 2026 in Astronomy & Space