Phys.org news

Phys.org / Using pulsars as ultra-precise gravitational probes to 'weigh' neighboring galaxies

Researchers at The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), a part of The University of Alabama System, have identified a promising new method for measuring the mass of galaxies orbiting the Milky Way by using pulsars, ...

May 22, 2026
Phys.org / Superconducting vortices moonlight as controllable qubits, turning a disruption into a resource

Vortices in superconductors have so far been considered a disruption, as they can impair the superconducting properties. Researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) have proved in experiments that magnetic ...

May 22, 2026
Phys.org / Second ribosome binding site helps explain how tetracyclines work

For decades, doctors have widely used tetracyclines for conditions ranging from acne to tick-borne illnesses. Using high-resolution imaging technology, researchers in the laboratory of Christopher Bunick, MD, Ph.D., associate ...

May 22, 2026
Phys.org / South China Sea coral reefs reveal carbon stores rivaling mangroves and seagrasses

A collaborative research team has revealed the long-overlooked carbon storage potential of coral reef ecosystems and how reef-dwelling fish, corals, and surface sediments jointly shape reef carbon reservoirs. The paper is ...

May 22, 2026
Phys.org / How the Great Pyramid of Giza has survived 4,500 years of Egyptian earthquakes

The Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt has survived more than 4,500 years. Earthquakes have repeatedly shaken the region, including the magnitude 5.8 Cairo earthquake in 1992, which dislodged some of the pyramid's outer casing ...

May 22, 2026
Phys.org / Ocean acidification is ruining reef fishes' social lives, study finds

A new study from Adelaide University has found that when ocean acidification makes reef habitat less complex, the fish living there gather in smaller shoals that offer less social protection.

May 22, 2026
Phys.org / Social mammals live longer—but bigger groups don't add that many extra years

A new study, published in Ecology and Evolution, shows that social living is associated with longer lifespan, but also that the benefits of sociality level off once animals move beyond living in pairs.

May 22, 2026
Phys.org / Rice feeds billions of people—but its role in fueling climate change is growing

Rice feeds more than half the world. From terraced paddies in Southeast Asia to irrigated fields in China and India, it underpins daily meals for billions of people.

May 22, 2026
Phys.org / Countdown glitch delays world's biggest rocket as SpaceX targets Friday retry

Elon Musk's SpaceX postponed the highly anticipated launch of its upgraded Starship megarocket, calling off Thursday's test after multiple countdown stops-and-starts.

May 22, 2026
Phys.org / Agentic AI could help electron microscopes plan, adapt and analyze experiments

Scientific discovery is often portrayed as the result of long hours alone in a lab, but true science is inherently collaborative. The most robust experimental processes are developed through partnerships across multiple areas ...

May 22, 2026
Phys.org / Bodies in fashion: Diversity is up, but the ideal stays the same

Fashion and media have become visibly more diverse over the past quarter-century. Yet beneath that surface change, a new study suggests that the industry's central female body ideal has barely shifted.

May 22, 2026
Phys.org / Gibraltar monkeys eat soil in junk food detox, study finds

A colony of macaques that gorge on snacks offered by tourists in the British territory of Gibraltar swallow soil to recover from their junk food binges, a study has found.

May 22, 2026