Phys.org news

Phys.org / ALICE solves mystery of light-nuclei survival

Observations of the formation of light-nuclei from high-energy collisions may help in the hunt for dark matter.

Dec 10, 2025 in Physics
Phys.org / A new reference brain could make the clonal raider ant a go-to model species for neuroscience

Every clonal raider ant lives a nearly identical life. Each new generation of these blind, queenless ants is born at the same time, eats the same things, lives in the same environment, and—as an asexually reproducing species—has ...

Dec 10, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Using soccer balls to refine computational fluid dynamics research methods

If you're a soccer fan, you're familiar with this common sight: A penalty kick is in place, with a "wall" of defenders lined up in front of the goal, ready to leap to try to block the ball if it sails overhead.

Dec 10, 2025 in Physics
Phys.org / Magnetic ordering induces Jahn-Teller effect in spinel-type compounds

The Jahn-Teller effect, proposed by Jahn and Teller in 1937, describes how molecules or crystals with degenerate electronic orbitals can lower their total energy by distorting their structure. This distortion lifts the degeneracy, ...

Dec 10, 2025 in Physics
Phys.org / Reddit field experiment examines what distinguishes lurkers from power users

Online discussions are often dominated by a small group of active users, while the majority remain silent. This imbalance can distort perceptions of public opinion and fuel polarization.

Dec 10, 2025 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / An old jeweler's trick could unlock next-generation nuclear clocks

In 2008, a team of UCLA-led scientists proposed a scheme to use a laser to excite the nucleus of thorium atoms to realize extremely accurate, portable clocks. Last year, they realized this longstanding goal by bombarding ...

Dec 10, 2025 in Physics
Phys.org / Lunar soil analyses reveal how space weathering shapes the moon's ultraviolet reflectance

Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) scientists are collaborating with researchers at UT San Antonio to study how space weathering can alter the lunar surface materials to help interpret regional and global far-ultraviolet ...

Dec 10, 2025 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Painting galaxy clusters by numbers (and physics)

Galaxy clusters are the most massive objects in the universe held together by gravity, containing up to several thousand individual galaxies and huge reservoirs of superheated, X-ray-emitting gas. The mass of this hot gas ...

Dec 10, 2025 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / New study reveals Industrial Revolution's uneven health impacts across England

An interdisciplinary team of scientists has uncovered new evidence showing that the health impacts of the Industrial Revolution varied more widely across England than previously believed.

Dec 10, 2025 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Global warming amplifies extreme day-to-day temperature swings, study shows

A new study has revealed that rapid, large-scale day-to-day temperature fluctuations have intensified amid global warming, representing a distinct climate hazard with impacts on human health. This growing volatility creates ...

Dec 10, 2025 in Earth
Phys.org / A new 'hypertropical' climate is emerging in the Amazon, exposing trees to deadly stress

The Amazon rainforest is slowly transitioning to a new, hotter climate with more frequent and intense droughts—conditions that haven't been seen on Earth for tens of millions of years.

Dec 10, 2025 in Earth
Phys.org / More yield through heterosis: Researchers decode gene interaction behind hybrid vigor

When two homozygous plant lines with different characteristics are crossed, the resulting offspring are often more robust and productive than their parents. This phenomenon is called heterosis. It can be caused by positive ...

Dec 10, 2025 in Biology