Phys.org news

Phys.org / Shining light into unhatched eggs could allow for chicken 'gender reveals'

Scientists have demonstrated a noninvasive technique that uses light to reveal the hidden contents of chicken eggs, potentially helping to curb the meat industry's practice of killing billions of male chicks at birth. The ...

Jun 19, 2026
Phys.org / Molecular simulations uncover why water nanodrops spread thin on hydrophilic surfaces

Why does water roll off a duck's back but spread on clean glass? For macroscopic (millimeter-scale) drops, this behavior can be explained using continuum theory. However, when nanoscale (10–9 mm) droplets spread on surfaces, ...

Jun 19, 2026
Phys.org / Microbial partners may help maize and sorghum respond to higher temperatures

New research suggests the microbiome near the surface of a plant's roots, known as the rhizosphere microbiome, may play a role in helping crops respond to heat stress.

Jun 19, 2026
Phys.org / Arabidopsis meristem map uncovers 18 cell clusters shaping stems and flowers

Researchers have produced the most detailed map yet of how stem cells in the growing tip of a plant begin their journey to form the many cell types that shape flowers and stems. They identified 18 distinct cell type clusters ...

Jun 19, 2026
Phys.org / New technique sharpens predictions of metal alloy behavior by capturing subtle atomic patterns

Companies working at the frontier of aerospace, energy and computing are constantly looking for new materials to improve performance. But in order to understand how those materials will actually behave once they're inside ...

Jun 19, 2026
Phys.org / Perfectly preserved pterosaur wing rewrites the fossil rulebook

An international study led by Curtin University has revealed new insights into how an ancient flying reptile was preserved in extraordinary detail for 113 million years, offering a rare glimpse into a vanished world.

Jun 18, 2026
Phys.org / Fossilized babies of ancient crocodile-like predators uproot understanding of how animals adapted to the land

Life on our planet began in the water. Eventually, one branch of the fish family tree developed legs and came up on land. These early four-legged animals, the tetrapods, were the forebears of today's mammals, birds, reptiles ...

Jun 18, 2026
Phys.org / 'Timescapes' may help explain how animal species perceive events so differently in time

There is evidence that nonhuman animals perceive the world, and how it unfolds in time, differently from humans and from each other. For example, certain beetles can see flickering in lights up to around 500 Hz, while in ...

Jun 18, 2026
Phys.org / Hidden electric space waves are quietly cleaning Earth's 'killer' electrons

High above our heads, a silent battle is unfolding within Earth's magnetic shield. For decades, scientists have tracked "killer electrons"—ultrafast particles capable of piercing satellite armor and endangering astronauts ...

Jun 18, 2026
Phys.org / Pigeons' eyes are almost perfectly still when they're flying, study finds

When pigeons are flying through the air, they lock their eyes in a near-fixed position instead of moving them around. Researchers from Harvard University discovered this after attaching a lightweight rig of cameras and mirrors ...

Jun 18, 2026
Phys.org / Ripple-like rings of the 'Bullseye galaxy' could be explained by dark matter

Two U.S. physicists have suggested that the nine concentric rings surrounding the galaxy LEDA 1313424, also known as the Bullseye galaxy, could have emerged through the quantum behavior of particles of dark matter. Through ...

Jun 18, 2026
Phys.org / Screens dominate the dinner table, with 77.6% of parents using devices

Food has always had a unique way of bringing people together. It becomes especially evident during family mealtimes, when children and adults gather around the table to share more than just a meal. They share stories, catch ...

Jun 18, 2026