Phys.org news

Phys.org / Risks of solar storms may be underestimated, warn researchers

The effects of extreme space weather may be larger than previously thought, research in the journal Nature reveals. The paper, titled "Regression to the mean can explain saturation of geomagnetic storms," is led by Dr. Nithin ...

Jul 15, 2026
Phys.org / T. rex was likely responsible for some tooth marks on fossil bones from Cretaceous era

A collection of fossilized dinosaur bones from Wyoming features tooth marks that provide evidence that some bites were likely made by Tyrannosaurus rex, according to a study published July 15, 2026, in PLOS One by Bethania ...

Jul 15, 2026
Phys.org / Birds respond differently to environmental change—and their traits explain why

A sweeping new Cal Poly study of North American birds reveals that environmental change does not affect all species equally and that a bird's traits can explain whether populations rise or fall as local conditions change.

Jul 15, 2026
Phys.org / Sensitive measurements uncover dual superconducting states in atom-thin NbSe₂ and TaS₂

A new study reveals that two widely studied ultrathin superconducting materials are more sophisticated than they appear. Although they seem to behave like simple superconductors with a single energy gap, they actually contain ...

Jul 15, 2026
Phys.org / NASA's Perseverance rover reads record of ancient Mars impacts

NASA's Perseverance Mars rover has uncovered evidence that a 245-foot-thick (75-meter-thick) stack of ancient rock on the rim of Jezero Crater was built by repeated asteroid impacts. Referred to as the "Broom Point member" ...

Jul 15, 2026
Phys.org / Prey accessibility, not abundance, may shape predator behavior in penguins

Large seabird colonies have a surrounding boundary known as Ashmole's halo, where food sources are depleted, forcing the birds to travel farther to gather the food they need. The reason seems obvious—the more birds, the more ...

Jul 15, 2026
Phys.org / Elephants turn footsteps into messages through ground and skull vibrations

Elephants can communicate with other elephants across distances of up to five kilometers (3 miles) by producing sounds that travel through the air. However, they have a second way of sending signals: seismic waves traveling ...

Jul 15, 2026
Phys.org / Stealth anticancer nanoparticles made from mussel proteins that 'lie in wait and attack only cancer cells'

Pancreatic cancer is considered one of the deadliest cancers because it is often diagnosed late and is difficult to treat. However, a South Korean research team has developed "smart nanoparticles" that remain hidden in normal ...

Jul 15, 2026
Phys.org / Faintest planet ever imaged from Earth found after more than 10 years of hide-and-seek

A team of astronomers has discovered a third planet orbiting the star Beta Pictoris. The new planet, Beta Pictoris d, is 100 times fainter than Beta Pictoris b—the first planet discovered in the same system—and is among the ...

Jul 15, 2026
Phys.org / New method scales up twist-engineered oxide materials for future electronics

Researchers have shown it is possible to expand the field of twistronics—literally. They have demonstrated a technique that allows them to fabricate oxide twistronic materials at much larger scales while also controlling ...

Jul 15, 2026
Phys.org / Bacteria form 'herds' to survive predators, offering fresh insight into Earth's carbon cycle

Researchers at Queen Mary University of London have discovered that tiny photosynthetic bacteria band together into protective "herds" when attacked by predators—a survival strategy that could also influence how carbon is ...

Jul 15, 2026
Phys.org / New species of monkey with unusual orange lips discovered in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Scientists have described a new species of colobus monkey in the forests of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), report John Hart at Lukuru Wildlife Research Foundation and colleagues in PLOS One. The first hint that a ...

Jul 15, 2026