Phys.org news

Phys.org / Violating the 3rd law of black hole mechanics in vacuum gravity

Black holes, regions in space where gravity is so strong that nothing can escape, have been widely studied over the past decades, due to their unique and intriguing properties. Einstein's theory of general relativity predicts ...

Jun 3, 2026
Phys.org / Warming unlocks ancient carbon in Tibetan permafrost, triggering climate tipping point

A new study in Nature Communications finds a critical climate tipping point in Tibetan permafrost ecosystems. Warming of 2–4 degrees Celsius triggers a self-reinforcing cycle of carbon release that could significantly accelerate ...

Jun 3, 2026
Phys.org / Octopuses learn mirror-guided navigation to locate prey

Octopuses are remarkably intelligent creatures, as was demonstrated by Inky the Octopus's famous escape from the National Aquarium of New Zealand through a drainpipe back to sea in 2016. A new Dartmouth study shows octopuses ...

Jun 3, 2026
Phys.org / Greenland shark genome reveals clues to 400-year lifespan

The first comprehensive map of nearly the entire Greenland shark genome is beginning to reveal some of the genetic clues behind its incredibly long life. The work could one day help scientists develop new cures and treatments ...

Jun 3, 2026
Phys.org / Solar sails edge closer to reality, but interstellar travel is another story

From planetary rovers and asteroid sample return missions to the recent Artemis II flight above the far side of the moon, we are seemingly good at doing space. But our achievements still do not match many of our space dreams, ...

Jun 3, 2026
Phys.org / 'Don't scare the cat!' Engineers find smarter way to measure quantum systems

UNSW Sydney engineers have riffed on the famous Schrödinger's cat analogy to demonstrate a more efficient way to eliminate errors in quantum computing.

Jun 3, 2026
Phys.org / A very strong El Niño is approaching. Here's what we can expect

El Niño is a recurring climate event with impacts across the globe. It has three phases: one cold (known as La Niña), one neutral, and one warm (El Niño).

Jun 3, 2026
Phys.org / World's largest scorpion revealed by 415-million-year-old fossils

Fossil fragments found in the U.K. have been identified as remains of the largest scorpions ever. Measuring more than a meter in length, Praearcturus gigas was among the first large predators to ever stalk the land.

Jun 3, 2026
Phys.org / Genetically modified hookworms produce and deliver therapeutics

Hookworms, intestinal parasites that infect hundreds of millions of people in under-resourced tropical regions around the globe, have evolved to survive inside the human gut for years, secreting molecules that enable coexistence ...

Jun 3, 2026
Phys.org / Distant blazar OP 313 emits very high-energy gamma rays above 100 GeV

An international team of astronomers have employed one of the Large-Sized Telescopes (LSTs) at the Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory (CTAO) to observe a distant blazar known as OP 313. Results of the observational campaign, ...

Jun 3, 2026
Phys.org / Deep-Earth seismic anomalies may be explained by newly discovered manganese compound

Scientists know that manganese, in its various oxide forms, plays a significant role in Earth's geochemical cycles. However, the exact forms of manganese, their abundance and the mechanisms behind these cycles that occur ...

Jun 3, 2026
Phys.org / Giant fan-shaped structure found under East Antarctica

An international team of researchers including our Department of Geography has discovered a vast geological structure hidden beneath the East Antarctic Ice Sheet. The findings are published in the journal Nature Geoscience.

Jun 3, 2026