Phys.org news
Phys.org / When Earth's magnetic field took its time flipping
Earth's magnetic field is generated by the churn of its liquid nickel-iron outer core, but it is not a constant feature. Every so often, the magnetic north and south poles swap places in what are called geomagnetic reversals, ...
Phys.org / A new comet was just discovered. Will it be visible in broad daylight?
A newly discovered comet has astronomers excited, with the potential to be a spectacular sight in early April. C/2026 A1 (MAPS) was spotted by a team of four amateur astronomers with a remotely operated telescope in the Atacama ...
Phys.org / VIP-2 experiment narrows the search for exotic physics beyond the Pauli exclusion principle
The Pauli exclusion principle is a cornerstone of the Standard Model of particle physics and is essential for the structure and stability of matter. Now an international collaboration of physicists has carried out one of ...
Phys.org / How superconductivity arises: New insights from moiré materials
How exactly unconventional superconductivity arises is one of the central questions of modern solid-state physics. A new study published in the journal Nature provides crucial insights into this question. For the first time, ...
Phys.org / Live-cell tracking reveals dynamic interaction between protein folding helpers and newly produced proteins
Proteins are the molecular machines of cells. They are produced in protein factories called ribosomes based on their blueprint—the genetic information. Here, the basic building blocks of proteins, amino acids, are assembled ...
Phys.org / The Amaterasu particle: Cosmic investigation traces its origin
Cosmic rays are extremely fast, charged particles that travel through space at nearly the speed of light. The Amaterasu particle was detected in 2021 by the Telescope Array experiment in the U.S. It is the second-highest-energy ...
Phys.org / Peppermint oil plasma coating could cut catheter infections without releasing drugs
Australian researchers have developed a high‑performance coating made from peppermint essential oil that can be applied to the surfaces of many commonly used medical devices, offering a safer way to protect patients from ...
Phys.org / When lasers cross: A brighter way to measure plasma
Measuring conditions in volatile clouds of superheated gases known as plasmas is central to pursuing greater scientific understanding of how stars, nuclear detonations and fusion energy work. For decades, scientists have ...
Phys.org / Invasive termites threatening homes in Florida are spreading farther than predicted
Florida's coastal and urban counties continue to see the spread of two invasive termite species beyond South Florida. The species are now threatening structures statewide, according to a new University of Florida study.
Phys.org / Tuning topological superconductors into existence by adjusting the ratio of two elements
Today's most powerful computers hit a wall when tackling certain problems, from designing new drugs to cracking encryption codes. Error-free quantum computers promise to overcome those challenges, but building them requires ...
Phys.org / Rare 'universal paralog' genes may reveal a pre-LUCA evolutionary record
All life on Earth shares a common ancestor that lived roughly four billion years ago. This so-called "last universal common ancestor" (LUCA) represents the most ancient organism that researchers can study. Previous research ...
Phys.org / Ancient bird routes mapped via plant diversity
It's not what they intended to do or expected to find. They're not even all that interested in birds. When Andre Naranjo and his colleagues began work on a new study published in the Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, ...