Phys.org news

Phys.org / Sinking boreal trees in the deep Arctic Ocean could remove billions of tons of carbon each year

Global efforts to reduce pollution will not be enough to mitigate the worst effects of climate change, scientists say. We will also need to extract over 10 gigatons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere every year for the ...

Jan 12, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / Atom-thin, content-addressable memory enables edge AI applications

Recent advances in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) have opened new exciting possibilities for the rapid analysis of data, the sourcing of information and the generation of use-specific content. To run AI models, ...

Jan 12, 2026 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / Atmospheric physicists find error in widely cited Arctic snow cover observations

For decades, the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has offered a snapshot of the planet's changing climate—but University of Toronto researchers have found that some of the underlying data ...

Jan 12, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / Asteroseismology study probes properties of newly discovered pulsating white dwarf

Chinese astronomers have conducted an asteroseismology study of a newly discovered pulsating white dwarf designated WFST J053009.62+595557.0, or WFST J0530 for short. The new findings, presented January 2 on the arXiv pre-print ...

Jan 12, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Aerosol pollution found to thicken fog over Northern India—especially at night

Frequent, thick winter fog events are a common nuisance in Northern India, exacerbated by heavy air pollution and dense aerosol concentrations. Because these fog events often cause major disruptions to transportation and ...

Jan 12, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / Video game experiment reveals people value feeding their neighbors—even at a cost to themselves

For many people, the allure of video games is that they offer players a chance to enter a world very different from their own: everything from fighting dragons in a mythical realm to racing cars on an obstacle-filled roadway. ...

Jan 12, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Scientists reveal what drives homosexual behavior in primates

Homosexual behavior in primates has a deep evolutionary basis and is more likely to occur in species that live in harsh environments, are hunted by predators or live in more complex societies, scientists said Monday.

Jan 12, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Overlooked decline in grazing livestock brings risks and opportunities

For decades, researchers have focused on the problem of overgrazing, in which expanding herds of cattle and other livestock degrade grasslands, steppes and desert plains. But a new global study reveals that in large regions ...

Jan 12, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Microplastics found in rural woodland at higher levels than in city centers

Air-polluting microplastics have been found in rural environments in greater quantities than in urban locations, researchers say. Scientists led by the University of Leeds detected up to 500 microscopic particles of plastic ...

Jan 12, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / Mars was once a 'blue planet': Ancient river deltas point to vast ocean

Using images from cameras on Mars orbiters, an international research team has discovered structures on Mars that are very similar to classic river deltas on Earth. These are traces of rivers that have deposited their sediments ...

Jan 12, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Tiny Mars's big impact on Earth's climate: How the red planet's pull shapes ice ages

At half the size of Earth and one-tenth its mass, Mars is a featherweight as far as planets go. Yet new research reveals the extent to which Mars is quietly tugging on Earth's orbit and shaping the cycles that drive long-term ...

Jan 12, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / 'Death by a thousand cuts': Pablo's galaxy ran out of fuel as black hole choked off supplies

Astronomers have spotted one of the oldest "dead" galaxies yet identified, and found that a growing supermassive black hole can slowly starve a galaxy rather than tear it apart.

Jan 12, 2026 in Astronomy & Space