Phys.org news

Phys.org / El Niño is underway, satellite observations show

El Niño, characterized by warmer-than-normal water temperatures in parts of the equatorial Pacific, made its return in June 2026. Observations of sea surface height from the Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellite that month ...

Jun 21, 2026
Phys.org / Quantum mechanics theory may work without imaginary numbers, new analysis suggests

Physicists from Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (HHU) have examined a fundamental property of quantum mechanics in collaboration with the German Aerospace Center (DLR). In an article published in the journal Physical ...

Jun 21, 2026
Phys.org / Nanoscale CoAl design delivers 6 GPa strength with 15% plastic strain at room temperature

Materials engineers have developed the ability to manipulate structure and matter at the nanoscale for solid-state alloys called intermetallics, making it possible to alter their properties for improved performance.

Jun 21, 2026
Phys.org / Arctic marine heat waves surge since 1980s, with record event lasting 480 days

In recent years, marine heat waves have been taking an ever-greater toll on the world's oceans and their ecosystems. Amplified by increasing global warming, these events are occurring more frequently and lasting longer. The ...

Jun 21, 2026
Phys.org / Stress gives bees sharper vision and faster reactions, researchers discover

Bumblebees see the world differently under stress, processing visual information more sharply and making quicker decisions, new research from Newcastle University reveals.

Jun 21, 2026
Phys.org / Engineered bacterial spores reveal new protein targets for enzymes and vaccines

A remarkable quality of bioengineering is that scientists can take biological processes honed by millions of years of evolution and use them to efficiently create drugs, chemicals and other products to improve our lives. ...

Jun 21, 2026
Phys.org / Modular nanorobot self-assembles, targets cancer cells and cuts viability

A team at the University of Basel, Switzerland, has developed a versatile nanorobot with propulsion and payload modules. The two reusable modules autonomously self-assemble and could be used in medicine or industry.

Jun 21, 2026
Phys.org / Tropical ocean temperatures may drive changes in malaria cases in Malawi

Malaria is one of the world's deadliest infectious diseases. Because it is transmitted by mosquitoes, malaria is extremely sensitive to environmental conditions like rainfall and temperature that affect mosquito survival ...

Jun 21, 2026
Phys.org / Jumping gene caught moving between species in first direct observation

Genes are not passed on exclusively from parents to their offspring. Some are mobile and can also jump to other species, as researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology in Bremen have now shown. The direct ...

Jun 20, 2026
Phys.org / Ancient Mongolian cemetery reveals power and status mattered more than blood ties

On the edge of the Mongolian steppe, overlooking where two rivers meet, lies an ancient cemetery. Buried within are two families, traced through ancient DNA across six generations, surrounded by dozens of "strangers." The ...

Jun 20, 2026
Phys.org / Eight ways to sleep well in hot weather

When temperatures rise, sleep often suffers. Hot nights can make it harder to fall asleep, increase waking during the night and leave people feeling less rested the next day.

Jun 20, 2026
Phys.org / Antarctica is offering 30 to 50 years' worth of warning on sea level rise, models suggest

Scientists predict that the next three to five decades provide a critical window to anticipate and plan for Antarctic ice loss and its contribution to sea level rise. Research published in Nature, led by Monash University ...

Jun 20, 2026