Phys.org news

Phys.org / Turning crystal flaws into quantum highways: A new route towards scalable solid-state qubits

Building large-scale quantum technologies requires reliable ways to connect individual quantum bits (qubits) without destroying their fragile quantum states. In a new theoretical study, published in npj Computational Materials, ...

Jan 15, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Collapse of the Tang dynasty: Climate change likely played a role

Environmental phenomena and their consequences can disrupt social structures and destabilize political systems. An interdisciplinary research team demonstrated this using the example of the late Tang dynasty in medieval China.

Jan 15, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / How gender bias influences math education

Young children are more inclined to believe incorrect math information from men than accurate information from women, according to a Rutgers University–New Brunswick study published in the journal Developmental Science.

Jan 15, 2026 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Efficient cooling method could enable chip-based quantum computers

Quantum computers could rapidly solve complex problems that would take the most powerful classical supercomputers decades to unravel. But they'll need to be large and stable enough to efficiently perform operations. To meet ...

Jan 15, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / How small mammals shrink their brains to survive the cold

An international team of researchers, with the involvement of the UAB, has conducted a study that explains the evolutionary origins of the Dehnel phenomenon, a unique seasonal adaptation in small mammals that involves the ...

Jan 15, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Ocean impacts nearly double economic cost of climate change, study finds

For the first time, a study by researchers at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego integrates climate-related damages to the ocean into the social cost of carbon—a measure of economic ...

Jan 15, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / Increased deciduous tree dominance reduces wildfire carbon losses in boreal forests, study shows

As climate change drives more frequent and severe wildfires across boreal forests in Alaska and northwestern Canada, scientists are asking a critical question: Will these ecosystems continue to store carbon or become a growing ...

Jan 15, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / Do-it-yourself ammonia production: Renewable-powered system uses calcium to reduce emissions and scale for farmers

The last time you scrubbed a streaky window or polished a porcelain appliance, you probably used a chemical called ammonia.

Jan 15, 2026 in Chemistry
Phys.org / Frequency comb lasers enable clearer observation of black holes

Radio telescopes are instruments that capture faint radio signals from space and convert them into images of celestial bodies. To observe distant black holes clearly, multiple radio telescopes must capture cosmic signals ...

Jan 15, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Hidden magma oceans could shield rocky exoplanets from harmful radiation

Deep beneath the surface of distant exoplanets known as super-Earths, oceans of molten rock may be doing something extraordinary: powering magnetic fields strong enough to shield entire planets from dangerous cosmic radiation ...

Jan 15, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Tiny earthquakes reveal hidden faults under Northern California

By tracking swarms of very small earthquakes, seismologists are getting a new picture of the complex region where the San Andreas fault meets the Cascadia subduction zone, an area that could give rise to devastating major ...

Jan 15, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / New spectroscopic method reveals ion's complex nuclear structure

Different atoms and ions possess characteristic energy levels. Like a fingerprint, they are unique for each species. Among them, the atomic ion 173Yb+ has attracted growing interest because of its particularly rich energy ...

Jan 15, 2026 in Physics