Phys.org news

Phys.org / When the interaction between fungi and bacteria becomes a dangerous alliance

Rivals or allies—how do bacteria and fungi interact in our bodies? Until now, bacteria on our mucous membranes were primarily considered to be antagonists of fungi, as they can inhibit their growth. However, an international ...

Feb 6, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / The surprising power of a tiny, disordered protein in a mitochondrial supercomplex

For decades, scientists assumed that order drives efficiency. Yet in the bustling machinery of mitochondria—the organelles that crank out adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the universal "energy currency" of cells—one of the ...

Feb 6, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Measuring time at the quantum level depends on material symmetry

EPFL physicists have found a way to measure the time involved in quantum events and found it depends on the symmetry of the material. "The concept of time has troubled philosophers and physicists for thousands of years, and ...

Feb 6, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Aerobic respiration began hundreds of millions of years earlier than previously thought, study suggests

Oxygen is a vital and constant presence on Earth today. But that hasn't always been the case. It wasn't until around 2.3 billion years ago that oxygen became a permanent fixture in the atmosphere, during a pivotal period ...

Feb 6, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Broken inversion symmetry lets 3D crystals mimic 2D Ising superconductivity

Two-dimensional (2D) materials, in general, allow the realization of unique quantum phenomena unattainable in the common three-dimensional (3D) world. A prime example is graphene. Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have ...

Feb 6, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Artificial light is reshaping caracal behavior, limiting where the South African wild cat can hunt

Artificial light is one of the most ingrained features of modern life. For humans, light after dark offers convenience and a sense of safety. For wildlife, it's a growing environmental disturbance. "When humans introduce ...

Feb 6, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / New 3D method maps Paleolithic engravings at submillimeter resolution

A team of archaeologists from the Universitat Jaume I, the University of Barcelona, and the Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA) has developed a new methodology that allows for a much more detailed, ...

Feb 6, 2026 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Widening beaches make California 500 acres bigger than it was 40 years ago

Southern California's beaches have grown more than 500 acres over the past four decades despite being one of the most heavily urbanized and dammed coastal regions in the world, according to a new study conducted by researchers ...

Feb 6, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / Study reveals microscopic origins of surface noise limiting diamond quantum sensors

A new theoretical study led by researchers at the University of Chicago and Argonne National Laboratory has identified the microscopic mechanisms by which diamond surfaces affect the quantum coherence of nitrogen-vacancy ...

Feb 6, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / 'Energy efficiency' proves key to how mountain birds adapt to changing environmental conditions

Research led by the University of East Anglia (UEA) sheds new light on how mountain birds adapt to changes in climate. Scientists know that species diversity changes as you go up a mountain, but it is not clearly understood ...

Feb 6, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Simulation finds Grass2Gas biogas systems may reduce dairy emissions by over 20%

Implementing novel management practices in dairy farming, one of the commonwealth's major agricultural industries, could help alleviate a large source of both nutrient pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, according to ...

Feb 6, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / When silicon fills the role of carbon: Debut of all-silicon cyclopentadienides

Carbon's unique chemical properties allow it to be an essential building block for life on Earth and many other molecules we rely on for day-to-day life—but what about carbon's neighbor? Silicon is located one row below ...

Feb 6, 2026 in Chemistry