Phys.org news

Phys.org / Underground lab clears crucial hurdle for dark matter hunt

Australia's bid to detect elusive dark matter has taken a major step forward, with new research confirming that cosmic radiation levels deep inside the Stawell Underground Physics Laboratory (SUPL) are low enough to support ...

Apr 2, 2026
Phys.org / Ghostly particles: Dark radiation may have masqueraded as neutrinos

New research suggests that neutrinos in the early universe may have transformed into a previously unknown form of radiation. A study from Washington University in St. Louis offers a new way to explain certain puzzling observations ...

Apr 2, 2026
Phys.org / Engineered tobacco plant can produce five psychedelics, including psilocybin and DMT

Compounds in psychedelic drugs like DMT, psilocybin, and psilocin are naturally produced in certain plants, fungi, and animals, and have a long history of use in spiritual and therapeutic contexts. Now, a considerable amount ...

Apr 2, 2026
Phys.org / New disk-shaped catalyst turns carbon dioxide into methanol at lower temperatures

Low-temperature CO2 hydrogenation might have sounded almost paradoxical until a recent study made it possible. Researchers have designed new catalysts that can transform the greenhouse gas into methanol at temperatures ranging ...

Apr 2, 2026
Phys.org / New evidence challenges assumptions of mass feasting at ancient Mongolian burial mounds

Khirigsuurs are Late Bronze Age monuments found across Mongolia and parts of southern Siberia. They are typically thought to be burial monuments or ritual spaces, consisting of a burial mound surrounded by satellite features ...

Apr 2, 2026
Phys.org / Spectacular fossil treasure trove pushes back origins of complex animals

A newly discovered fossil site in southwest China has transformed our understanding of how complex animal life emerged on Earth, revealing that many key animal groups had already evolved before the start of the Cambrian Period. ...

Apr 2, 2026
Phys.org / New miniature marsupial frog found in Peru carries eggs in a back pouch

Scientists have discovered a new species of miniature marsupial frog in the Peruvian Amazon that carries its young in a natural pouch on its back, a research institute reported Wednesday.

Apr 2, 2026
Phys.org / Early data from Vera C. Rubin Observatory reveals over 11,000 new asteroids

Using preliminary data from the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, scientists have discovered over 11,000 new asteroids. The data were confirmed by the International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet Center (MPC), making this the ...

Apr 2, 2026
Phys.org / Quantum entanglement between electrons and ions captured at attosecond timescale

Quantum mechanics is extremely successful at describing the behavior of matter at the atomic level. This success forces one to accept that certain aspects of physical reality go far beyond our intuition. Among these, none ...

Apr 2, 2026
Phys.org / Dalí's 'sublime' amber medium may explain unusual aging in a museum masterpiece

As part of the FED-tWIN Face-to-Face project, a multidisciplinary team bringing together the European Centre of Archaeometry (University of Liège, ULiège), the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium (RMFAB), CNRS-Sorbonne ...

Apr 2, 2026
Phys.org / Giant 'forbidden planet' orbiting small star shows an unusually low-metal atmosphere

Scientists have discovered that a highly unusual giant planet—sometimes called "forbidden"—could have an atmosphere with fewer heavier elements than its host star. University of Birmingham astrophysicist Dr. Anjali Piette ...

Apr 2, 2026
Phys.org / How mitochondria organize our 'second genome'

EPFL scientists have discovered that a simple shape change in mitochondria helps cells evenly distribute their mitochondrial DNA, solving a long-standing puzzle.

Apr 2, 2026