Phys.org news

Phys.org / Slower access, faster chemistry: Nanoreactor design improves catalysis by balancing molecular flow

A new study by a team at Tohoku University, published in Chemical Engineering Journal, has shown that more isn't always better when it comes to nanoscale chemical reactions. One might think that giving reactants completely ...

May 1, 2026
Phys.org / Under crushing hypergravity, fruit flies adapt—and recover

Expose an animal to extreme physical stress, and the expectation is simple: It will break down. But when UC Riverside scientists subjected fruit flies to forces many times stronger than Earth's gravity—a condition called ...

May 1, 2026
Phys.org / Azide-to-diazo reaction unlocks safer path to versatile nitrogen-rich compounds

In the world of organic chemistry, nitrogen-containing organic compounds are ubiquitous, forming the backbone of pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, dyes, and functional materials. To build these important molecules, chemists ...

May 1, 2026
Phys.org / Living near a gas station raises childhood cancer risk, study shows

Childhood cancers are devastating. Even when the disease is not fatal, its long-term effects can be severe. Not enough is known about the risk factors. "Research suggests that only 5% to 10% of childhood cancers are attributable ...

May 1, 2026
Phys.org / How genetic information helps cells resist chaos and stay alive

A Moffitt Cancer Center researcher has introduced a new model that addresses one of biology's most fundamental questions: How does genetic information keep living systems organized and therefore alive?

May 1, 2026
Phys.org / Long-term study of COVID lockdown and family life shows unexpected, lasting effects on fatherhood

In the years following the COVID-19 pandemic, much has been said about how the lockdowns created conditions for dual-parent families to spend more time at home with their children. In an ideal vision of family life, this ...

May 1, 2026
Phys.org / When the Schuylkill swallowed the city: Lessons from Hurricane Ida's historic flood

New Penn research shows that Hurricane Ida wasn't a once-in-a-century anomaly but a preview of how climate change, urbanization, and aging infrastructure are rewriting flood risk.

May 1, 2026
Phys.org / After flames strip hillsides bare, the next storm can unleash something far more destructive downstream

Wildfires can increase flooding risks in and downstream of burned areas by removing vegetation and disturbing hydrologic processes. As the climate changes, the severity of both wildfires and heavy rainfall events is increasing, ...

May 1, 2026
Phys.org / Frozen-in gravity: A new way to understand the evolution of spacetime dynamics

The concept of spacetime, first described in Einstein's theory of general relativity, has since been widely studied by many physicists worldwide. Spacetime is described mathematically as a four-dimensional (4D) continuum ...

Apr 30, 2026
Phys.org / A lost galaxy called 'Loki' may be hiding inside the Milky Way

The Milky Way galaxy grew into its current form with the help of smaller galaxies over time, which it has "consumed" or merged with. Astronomers are able to pick out which stars in the Milky Way came from other galaxies by ...

Apr 30, 2026
Phys.org / Evolution has reused the same genes for 120 million years, study shows

Scientists have shown that evolution has been using the same genetic "cheat sheet" for over 120 million years, suggesting that life on Earth may be more predictable than first imagined. The international team, led by scientists ...

Apr 30, 2026
Phys.org / A physics explanation shows why US elections keep ending 50:50—and why more spending won't change that

A physics-inspired model calibrated on 40 years of US congressional data pinpoints a spending threshold of roughly 1.8 million USD at which campaigns stop influencing who wins and start fueling polarization instead.

Apr 30, 2026