Phys.org news

Phys.org / Snow and glacier ecosystems across remote Antarctic island reveal hidden microbial diversity

Research led by a University of Bristol Ph.D. student has revealed a host of thriving microscopic algae communities in snow and glaciers across one of the most remote locations on Earth. The study, which appears in ISME Communications ...

5 hours ago
Phys.org / Machine learning proves that graphene is hydrophobic

For more than a decade, a fundamental mystery has surrounded graphene—the one-atom-thick "wonder material" known for its exceptional strength, conductivity, and transparency. Despite its seemingly simple structure, one basic ...

13 hours ago
Phys.org / An everyday sweetener offers a surprisingly powerful engine for transparent, stretchable electronics

Professor Kyungwho Choi's team of the School of Mechanical Engineering at Sungkyunkwan University, in collaboration with Professor Jinsoo Kim's team in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Kyung Hee University, have ...

13 hours ago
Phys.org / The G-value paradox: Why similar genes can lead to very different brains

Biologists have long puzzled over why organisms with similar numbers of protein-coding genes can differ so dramatically in nervous system complexity. New research points to a potential link between the expanding diversity ...

13 hours ago
Phys.org / Heat index maps uncover when city greening cools most—and when it can backfire

Tree shade is one of the fastest ways to make heat more bearable. It cuts direct sunlight, protects people walking or working outdoors, and remains essential for heat action plans. A new study by researchers from the Indian ...

6 hours ago
Phys.org / Earth's first continents may trace back to subduction 3.5 billion years ago

An international team of researchers' analysis of minerals from the Pilbara region of Western Australia has given new insight into how ancient continents on Earth formed as far back as 3.5 billion years ago. Professor Tony ...

13 hours ago
Phys.org / Deep beneath Swiss Alps, researchers trigger 8,000 tiny quakes in controlled test

Researchers have made the ground shake in southern Switzerland, triggering thousands of tiny earthquakes in a monitored setting, as they seek to discover seismicity insights that could reduce risks.

20 hours ago
Phys.org / Researchers find coherent ferrons—polarization waves with potential across quantum and telecom applications

In new research published in Nature Materials, a team of researchers led by Columbia University chemist Xiaoyang Zhu, in collaboration with fellow Columbians Xavier Roy, Milan Delor, Dmitri Basov, and James McIver, has observed ...

6 hours ago
Phys.org / Metagenomics and AI could unlock uncultivated bacteria and archaea

Advances in DNA sequencing have expanded our view of the microbial world, but the inability to cultivate most microbes has been a major constraint. Now, a systematic, predictive framework that combines existing genomic and ...

6 hours ago
Phys.org / Smarter search for fuel-cell catalysts uses machine learning

A computational method combining generative AI with atomistic simulations can identify promising platinum alloy catalyst structures for hydrogen fuel cells, report researchers from Science Tokyo. Their approach addresses ...

6 hours ago
Phys.org / Hidden proton pathways emerge as ultrathin polymer film method splits interface signals

Understanding how protons move at the interface between polymers and electrode materials is essential for improving fuel cells and related energy devices. However, conventional impedance measurements under inert conditions ...

6 hours ago
Phys.org / Climate patterns may shape where violent conflict risks are amplified

A new Rice University study is shedding light on a long-debated question: Can climate variability influence the risk of armed conflict? The answer, researchers say, is yes—but in more nuanced and region-specific ways than ...

7 hours ago