Phys.org news

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 ...

22 hours ago 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 ...

23 hours ago in Chemistry
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 ...

22 hours ago in Physics
Phys.org / Self-assembling 'bundlemers' could reshape next-generation protein-based materials

Proteins are the building blocks of life. These biomolecules comprise chains of amino acids that fold into precise shapes to perform specific jobs in nature. But these elegant structures form only under narrow pH and temperature ...

23 hours ago in Chemistry
Phys.org / Watching a critical green-energy catalyst dissolve, atom by atom

Iridium oxide is one of the most important—and most problematic—materials in the global push toward clean energy. It is currently the most reliable catalyst used in the conversion of energy to chemicals by electrolysis, ...

22 hours ago in Chemistry
Phys.org / JWST uncovers rich organic chemistry in a nearby ultra-luminous infrared galaxy

A study led by the Center for Astrobiology (CAB), CSIC-INTA, using modeling techniques developed at the University of Oxford, has uncovered an unprecedented richness of small organic molecules in the deeply obscured nucleus ...

Feb 6, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / The evolutionary trap that keeps rove beetles alive

Rove beetles have evolved a neat trick to survive. They cloak themselves in ant pheromones, allowing them to enter and remain undetected within ant colonies. But it comes with a catch. Once a rove beetle lineage evolves this ...

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 / 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 / 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 / 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 / Three-component catalyst boosts ammonia from nitrate electrolysis by more than 50%

A research team led by Dr. Dandan Gao from the Department of Chemistry at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) has developed a new method for the sustainable production of ammonia and formic acid. Ammonia is indispensable ...

Feb 6, 2026 in Chemistry