Phys.org news

Phys.org / Artemis II astronauts rocket toward the moon after spending a day around Earth

NASA's Artemis II astronauts fired their engines and blazed toward the moon Thursday night, breaking free of the chains that have trapped humanity in shallow laps around Earth in the decades since Apollo.

Apr 3, 2026
Phys.org / Bumblebees can perceive rhythm, despite their brains being the size of a sesame seed

Humans are creatures of rhythms. As far as we know, humans have always sung and always danced. We can recognize a song by its rhythm alone, regardless of whether it is played fast or slow.

Apr 3, 2026
Phys.org / Domino polymerization provides a new route to versatile, degradable plastics

Plastic, once ingenious for its durability and versatility, has become a global environmental issue that is affecting every aspect of life. This, in turn, is fueling the development of degradable polymers as alternative solutions. ...

Apr 3, 2026
Phys.org / Nanotube injector transfers cytoplasmic contents and organelles between living cells safely

Cells are not isolated units; they continuously exchange proteins, genetic material, and even entire organelles with their neighbors. Intercellular transfer influences how tissues develop, respond to stress, and repair damage. ...

Apr 3, 2026
Phys.org / Real-time nanoscale measurements map reduction and oxidation in solar-fuel reactions

Solar-power photocatalysis—turning sunlight into energy—holds promise for sustainable and cost-efficient energy and chemical production. Advancing the technology, though, has been hindered by a lack of understanding of exactly ...

Apr 3, 2026
Phys.org / Cosmologists collaborate to sharpen measurements of the Hubble constant

Drawing together leading experts from across the field, an international collaboration of cosmologists has created a unified approach for measuring the value of the Hubble constant. Published in Astronomy & Astrophysics, ...

Apr 2, 2026
Phys.org / Gravity from positivity: Single massive spin-3/2 particle makes gravity logically inevitable, study claims

Researchers at IPhT (CEA, CNRS) and the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona have shown that gravity—and with it, supersymmetry—emerge as logical necessities whenever a massive spin-3/2 particle exists in nature. Two principles ...

Apr 2, 2026
Phys.org / Ytterbium atomic clock could open a new window on fundamental physics

For the first time, an international team of physicists has successfully harnessed a rare orbital transition in atoms of ytterbium to create a new type of atomic clock that is both highly precise and extremely sensitive to ...

Apr 2, 2026
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