Phys.org news

Phys.org / Using duality to construct and classify new quantum phases

A team of theoretical researchers has found duality can unveil non-invertible symmetry protected topological phases, which can lead to researchers understanding more about the properties of these phases, and uncover new quantum ...

4 hours ago in Physics
Phys.org / From leadership to influencers: New study shows why we choose to follow others

For a long time, most scientists believed that early human hunter-gatherer societies were mostly equal, with little hierarchy or leadership, and that strong inequalities only emerged later with farming and complex societies. ...

5 hours ago in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Two huge hot blobs of rock influence Earth's magnetic field, study reveals

Exploring Earth's deep interior is a far bigger challenge than exploring the solar system. While we have traveled 25 billion km into space, the deepest we have ever gone below our feet is just over 12 km. Consequently, little ...

6 hours ago in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / From sea to soil: Molecular changes suggest how algae evolved into plants

Before plants evolved, vegetative life consisted of primitive green algae living in the sea. Like plants, these algae survived by performing photosynthesis, turning sunlight into energy. However, little light reaches the ...

6 hours ago in Biology
Phys.org / Ultra-thin metasurface chip turns invisible infrared light into steerable visible beams

The invention of tiny devices capable of precisely controlling the direction and behavior of light is essential to the development of advanced technologies. Researchers at the Advanced Science Research Center at the CUNY ...

6 hours ago in Physics
Phys.org / Chromosome-level genome unlocks evolution of endangered fern Brainea insignis

Ferns, defined by large genomes, high chromosome counts, and pervasive aneuploidy as well as intraspecific polyploid complexity, diverge significantly from the classical genetic theories and analytical frameworks largely ...

3 hours ago in Biology
Phys.org / Probiotics for plants: Microorganisms boost growth and nitrogen uptake

Researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have identified a bacterial genus that promotes root growth and nitrogen uptake in plants. The findings open new possibilities for developing customized "plant probiotics" ...

3 hours ago in Biology
Phys.org / Superconductivity exposes altermagnetism by breaking symmetries, study suggests

How are superconductivity and magnetism connected? A puzzling relation between magnetism and superconductivity in a quantum material has lingered for decades—now, a study from TU Wien offers a surprising new explanation.

3 hours ago in Physics
Phys.org / Are cats 'vegan' meat eaters? Why isotopic signatures of feline fur could trick us into thinking that way

Cats—unlike humans—are true carnivores: they must eat meat to survive because their bodies can't draw some essential nutrients from plants. By looking at tissues, researchers can get a good understanding of what foods ...

12 hours ago in Biology
Phys.org / Ancient Alaskan site may help explain how the first people arrived in North America

New evidence has emerged that sheds light on the possible first people to populate the Americas. Dating of stone and ivory tools found at an archaeological site in Alaska suggests that these early pioneers traveled through ...

23 hours ago in Other Sciences
Phys.org / 91-qubit processor accurately simulates many-body quantum chaos

Quantum chaos describes chaotic classical dynamical systems in terms of quantum theory, but simulations of these systems are limited by computational resources. However, one team seems to have found a way by leveraging error ...

Feb 2, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Newly identified RNA molecule may drive cancer patient survival

In a recent study, researchers at the Texas A&M University Health Science Center (Texas A&M Health) identify a novel RNA molecule that plays a crucial role in preserving the integrity of a key cellular structure, the nucleolus ...

19 hours ago in Biology