Phys.org news

Phys.org / Oxygen collisions at the LHC show new indications of extreme state of matter

All four main LHC experiments have found new signs that oxygen and neon collisions may create the extreme state of matter that existed during the first microseconds after the Big Bang.

Jul 24, 2026
Phys.org / Physicists turn to the universe's 'piano notes' to detect hidden particles

It's been said that a finely tuned ear knows the size and shape of a piano by merely listening to the instrument's notes. An international team of physicists has now devised an analogous approach to detect the universe's ...

Jul 24, 2026
Phys.org / Fossilized wood reveals 300 million years of Earth's history

Many people are familiar with fossilized wood as a decorative item from a museum shop. However, the fact that it can preserve the geological history of entire regions spanning millions of years is a new discovery. A research ...

Jul 24, 2026
Phys.org / World's first 'zinc oxide spin qubit' could advance scalable quantum devices

A research team led by SKKU professor Hosung Seo of the Department of Quantum Information Engineering and the SKKU Advanced Institute of Nanotechnology, working with the University of Wisconsin–Madison and the University ...

Jul 24, 2026
Phys.org / Combining AI protein design with laboratory evolution improves engineered enzymes

When scientists want to create a protein that can potentially treat disease, one approach is to begin with a different protein and evolve it in the lab, selecting over many generations for versions with a new, desired function.

Jul 24, 2026
Phys.org / Young rift flanks suggest Venus remains tectonically active

Venus is an inhospitable place, with temperatures soaring to several hundred degrees Celsius (hundreds of degrees Fahrenheit) and no oceans like those on Earth. Planetary scientists long believed Venus was geologically dormant. ...

Jul 24, 2026
Phys.org / Metal-ion coating improves extracellular vesicles for cancer detection and targeted delivery

Researchers, including those from the University of Tokyo, found a way to optimize how cells bind to small packages they release called extracellular vesicles. By coating the vesicles with metal ions, they made cells and ...

Jul 24, 2026
Phys.org / Mapping project helps protect coastal world heritage sites from climate threats

A major new digital mapping project could help safeguard some of the world's most important and well-known heritage sites from rising seas, flooding and coastal erosion. Researchers led by scientists from the University of ...

Jul 24, 2026
Phys.org / Orcas filmed ramming one of the world's heaviest fish so hard it explodes, possibly for fun

Orcas are known to be smart and ruthless hunters. They've been observed hunting a variety of prey, with some species, such as whales, larger than themselves. They use a wide range of strategies to hunt and kill prey, but ...

Jul 23, 2026
Phys.org / Sperm whales blow bubbles to achieve restful, vertical sleep

New research from the University of St Andrews and Université de Neuchâtel has uncovered the mechanism that allows sperm whales to sleep in a unique vertical position just under the ocean surface.

Jul 23, 2026
Phys.org / Modern forensics uncovers new clues about Inca sacrifice victims' last days

Human sacrifice was deeply ingrained in Inca civilization. Children and young people were selected for sacrifice to appease the gods and sacred mountain spirits. Being chosen was considered a great honor for both the victims ...

Jul 23, 2026
Phys.org / Molecular clock transitions tune out the noise in the hunt for new physics

Heavy polar molecules are some of the most sensitive tools physicists have for probing what lies beyond the Standard Model, the theory that describes the particles and forces we know about. But turning that sensitivity into ...

Jul 23, 2026