Phys.org news

Phys.org / Electrostatic nanocorral offers new control over charged excitons and quantum light

Researchers created an electrically tunable quantum nanoscale corral that traps charged excitons and enables precise electrical control of tiny light sources, including their brightness, color and quantum states, the team, ...

11 hours ago
Phys.org / Well-worn wins: Wild capuchin monkeys prefer stones with a proven track record of cracking nuts

A new study provides experimental evidence that wild capuchin monkeys use more than just physical cues when selecting stone tools; they also rely on visible signs that a stone has previously been used for this purpose.

12 hours ago
Phys.org / Harvesting rainwater from rooftops could help cities stay cool and cut the number of heat wave days

Collecting rainwater from rooftops and using it to spray buildings during hot weather could help cities cut air conditioning use, lower urban temperatures and lessen the impact of heat waves, according to new research from ...

13 hours ago
Phys.org / Genomic evidence suggests coral reefs may be rewriting their genetic future in real time

The 2019 heat wave that struck Mo'orea—a volcanic island in French Polynesia—swept through its coral reefs like an invisible wildfire. Colorful, lively corals bleached into ghostly, chalk-white skeletons as soaring ocean ...

12 hours ago
Phys.org / Artificial cells reveal how living ones take shape

Using simple artificial cells, a research group led by Makito Miyazaki of the RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences (IMS) in Japan has uncovered fundamental physical principles that govern how living cells change ...

12 hours ago
Phys.org / As urban tree shade shrinks, mortality rises

As trees disappear from urban neighborhoods, lives may be lost with them. In a new study, Northwestern University scientists tracked death rates and fluctuations in tree canopy cover across an 11-year period in Chicago. They ...

15 hours ago
Phys.org / Electric field reverses phonon chirality and spin direction in ferroelectric crystal

Chiral phonons are groups of atoms that move in a circular direction when excited by an energy source, such as heat. As the phonons move through a material, they propagate that circular motion, or angular momentum, through ...

14 hours ago
Phys.org / Turning one of the world's most difficult plastics into premium lubricant

Virginia Tech chemist and chemical engineer Guoliang "Greg" Liu and his lab have developed a process that converts the plastic polyvinyl chloride (PVC) into polyalphaolefin, a key component in lubricants such as engine oil. ...

18 hours ago
Phys.org / How humans process the extraordinary—most report positive long-term effects

One-fourth of people who undergo an extraordinary experience report immediate discomfort, but more than half say the experience caused positive long-term effects, according to a study published Aug. 5, 2026, in the open-access ...

15 hours ago
Phys.org / Were there tiny dinosaurs? New study explores one of evolution's biggest mysteries

Dinosaurs are famous for being big, from the towering Tyrannosaurus rex to the colossal Apatosaurus. But a new study published today in the journal Evolution by scientists at the American Museum of Natural History and Princeton ...

19 hours ago
Phys.org / Backpack lab finds wastewater contamination and drug-resistant bacteria in Galápagos waters

From routine surgeries to cancer treatment, modern medicine depends on drugs that can fight infections caused by microbes such as bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. But some microbes are becoming resistant to the drugs ...

18 hours ago
Phys.org / Tangled seaweed inspires one-size-fits-all cleaners for ocean microplastics

Inspired by naturally occurring mats and balls of seaweed, researchers have created highly porous, superadhesive meshes capable of capturing both large and small microplastic particles—a longstanding challenge in the field. ...

15 hours ago