Phys.org news

Phys.org / Archaeologists identify elders in Iron Age Israel through household artifacts

A new study from Bar-Ilan University is shedding light on a long-overlooked social group in archaeology: the elderly. While research on women and children has flourished in recent decades, older adults have remained largely ...

Feb 18, 2026 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / 'Boomerang' earthquake simulations suggest ricocheting ruptures may be more common than previously thought

An earthquake typically sets off ruptures that ripple out from its underground origins. But on rare occasions, seismologists have observed quakes that reverse course, further shaking up areas that they passed through only ...

Feb 18, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / Machine learning helps solve a central problem of quantum chemistry

By applying new methods of machine learning to quantum chemistry research, Heidelberg University scientists have made significant strides in computational chemistry. They have achieved a major breakthrough toward solving ...

Feb 18, 2026 in Chemistry
Phys.org / Marriage or moving in? Study explains what lifts happiness after 50

Who says that butterflies in the stomach are only for the young? A new study by psychologist Iris Wahring from the University of Vienna and her international team shows that when people over 50 enter into a new relationship ...

Feb 18, 2026 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / New 'Mars GPS' lets Perseverance pinpoint its location within 25 centimeters

Imagine you're all alone, driving along in a rocky, unforgiving desert with no roads, no map, no GPS, and no more than one phone call a day for someone to inform you exactly where you are. That's what NASA's Perseverance ...

Feb 18, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Chemistry-powered 'breathing' membrane opens and closes tiny pores on its own

Ion channels are narrow passageways that play a pivotal role in many biological processes. To model how ions move through these tight spaces, pores need to be fabricated at very small length scales. The narrowest regions ...

Feb 18, 2026 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / Plant-based material offers sustainable method of recovering rare earth element

Despite rare earth elements' importance in manufacturing cell phones, magnets and a host of other consumer and commercial electronics, the lack of a sustainable, environmentally friendly approach to obtaining these metals ...

Feb 18, 2026 in Chemistry
Phys.org / Pekingese, Shih Tzu and Staffordshire bull terrier among 12 dog breeds at risk of serious breathing condition

Scientists have identified a further 12 dog breeds as being at risk of brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome—a condition that can cause serious breathing problems—including the Pekingese, Shih Tzu, Boston terrier, ...

Feb 18, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Turtles' brains shed light on evolutionary developments dating back hundreds of millions of years

A new study from the School of Neurobiology, Biochemistry, and Biophysics reveals a surprising insight into the operation of the ancestral brain: the visual cortex of turtles is capable of detecting unexpected visual stimuli ...

Feb 18, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Quantum simulator reveals statistical localization that keeps most qubit states frozen

In the everyday world, governed by classical physics, the concept of equilibrium reigns. If you put a drop of ink into water, it will eventually evenly mix. If you put a glass of ice water on the kitchen table, it will eventually ...

Feb 18, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / From power grids to epidemics: Study shows how small patterns trigger systemic failures

Why do some systems collapse suddenly after what seems like a minor disturbance? A single transmission line failure can cascade into widespread blackouts. A delayed shipment can ripple through a global supply chain, emptying ...

Feb 18, 2026 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / A clearer future: Researchers unveil transparent, plastic-free wood

Researchers at the University of Osaka have developed a highly transparent material made entirely from natural wood without adding plastic and uncovered why some wood becomes clearer than others. Their study reveals that ...

Feb 18, 2026 in Chemistry