Phys.org news

Phys.org / Where are Europe's oldest people living? What geography tells us about a fragmenting continent

For over a century and a half, life expectancy has steadily increased in the wealthiest countries. Spectacular climbs in longevity have been noted in the 20th century, correlating with the slump in infectious illnesses and ...

Feb 4, 2026 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Oysters play unexpected role in protecting blue crabs from disease

Oysters famously filter their surrounding water, but it turns out they are removing more than algae and excess nutrients. New research from William & Mary's Batten School of Coastal & Marine Sciences & VIMS shows they can ...

Feb 4, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Scientists use RNA nanotechnology to program living cells, opening a new path for cancer cure

Scientists at Rutgers University–Newark have developed a first-of-its-kind RNA-based nanotechnology that assembles itself inside living human cells and can be programmed to stop propagation of harmful cells. The findings, ...

Feb 4, 2026 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / Nanocrystal biohybrids harvest light to reduce N₂ gas to ammonia

Ammonia, a key part of nitrogen fertilizers, is central to sustaining global food production. However, its manufacture is also energy intensive: Ammonia production requires 2% of global energy to meet global demand. Approximately ...

Feb 4, 2026 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / Lab-grown beef: Novel line of bovine embryonic stem cells shows promise

Researchers in the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources have developed a novel line of bovine embryonic stem cells, which have significant potential for a variety of new innovations, from lab-grown meat to ...

Feb 4, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Honest or deceptive? What a new signaling model means for animal displays and human claims

For decades, scientists have tried to answer a simple question: why be honest when deception is possible? Whether it is a peacock's tail, a stag's roar, or a human's résumé, signals are means to influence others by transmitting ...

Feb 4, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / From cryogenic to red-hot: Optical temperature sensing from 77 K to 873 K

An international collaboration involving researchers from the University of Innsbruck has developed a novel luminescent material that enables particularly robust and precise optical temperature sensing across an exceptionally ...

Feb 4, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Orange, camphor-smelling solid could be a key to the next generation grid-storage batteries

An orange solid with a camphor-like odor has helped aqueous zinc-iodide batteries move a large step closer to supplying safe and economic grid and household energy storage.

Feb 4, 2026 in Chemistry
Phys.org / From sea to space: Turning the tide on microplastic pollution with satellite technology

What do microplastics, water color, and satellites have in common? Dr. Karl Kaiser, professor of marine and coastal environmental science in the College of Marine Sciences and Maritime Studies at Texas A&M University at Galveston ...

Feb 4, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / From single queens to mega-colonies: How ant societies are shaped by the environment

A single queen in the tropics; large colonies in deserts; workers with uniform morphology in temperate regions; ant social structures vary according to environmental conditions. This is shown, for the first time at a global ...

Feb 4, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Well-behaved dogs generally have lower cortisol and higher serotonin, study finds

Dogs who scored well on the Wesen test, which is used to analyze a dog's temperament, tended to have lower levels of cortisol, often called the "stress hormone," and higher levels of serotonin, often called the "happiness ...

Feb 4, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Hadean zircons reveal crust recycling and continent formation more than 4 billion years ago

Parts of ancient Earth may have formed continents and recycled crust through subduction far earlier than previously thought. New research led by scientists at the University of Wisconsin–Madison has uncovered chemical signatures ...

Feb 4, 2026 in Earth