Phys.org news

Phys.org / Diamond defects confirm 80-year-old theory of crystal stress

For the first time, researchers in Japan have directly mapped several components of the stress field surrounding an atomic-scale flaw in the crystal structure of diamond. Led by Tokuyuki Teraji at Japan's National Institute ...

Oct 26, 2026
Phys.org / FAST and Arecibo point to possible dark galaxy with vast hydrogen reservoir

Astronomers have found a vast reservoir of hydrogen with something conspicuously missing: detectable starlight. The object, called AGC 322753, contains roughly 2 billion times the sun's mass in neutral hydrogen, a potential ...

Oct 26, 2026
Phys.org / JWST and ALMA reveal a dusty, rapidly growing black hole in the early universe

A new study reveals a dust-reddened quasar from a time when the universe was less than a billion years old. Located at a redshift of 6.5488, the object J1440+0019 contains a rapidly accreting supermassive black hole with ...

Oct 26, 2026
Phys.org / Scientists produce less disruptive research as they age, but their breakthroughs are more likely to last

Science often advances in small steps, with researchers gradually building on previous discoveries. But every now and then, a breakthrough comes along that challenges conventional thinking and changes the direction of a field.

Oct 26, 2026
Phys.org / Laser-blasted plasma shows how instabilities could heat the sun's corona

From its visible surface, the sun radiates heat at a relatively cool temperature of 5,800 Kelvin. Yet within the thin outer layer of the sun's atmosphere known as the corona, electrons can reach temperatures of millions of ...

Oct 26, 2026
Phys.org / Both selfishness and generosity distort how we see our impact, but the selfish view is more contagious

People can sometimes make decisions that benefit them but are less advantageous for someone else. In these scenarios, they might convince themselves that their choice causes little harm to others or that an alternative would ...

Oct 26, 2026
Phys.org / Armored amphibian lived entirely at sea 237 million years ago, fossils suggest

Scientists report fossil evidence of the first fully marine amphibian in a study from the University of California, Davis; Peking University; and the Geological Museum of Guizhou. The amphibian is an armored, giant salamander–sized, ...

Oct 26, 2026
Phys.org / Clouds on a lava planet challenge what astronomers expected

A rocky lava planet once thought to be too extreme to have an atmosphere appears to be wrapped in one with a reflective layer of vaporized silicate mineral clouds, the same family of compounds that make up quartz and sand.

Oct 26, 2026
Phys.org / Fossils from brickworks reveal new dinosaur species that roamed England's wetlands 125 million years ago

More than 25 years after it was first discovered, a new species and genus of dinosaur have been named from the fossil collections cared for by the Natural History Museum. Paludohadros proudlovii was discovered at wienerberger's ...

Oct 26, 2026
Phys.org / Can cats really thrive on vegan diets? Professor Andrew Knight responds to critics

In response to a recent article on vegan diets for cats, Phys.org received numerous messages from concerned readers. People raised a lot of concerns, mainly arguing that cats are obligate carnivores and that vegan diets could ...

Oct 26, 2026
Phys.org / Lizard tail preserved in amber sheds light on a 100-million-year-old defense mechanism

A lizard making a dramatic escape, leaving its tail wriggling behind as it darts to safety, is an image familiar to many. Tail-shedding is one of the most widespread defenses against predators among living lizards, yet tracing ...

Oct 26, 2026
Dialog / Water into fuel: The new nanomaterial that could upgrade green hydrogen

Generating hydrogen without releasing carbon dioxide sounds simple: pass electricity through water, split water molecules and generate green hydrogen. The hard part is the electrocatalyst. The best ones rely on platinum, ...

Oct 26, 2026