Phys.org news

Phys.org / Physicists improve precision of atomic clocks by reducing quantum noise
Every time you check the time on your phone, make an online transaction, or use a navigation app, you are depending on the precision of atomic clocks.

Phys.org / Scientists discover regulatory pathway behind cyanobacteria's carbon-fixing factories
Long before plants and algae, cyanobacteria were already performing photosynthesis—filling Earth's skies with oxygen and setting the stage for life as we know it. The ultra-prevalent bacteria are critical to the global ...

Phys.org / 1,000-year-old gut microbiome revealed for young man who lived in pre-Hispanic Mexico
Analysis of preserved feces and intestinal tissue has revealed specific types of bacteria that were present in the microbiome of a young adult man who lived in Mexico about 1,000 years ago, prior to Spanish colonization. ...

Phys.org / Chinese medicine extract tetrandrine's precise mechanism of action opens new avenues for drug discovery
A research team led by Prof. Ben Ko Chi-bun, Associate Professor of the PolyU Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, has discovered the critical mechanism of action of tetrandrine, a compound derived from ...

Phys.org / Analyses of moon's largest impact crater reveal unexpected insights into its tumultuous past
When astronauts land near the moon's south pole as part of NASA's Artemis program in a few years, they likely will find themselves in an unexpected treasure trove of clues that could help scientists better understand how ...

Phys.org / Early humans butchered elephants using small tools then made big tools from their bones, research finds
During warmer periods of the Middle Pleistocene, ancient humans in Italy were in the habit of butchering elephants for meat and raw materials, according to a study published October 8, 2025 in the open-access journal PLOS ...

Phys.org / Researchers discover a hidden atomic order that persists in metals even after extreme processing
For decades, it's been known that subtle chemical patterns exist in metal alloys, but researchers thought they were too minor to matter—or that they got erased during manufacturing. However, recent studies have shown that ...

Phys.org / Likely origins of black hole collision with 'squashed' orbital path revealed
Scientists have begun to unravel the origin story of a cataclysmic collision between two black holes, which seem to have met their fate on a rarely observed "squashed" orbital path.

Phys.org / Antarctic Ocean of the last ice age reveals how a critical process of CO₂ storage may slow again
Off the coast of Antarctica, the sea ice retreated toward the southernmost continent and, like a bottle cap taken off a soda bottle, that reduced pressure slowed down a process of critical carbon dioxide capture, dramatically ...

Phys.org / Understanding the climate cost of cleaning our water
Each year, U.S. wastewater treatment plants clean trillions of gallons of water, from what we flush down the toilet to drain down the sink.

Phys.org / Webb unveils doomed star that could help solve mystery of missing massive red supergiants
A Northwestern University-led team of astronomers has captured the most detailed glimpse yet of a doomed star before it exploded. Using NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), the international team identified a supernova's ...

Phys.org / Nasal spray with gold nanoparticles delivers targeted treatment to the brain
Tiny gold particles that act as carriers for lithium can be delivered directly to the brain in the form of a nasal spray. Developed by scientists at the Università Cattolica Rome campus/Fondazione Policlinico Universitario ...