Phys.org news

Phys.org / Saltier seas in spring double the chance of extreme El Niño events, study finds

Stronger El Niño events are more likely when springtime surface waters in the western Pacific Ocean become unusually salty, a new study in Geophysical Research Letters suggests. Traditionally, scientists have focused on ...

Jan 26, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / How starfish control tube feet without a central nervous system or brain

Starfish, also known as sea stars, are equipped with an almost alien-like anatomy. Despite lacking a brain, blood, and central nervous system, these odd creatures still have locomotive abilities. The structure of their many ...

Jan 26, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Shipping regulations to reduce pollution may have exacerbated Great Barrier Reef bleaching

Rising ocean temperatures have been implicated in mass coral bleaching events affecting the Great Barrier Reef (GBR). These events have been increasingly frequent, with major events occurring in 2016, 2017, 2020, 2022, 2024, ...

Jan 26, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / First carbon-enhanced metal-poor stars discovered in Milky Way's companion

Using the Baryons Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) spectrograph, astronomers have discovered five new carbon-enhanced metal-poor stars in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). This is the first time such stars have been ...

Jan 26, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / How gut bacteria control immune responses

Bacteria in the human gut can directly deliver proteins into human cells, actively shaping immune responses. A consortium led by researchers at Helmholtz Munich, with participation from Ludwig Maximilians University (LMU), ...

Jan 26, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Exceptionally well-preserved ant in Goethe's amber examined

Even some 200 years after his death, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's scientific curiosity continues to yield new insights. This has now been demonstrated by biologists at Friedrich Schiller University Jena while closely examining ...

Jan 26, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / AI makes quantum field theories computable

An old puzzle in particle physics has been solved: How can quantum field theories be best formulated on a lattice to optimally simulate them on a computer? The answer comes from AI.

Jan 26, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Sloshing liquefied natural gas in cargo tanks causes higher impact forces than expected

What happens if liquefied natural gas (LNG) hits the wall of the cargo tanks in a ship? New research from the team of physicist Devaraj van der Meer from the University of Twente, published in the Proceedings of the National ...

Jan 26, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Toothbrush-activated powder whitens, repairs and protects teeth

Even with regular brushing, teeth can become stained from genetic factors or consuming foods and drinks like tomatoes and coffee. Chemical whiteners can help, but they can also damage teeth in the process. So, researchers ...

Jan 26, 2026 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / Tapping into risk in America's drinking water

When you turn on the tap, you can typically expect clean, safe water to flow out. But behind that simple action lies a complex system of pipes, pumps, governance, and financials that, for millions of Americans, is at risk ...

Jan 26, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / Mighty microscopic fibers are the key to cell division and life itself

Every second, millions of cells in your body divide in two. In the space of an hour, they duplicate their DNA and grow a web of protein fibers around it called a spindle. The spindle extends its many fibers from the chromosomes ...

Jan 26, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Shrubs curb carbon emissions in China's largest desert, decades-long experiment shows

An experiment in western China over the past four decades shows that it is possible to tame the expansion of desert lands with greenery, and, in the process, pull excess carbon dioxide out of the sky.

Jan 26, 2026 in Earth