Phys.org news

Phys.org / Atomic-level simulations predict transistor scaling limits

As the global semiconductor industry enters the so-called 2-nanometer process era, the actual size of transistors—the core components of semiconductor chips—still remains above 10 nm. How much smaller, then, can transistors ...

11 hours ago
Phys.org / Think you'd never eat bugs? Research says you might—and you may even like it

People who are hesitant to try insect-based foods may enjoy the experience more than they expect—and can become more open to expanding their diets in the future, according to research published by the American Psychological ...

12 hours ago
Phys.org / Reforestation's effects on water resources may depend on global warming level

Planting trees is widely promoted as a natural solution to climate change. But a new study led by researchers from the Institute of Atmospheric Physics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences finds that the hydrological consequences ...

10 hours ago
Phys.org / Water-based nanoprinting moves metal films onto delicate 3D surfaces without damage

A new technology allows metal circuits floating on water to be transferred directly onto any desired surface. A South Korean research team has introduced a novel technique capable of transferring ultra-fine nanocircuits onto ...

11 hours ago
Phys.org / Some bees cannot escape rising heat, and their tiny homes make crisis even harder

Bee species that nest in plant stems appear to be at the greatest short-term risk from increasing temperatures due to climate change, while those that nest in the ground are better able to evade extreme heat, according to ...

16 hours ago
Phys.org / Devoted dads and citizen science: The evolution of parental care in harvestmen spiders is uncovered

Citizen science data from the popular platform iNaturalist has helped uncover the evolution of parental guarding behavior in harvestmen spiders, as shown in research published in the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society.

22 hours ago
Phys.org / Burned as waste for years, this overlooked plant material is poised to reshape how nylon gets made

Most people have seen nylon listed as a material on their clothing tags, but nylon is used in an array of other products, too, including automotive parts, wire insulation and medical supplies. Unfortunately, one of the building ...

Jun 14, 2026
Phys.org / Rare 500-year-old freeze-dried potatoes unearthed at Inca coastal site

Archaeologists digging at an Inca site on the arid coast of southern Peru have unearthed two rare, roughly 500-year-old freeze-dried potatoes. The potatoes are among the only ones found in more than a century and would have ...

Jun 14, 2026
Phys.org / Is 'gender gating' the secret to success in online dating?

Digital matching platforms—from professional networking to ride-sharing and accommodation services—add value by bringing supply and demand into balance. But deep-seated asymmetries can prove difficult to expunge, causing ...

Jun 14, 2026
Phys.org / Plant diversity may explain why some caterpillars are fussy about their food

Many insects will eat almost anything in their sight, such as certain beetles, grasshoppers and locusts, while others are remarkably picky eaters. For example, numerous insect herbivores will feed only on a single plant family ...

Jun 14, 2026
Dialog / When less is more: Scaling law explains why ultrathin materials get stronger as they get thinner

One of the most fascinating aspects of physics is that nature often behaves in ways that seem completely counterintuitive. A good example comes from ultrathin materials. If I take a sheet of material and make it thinner ...

Jun 14, 2026
Phys.org / Interpretable AI in materials discovery: Uncovering how models make predictions

A method to interpret artificial intelligence (AI) models used in materials discovery by analyzing their learned features has been developed by researchers from Japan. The method extracts key features from an AI model trained ...

Jun 14, 2026