Phys.org news

Phys.org / Binary star population of open cluster NGC 2158 explored with Hubble

Astronomers have analyzed the images collected by the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) to investigate a galactic open cluster known as NGC 2158. Results of the study, published Feb. 25 on the arXiv pre-print server, provide essential ...

Mar 5, 2026
Phys.org / New LVK catalog adds 128 gravitational-wave candidates, more than doubling detections

When the densest objects in the universe collide and merge, the violence sets off ripples, in the form of gravitational waves, that reverberate across space and time, over hundreds of millions and even billions of years. ...

Mar 5, 2026
Phys.org / Why Large Hadron Collider predictions can miss the mark, and a new way to fix it

Estimating things that exist is generally easy, but when it comes to estimating things that do not exist, it's more difficult. This is something physicists from Poland and the UK are well aware of. To improve current simulations ...

Mar 5, 2026
Phys.org / Making mini-lightning in a block of plastic

Lightning formation and the conditions triggering it have long been shrouded in a cloud of mystery, but new research led by Penn State scientists is lifting the fog. Using mathematical calculations, the researchers have discovered ...

Mar 5, 2026
Phys.org / Microbial ancestor of complex life was more sophisticated than previously thought, studies suggest

Our single-celled ancestor lived in a world without plants, animals or oxygen-rich oceans. Yet, this seemingly simple microorganism took the first steps toward complex life. From this ancestor emerged all multicellular (complex) ...

Mar 5, 2026
Phys.org / Electric field tunes vibrations to ease heat transfer

New research from the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory, in collaboration with The Ohio State University and Amphenol Corporation, challenges conventional understanding about controlling heat flow in solid ...

Mar 5, 2026
Phys.org / Why woodpeckers rarely get rattled: Skulls built to control rotation, not cushion blows

Woodpeckers are well known for striking tree trunks with remarkable force and precision. These birds deliver thousands of high-speed impacts per day, generating mechanical loads that would destabilize the skulls of most other ...

Mar 5, 2026
Phys.org / This odd little plant could help turbocharge crop yields

An international team of researchers has uncovered a remarkable molecular trick used by a unique group of land plants, one that could eventually be engineered into crops like wheat and rice to dramatically boost how efficiently ...

Mar 5, 2026
Phys.org / Newfound terrestrial crocodile fossil redraws the map of Europe in the age of the dinosaurs

A research team led by Dr. Márton Rabi from the Biogeology Department of the University of Tübingen, together with Máté Szegszárdi and Professor Attila Ősi from the Hungarian Eötvös Loránd University, is challenging ...

Mar 5, 2026
Phys.org / Shrinking the carbon footprint of chemical manufacturing with lasers and solar radiation

Researchers have found a way to use solar energy to power a key chemical reaction that drives many manufacturing industries. This new method can significantly reduce the energy required to run these operations, eliminate ...

Mar 5, 2026
Phys.org / Protecting wildlife from genetic collapse with newly identified 'early warning signals'

A new study reveals that habitat fragmentation can lead to sudden "tipping points" where a species' genetic health unexpectedly collapses after appearing stable for long periods. By merging network theory with population ...

Mar 5, 2026
Dialog / Chemically tuning nanographene into topological spin chains and why the ends matter

When most people hear "polymer," they think of plastics. In our group, polymerization is a way to line up identical molecules like beads on a string and let quantum mechanics take over. Put magnetic building blocks in a one-dimensional ...

Mar 5, 2026