Phys.org news

Phys.org / Laying odds on the potential for Martian water near future landing zones

We know Mars has water ice in its polar regions, but astronauts (and their solar-powered equipment!) would much rather experience life closer to Mars' equator. As NASA looks toward landing humans on the red planet, the Planetary ...

Jul 31, 2026
Phys.org / Optimized magnetic pulses could cut memory switching energy by several orders of magnitude

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) driven by artificial intelligence (AI) are generating data at an unprecedented rate. Every internet search, AI-generated image, recommendation, scientific simulation and large ...

Jul 31, 2026
Phys.org / Magnetic nanoparticles remove forever chemicals from water

PFAS, otherwise known as forever chemicals, have become commonplace in numerous everyday and industrial products. At the same time, they are some of the most problematic pollutants of our times: They are extremely durable, ...

Jul 31, 2026
Phys.org / Moonquakes could reveal ice buried beneath lunar south polar craters

Finding water on the moon may only be a matter of detecting the right vibrations.

Jul 31, 2026
Phys.org / The Arctic Ocean keeps permafrost carbon firmly locked

Permafrost in the Arctic stores large quantities of organic carbon. When frozen ground thaws or coastal sections erode, this carbon can enter the sea, where microorganisms can break it down and convert it into climate-damaging ...

Jul 31, 2026
Phys.org / Homing in on the X-ray sky with eROSITA's second data release

The German eROSITA consortium (eROSITA-DE), which includes the University of Bonn and is led by the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics (MPE), has released its second major public data set, the "eROSITA Data ...

Jul 31, 2026
Phys.org / Shark finning regulations have not significantly changed global trade, new analysis finds

Much like caviar, shark fins are a luxury product and delicacy in parts of the world. And like wild caviar, demand for shark fins has posed an incredible threat to species that can't reproduce quickly enough to keep up.

Jul 31, 2026
Phys.org / Diamond's newfound defect may tame vibrations that hinder quantum light sources

Researchers in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have discovered a new type of quantum light emitter in diamonds that could help overcome a number of challenges ...

Jul 31, 2026
Phys.org / Surprising boiling behavior in liquids could advance future space missions

When astronauts travel deeper into space, every drop of fuel becomes critical, and keeping those fuels stable for months or even years is one of the biggest engineering challenges facing future missions. Now, University of ...

Jul 31, 2026
Phys.org / New method flags hurricane rapid intensification up to five days ahead

The rapid intensification of a hurricane ranks among the most dangerous weather events on Earth. Storms such as Hurricane Michael, which crashed ashore in the Florida Panhandle with winds of 160 mph (about 257 km/h), and ...

Jul 31, 2026
Phys.org / A backup fluoride defense in soil bacteria could aid greener chemical production

Researchers at the University of Tartu have discovered a mechanism in bacteria that helps them adapt to fluoride, which is toxic to most organisms above relatively low threshold concentrations. Their discovery may represent ...

Jul 31, 2026
Phys.org / Newly discovered parasite linked to coastal seabird deaths

Along the Gulf Coast, black skimmers have long been a familiar sight—gliding just above the water with their bright orange beaks slicing through the surface to feed.

Jul 31, 2026