Phys.org news

Phys.org / AI toolkit turns microscopy images into multi-feature microstructure datasets

A research team from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has developed GrainBot, an AI-enabled toolkit that automatically extracts and quantifies multiple microstructural features from microscopy images. ...

Feb 27, 2026 in Chemistry
Phys.org / Filamentous cyanobacteria exhibit a unique navigation strategy due to their chiral gliding

Cyanobacteria are among the most significant life forms in the history of our planet. As one of the first organisms to produce oxygen through photosynthesis, they shaped early Earth and created the atmosphere in which complex ...

Feb 27, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / We may be underestimating the true carbon cost of northern wildfires

Wildfires in the northern boreal forests of Alaska, Canada, Scandinavia, and Russia may be more damaging to the climate than previously thought, a new UC Berkeley-led study suggests. That's because these fires don't just ...

Feb 27, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / Putting sports stats to the test: Unpredictable play helps pick a winner in soccer

A comprehensive game plan and strategic tactics are critical to winning soccer, but how much does a team's unpredictability in moving the soccer ball around the pitch matter? In a new article published in PLOS One, an international ...

Feb 27, 2026 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Molecular map reveals Andes hantavirus entry protein at the nanoscale

Hantaviruses, transmitted from rodents to people, have a death rate approaching 40%. They're found around the world, and because there are no approved vaccines or treatments, they're among the pathogens of highest concern ...

Feb 27, 2026 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / Protein regulator of sugars and fats may work with an unexpected partner—itself

A protein that is a key modulator of fat, glucose and cholesterol levels in the body usually works in tandem with another protein, but new research shows it can also work with an unexpected partner—itself. A team of Penn ...

Feb 27, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / A study in stardust: Massive binary stars emit tiny carbon particles

Yale junior Donglin Wu leads a new study showing that some of the biggest stars in the universe shed some of the smallest dust particles. It's fitting that Wu's first major scientific journal article as lead author focuses ...

Feb 27, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Political polarization can spur CO₂ emissions and stymie climate action

In recent years, studies and media reports have blamed growing partisan hostility in the U.S. for shattered marriages, broken families, ruined holiday dinners, and increased stress. New CU Boulder research suggests it may ...

Feb 27, 2026 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Over 70% of global ecosystems remain unsampled for critical underground fungi

Underground, intricate networks of soil fungi underpin the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems. Yet despite their global importance, only 30% of global ecosystems have been sampled for these fungal partners. Arbuscular ...

Feb 27, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Fossil amber reveals the secret lives of Cretaceous ants

Tiny insects trapped in amber could tell us a great deal about their roles in past ecosystems: pollinators, parasites, predators, and prey. But how many of the insects preserved alongside each other reflect interactions during ...

Feb 27, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Single-celled organism becomes multicellular via three different pathways

Some single-celled organisms are known to transition to multicellularity during their lifetimes, usually either by cloning themselves or when many similar cells come together to form a larger multicellular organism. A new ...

Feb 26, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Rydberg atoms detect clear signals from a handheld radio

For the first time, a team of US researchers has used sensors containing highly excited Rydberg atoms to detect signals from an ordinary handheld radio. Through a careful approach to demodulating the incoming signals, Noah ...

Feb 26, 2026 in Physics