Phys.org news

Phys.org / ALMA uncovers sulfur for the first time around a rare class of supergiant star

Astronomers have discovered a chemically rich collection of sulfur-bearing molecules surrounding the rare massive star HD 87643. The observations include the first detection of sulfur monoxide and sulfur dioxide around a ...

Aug 20, 2026
Phys.org / Scarce emergence of new species drove the decline of African megaherbivores, study suggests

A study by the National Museum of Natural Sciences (MNCN-CSIC), the National Research Center on Human Evolution (CENIEH) and the University of Alcalá offers a new explanation for the decline of African megaherbivores. These ...

Aug 20, 2026
Phys.org / Rising carbon dioxide is supercharging grass growth in African savannas, study finds

Rising atmospheric carbon dioxide is boosting grass growth in Africa's water-limited savannas, according to a new study led by the University of Sheffield.

Aug 20, 2026
Phys.org / Welcome to the jungle: Newly discovered snake named after Slash from Guns N' Roses

Slash, aka Saul Hudson, is probably best known as the guitarist for Guns N' Roses. But there's more to Slash than his music. He's also a lifelong reptile lover and an avid supporter of zoos and museums. And now, he's the ...

Aug 20, 2026
Phys.org / Natural forest regrowth offers a lower-cost path to climate and biodiversity goals

As nations race to restore ecosystems and curb climate change, research has shown that letting nature do the work is a cost-effective, viable solution. A study from the University of Queensland and the University of Newcastle ...

Aug 20, 2026
Phys.org / Thinner lenses, brighter colors: Metalens research clears two hurdles for AR and VR glasses

AR and VR glasses once seen only in science fiction may soon be realized not as bulky stacks of lenses but as a single eyeglass-like optical element. That future is now closer to reality.

Aug 20, 2026
Phys.org / Rising ocean temperatures reduce the natural carbon storage capacity of seagrass meadows

A new study published in Communications Earth & Environment, with contributions from researchers at the Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT), shows that higher seawater temperatures could significantly reduce ...

Aug 20, 2026
Phys.org / Hypersonic impact rapidly transforms diamond into graphite, revealing energy-absorbing mechanism

Rice University researchers have developed a way to stabilize diamond during high-temperature and low-pressure processing, creating a strong bulk composite and discovering that high-speed collisions can rapidly transform ...

Aug 20, 2026
Phys.org / 'Shaking up' biofilm research: Active topography reduces bacterial infections

The use of antibiotics has traditionally been considered the gold standard in bacterial infection control—the more bacterial cells you kill, and the faster you kill them, the better. University of Tennessee, Knoxville Professor ...

Aug 20, 2026
Phys.org / Fibrinogen discovery reshapes understanding of how wounds heal

Scientists have redefined how the key blood-clotting protein fibrinogen behaves when it contacts air, overturning two decades of scientific consensus on wound healing. It is the culmination of more than a decade of international ...

Aug 20, 2026
Phys.org / Dynamics of the Icelandic ice sheet altered North Atlantic seawater chemistry, environmental physicists reveal

Over the past 230,000 years, the growth and retreat of the Icelandic ice sheet have led to major changes in the seawater chemistry of the North Atlantic, caused by the interaction between volcanism and ice in Iceland. Scientists ...

Aug 20, 2026
Phys.org / Magnetically levitated quantum bit could address design flaws

Researchers at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering and the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, headquartered at Florida State University, have designed a new quantum computing architecture that uses magnetic levitation ...

Aug 20, 2026