Phys.org news

Phys.org / Marine plastic pollution alters octopus predator-prey encounters, study shows

More than 350,000 chemicals are used worldwide, and many find their way into the ocean through plastic pollution. As plastics accumulate in coastal waters, they continuously leach bioactive additives that can interfere with ...

11 hours ago in Biology
Phys.org / When smaller means better: How device scaling enhances memory performance

Shrinking ferroelectric tunnel junctions can significantly boost their performance in memory devices, as reported by researchers from Science Tokyo. The team fabricated nanoscale junctions directly on silicon substrates and ...

12 hours ago in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / New lab technique can reverse chemical process linked with Alzheimer's disease

An Oregon State University scientist and a team of undergraduate students have uncovered real-time insights into a chemical process linked with Alzheimer's disease, paving the way toward better drug designs. The researchers ...

15 hours ago in Chemistry
Phys.org / Cannabis essential oils unlock how camphor repels mosquitoes

From summer evenings to global disease prevention, mosquito repellents are a daily defense for billions of people, yet until now, scientists didn't fully understand how mosquitoes themselves perceive these "keep away" signals. ...

14 hours ago in Biology
Phys.org / Americans reveal deepening split between self and country

American reports of individual well-being have remained relatively stable over decades, but confidence in the nation has sharply declined. James N. Druckman and colleagues analyzed long-term survey data from two projects: ...

13 hours ago in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Enzymes work as 'Maxwell's demon' by using memory stored as motion

Living cells are sustained by countless chemical reactions that must be carefully regulated to maintain internal order and function. Enzymes play a central role in this process, accelerating reactions that would otherwise ...

16 hours ago in Chemistry
Phys.org / Methane's missing emissions: The underestimated impact of small sources

Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, with an impact estimated at 80 times that of CO₂. Although efforts are being made to reduce the contribution of big polluters to methane in Japan, new research from Osaka Metropolitan ...

15 hours ago in Earth
Phys.org / How the color of a theater affects sound perception

Live music can engage more than just one sense, despite it being an auditory medium. Lighting and visual effects can enhance the listening experience, but it is unclear if they can also affect the impression of the sound. ...

15 hours ago in Other Sciences
Phys.org / With the flip of a switch, scientists harness light to program how particles interact and assemble

NYU scientists are using light to precisely control how tiny particles organize themselves into crystals. Their research, published in Chem, provides a simple and reversible method for forming crystals that can be used to ...

15 hours ago in Chemistry
Phys.org / New technology reveals hidden DNA scaffolding built before life 'switches on'

For decades, scientists viewed the genome of a newly fertilized egg as a structural "blank slate"—a disordered tangle of DNA waiting for the embryo to wake up and start reading its own genetic instructions. In research ...

21 hours ago in Biology
Phys.org / AI provides a more precise time of death post-mortem

Artificial intelligence can be used to provide a more precise time of death, which could be crucial in murder investigations. The method was developed by researchers at Linköping University and the Swedish National Board ...

18 hours ago in Biology
Phys.org / Mysterious Greek inscription reignites debate on whether a Syrian mosque stands atop Roman Emperor Elagabalus' Temple

A recently discovered Greek inscription at the base of a column inside the Great Mosque of Homs in Syria has rekindled a longstanding scholarly debate about the exact location of the Temple of the sun, whose high priest ascended ...

Feb 23, 2026 in Other Sciences