Phys.org news

Phys.org / Why student samples can mislead: Higher education may shift values toward Western norms

A new study published in Nature Communications finds that worldwide, people with higher levels of education are more culturally similar to those in Canada, the U.S., U.K., and other Anglo, industrialized countries and countries ...

Mar 27, 2026
Phys.org / Breaking recalcitrant lignin bonds with electricity for conversion into value-added chemicals: An e-biorefinery

A research team led by Professor Jaehoon Kim at Sungkyunkwan University and Dr. Dong Ki Lee at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) has developed a highly efficient catalytic process that electrochemically ...

Mar 27, 2026
Phys.org / Unlocking the cell's 'gatekeeper': Researchers discover critical RNA quality-control factor, LENG8

How do cells ensure that the "blueprints" of genetic information-RNA are accurate and intact before they are exported from the nucleus to the cytoplasm for protein production? A study led by Professor Yongsheng Shi's team ...

Mar 27, 2026
Phys.org / Unraveling active magma by drilling in the heart of volcanoes

Although volcanic eruptions are spectacular natural events that occur around the world every day, most volcanoes spend the majority of their time not erupting. To accurately forecast volcanic activity, it's important to characterize ...

Mar 27, 2026
Phys.org / New framework suggests dark energy could be evolving—and may be linked to the Hubble tension

A team of cosmologists in China has introduced a mathematical framework that investigates two of the deepest mysteries in cosmology at the same time. Publishing their research in The Astrophysical Journal, Yun Chen and colleagues ...

Mar 26, 2026
Phys.org / Novel measurement confirms a 50-year-old prediction: Dark points are faster than light

A research group from the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology reports in Nature an unprecedented achievement in electron microscopy: the direct measurement of "dark points" within light waves. By doing so, the researchers ...

Mar 26, 2026
Phys.org / Earth's magnetic field creates a previously undetected pocket of protection from radiation on the moon

High-energy particles called galactic cosmic rays (GCRs) bombard unprotected objects in space, often causing damage. Earth, however, is protected by its magnetic field, which creates a protective shell around the planet that ...

Mar 26, 2026
Phys.org / Quantum experiment shows events may have no fixed order

For the first time, a team of physicists in Austria has carried out an experiment that appears to verify the principle of indefinite causal order: an idea that suggests that timelines of events can exist in multiple orders ...

Mar 26, 2026
Phys.org / Human sperm may get lost in space

Having a baby in space may require a bit more direction, with new Adelaide University research revealing the navigational abilities of sperm are negatively impacted by a lack of gravity. Researchers at the University's Robinson ...

Mar 26, 2026
Phys.org / Hubble detects first-ever spin reversal of tiny comet

Astronomers using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope have found evidence that the spinning of a small comet slowed and then reversed its direction of rotation, offering a dramatic example of how volatile activity can affect the ...

Mar 26, 2026
Phys.org / Israel's 'Stonehenge' no longer stands alone: Satellite technology opens archaeological frontiers

For decades, the massive stone circles of Rujm el-Hiri in the Golan Heights were considered a singular, mysterious anomaly—often dubbed "Israel's Stonehenge." However, new research led by Ben-Gurion University of the Negev ...

Mar 26, 2026
Phys.org / Giant virus DNA may help polar algae survive harsh environments

In the game of survival, you can't always go it alone. Tiny algae living in the harsh conditions of the world's polar oceans appear to be better able to withstand the cold, high salinity, and extreme UV radiation, thanks ...

Mar 26, 2026