Phys.org news

Phys.org / Fossilized plankton study gives long-term hope for oxygen-depleted oceans

A new study suggests the world's oxygen-depleted seas may have a chance of returning to higher oxygen concentrations in the centuries to come, despite our increasingly warming climate.

Jan 29, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / 2D discrete time crystals realized on a quantum computer for the first time

Physical systems become inherently more complicated and difficult to produce in a lab as the number of dimensions they exist in increases—even more so in quantum systems. While discrete time crystals (DTCs) had been previously ...

Jan 29, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / AI enables a who's who of brown bears in Alaska

A team of scientists from EPFL and Alaska Pacific University has developed an AI program that can recognize individual bears in the wild, despite the substantial changes that occur in their appearance over the summer season. ...

Jan 29, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / The first headbutting paravian: Bird-like dinosaur likely used thick skull to win over mates

Whether it's digging up weathered bones from a paleontological site or reexamining forgotten trays in museum and university collections, the study of dinosaurs still throws up something new.

Jan 29, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Measuring the quantum extent of a single molecule confined to a nanodroplet

There is no measurement that can directly observe the wave function of a quantum mechanical system, but the wave function is still enormously useful as its (complex) square represents the probability density of the system ...

Jan 29, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Gaia data reveal three galactic open clusters in detail

Using ESA's Gaia satellite, astronomers have investigated three open clusters in the galactic disk, namely Berkeley 17, 18 and 39. Results of the new study, published January 21 on the arXiv pre-print server, yield crucial ...

Jan 29, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Ancient DNA reveals 12,000-year-old case of rare genetic disease

Researchers led by the University of Vienna and Liège University Hospital Center have identified genetic variants associated with a rare inherited growth disorder in two prehistoric individuals who lived more than 12,000 ...

Jan 29, 2026 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / From metabolism to disease: Mitochondria's hidden signaling networks unveiled

The structural and functional characteristics of mitochondria shape their role as signaling organelles, with far-reaching effects regarding immune responses, inflammatory processes, and diseases. A research team led by Professor ...

Jan 29, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Light-based nanotechnology offers potential alternative to chemotherapy and radiation

Researchers at NYU Abu Dhabi have developed a new light-based nanotechnology that could improve how certain cancers are detected and treated, offering a more precise and potentially less harmful alternative to chemotherapy, ...

Jan 29, 2026 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / New satellite method maps 'creeping drought' in Canada's mountain snow

Researchers at Concordia have developed a new method of measuring the amount of usable water stored in snowpacks. The comprehensive technique, known as snow water availability (SWA), uses satellite data and climate reanalysis ...

Jan 29, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / New map of the Milky Way's magnetism offers insights into cosmic evolution

A UBC Okanagan-led research project has given a group of international scientists their clearest view yet of the Milky Way's magnetic field, revealing that it is far more complex than previously believed.

Jan 29, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / RNA droplets may have accelerated prebiotic Earth's development of complex molecules

The origin of life from Earth's primordial chemistry has long fascinated and perplexed us. Generations of scientists have endeavored to understand how complex biochemistry developed from organic compounds. Researchers at ...

Jan 29, 2026 in Chemistry