Phys.org news

Phys.org / Atlas reveals rocks with rare earth element potential, helping pinpoint new deposits

A new atlas charts the global distribution of unusual, critical-metal-bearing igneous rocks, finding that they often form near the thick and ancient cores of the world's major continents. Researchers from Cambridge's Department ...

May 22, 2026
Phys.org / Some technologies use accelerated natural processes to capture carbon, but can they store it durably?

Natural geological processes have been regulating Earth's climate for millions of years. Accelerated versions of these processes are now being promoted as technologies to draw down carbon from the atmosphere—and some are ...

May 22, 2026
Phys.org / Imaging ellipsometry tracks MXene thin-film quality during fabrication without damage

A German–Israeli research team led by Dr. Andreas Furchner has demonstrated how imaging ellipsometry enables non-destructive characterization and quality control of microstructured MXene thin films during device fabrication. ...

May 22, 2026
Phys.org / Making biomolecules glow: New dye solves imaging interference problem

Biomolecules, also known as organic molecules, include sugars, proteins and lipids and are the building blocks of all life. They play a role in the structure and metabolism of all living organisms. To make them visible under ...

May 22, 2026
Phys.org / Student talent drives simpler method for programming artificial muscles in soft robots

An interdisciplinary student research team at the University of Waterloo has achieved an advance in materials science with the creation of a tissue-like hydrogel for artificial muscles to make soft robots move.

May 22, 2026
Phys.org / Stressed crystal creates nanoscale patterns on chip materials at room temperature

A new chip-making technique exploits a material's crystal structure to create nanoscale patterns at room temperature directly onto hard materials used in devices, including silica. The method could make it easier to pattern ...

May 22, 2026
Phys.org / Second ribosome binding site helps explain how tetracyclines work

For decades, doctors have widely used tetracyclines for conditions ranging from acne to tick-borne illnesses. Using high-resolution imaging technology, researchers in the laboratory of Christopher Bunick, MD, Ph.D., associate ...

May 22, 2026
Phys.org / South China Sea coral reefs reveal carbon stores rivaling mangroves and seagrasses

A collaborative research team has revealed the long-overlooked carbon storage potential of coral reef ecosystems and how reef-dwelling fish, corals, and surface sediments jointly shape reef carbon reservoirs. The paper is ...

May 22, 2026
Phys.org / Using pulsars as ultra-precise gravitational probes to 'weigh' neighboring galaxies

Researchers at The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), a part of The University of Alabama System, have identified a promising new method for measuring the mass of galaxies orbiting the Milky Way by using pulsars, ...

May 22, 2026
Phys.org / Superconducting vortices moonlight as controllable qubits, turning a disruption into a resource

Vortices in superconductors have so far been considered a disruption, as they can impair the superconducting properties. Researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) have proved in experiments that magnetic ...

May 22, 2026
Phys.org / How the Great Pyramid of Giza has survived 4,500 years of Egyptian earthquakes

The Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt has survived more than 4,500 years. Earthquakes have repeatedly shaken the region, including the magnitude 5.8 Cairo earthquake in 1992, which dislodged some of the pyramid's outer casing ...

May 22, 2026
Phys.org / Ancient DNA reveals web of marriage and migration in Peru centuries before Inca rule

Long-distance migration along Peru's Pacific coast began at least 800 years ago, centuries before the rise of the Inca Empire and much earlier than previously thought, a new international study reveals.

May 22, 2026