Phys.org news

Phys.org / Can a bat catch prey on a mirror? A bat's expert foraging skills revealed using a robot

Scientists built a robot to help explain how a tropical bat spots insects perched on leaves using echolocation, a highly sophisticated behavior that requires precise, split-second decision making on the part of the hunting ...

15 hours ago in Biology
Phys.org / How 'smart' nanoparticles can deliver targeted gene therapy in osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is a highly prevalent joint disease that leads to cartilage breakdown, pain and disability, yet there are still no FDA-approved treatments that can slow or reverse its progression. RNA-based therapies hold ...

15 hours ago in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / Fire on ice: The Arctic's changing fire regime

The number of wildland fires burning in the Arctic is on the rise, according to NASA researchers. Moreover, these blazes are burning larger, hotter, and longer than they did in previous decades.

16 hours ago in Earth
Phys.org / Ancient Tethys Ocean shaped Central Asia's landscape, study suggests

New research from Adelaide University suggests the power of the ancient Tethys Ocean might have shaped Central Asia's topography during the Cretaceous period.

16 hours ago in Earth
Phys.org / Frozen hydrogen cyanide 'cobwebs' offer clues to origin of life

A substance poisonous to humans—hydrogen cyanide—may have helped create the seeds of life on Earth. At cold temperatures, hydrogen cyanide forms crystals. And, according to computer models reported in ACS Central Science, ...

17 hours ago in Chemistry
Phys.org / Crop droughts set to worsen—even as rainfall increases

Europe and western North America will experience more frequent and severe crop droughts as Earth warms, even in places where yearly rainfall increases.

20 hours ago in Earth
Phys.org / Measuring movement creates a new way to map indoor air pollution

University of Birmingham scientists have developed a new way of measuring and analyzing indoor air pollution that—in initial trials—has established a clear link between office occupancy, physical activity, and air quality.

20 hours ago in Earth
Phys.org / Sparse tongue hair explains why queen bees stop foraging when workers emerge

During spring, when queen bumblebees first emerge from hibernation to start their nests, they work incredibly hard foraging for nectar to fuel their new colonies. But then, as soon as their first workers are born, they seem ...

Jan 13, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Enthusiasts used their home computers to search for ET—scientists are homing in on 100 signals they found

For 21 years, between 1999 and 2020, millions of people worldwide loaned UC Berkeley scientists their computers to search for signs of advanced civilizations in our galaxy.

Jan 13, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Asexual yam species employs mimicry to trick birds and spread farther

Evolutionarily speaking, the ultimate goal of a lifeform is to reproduce and stave off extinction. Many plants and animals have evolved unique tricks to do so. One of these tricks is mimicry, which might be used to trick ...

Jan 13, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Scientists realize a three-qubit quantum register in a silicon photonic chip

Quantum technologies are highly promising devices that process, transfer or store information leveraging quantum mechanical effects. Instead of relying on bits, like classical computers, quantum devices rely on entangled ...

Jan 13, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Massive impact could be the cause of our lopsided moon

Our nearest neighbor, the moon, is still something of a mystery to us. For decades, scientists have wondered why it appears so lopsided, with dark volcanic plains on the near side (the side we see) and rugged, cratered mountains ...

Jan 13, 2026 in Astronomy & Space