Phys.org news

Phys.org / Seagrass found to produce new genetic individuals rather than clone itself, offering hope for 'underwater meadows'

In many underwater ecosystems, seagrass meadows act as a food source, a safe haven, and an ecological lynchpin. But until now, very little was known about how these plants reproduce—critical information for conserving the ...

May 22, 2026
Phys.org / Gibraltar monkeys eat soil in junk food detox, study finds

A colony of macaques that gorge on snacks offered by tourists in the British territory of Gibraltar swallow soil to recover from their junk food binges, a study has found.

May 22, 2026
Phys.org / Black holes may avoid singularities when charge and Hawking radiation combine, theoretical physicist argues

Black holes are regions in space where gravity is so strong that nothing, even light, can escape. Einstein's theory of general relativity breaks down inside black holes, either by the presence of a so-called "curvature singularity" ...

May 21, 2026
Phys.org / Quantum supremacy just ran into an unexpected rival: An ordinary laptop armed with new math

Using a conventional computer and cutting-edge mathematical tools and code, physicists at the Center for Computational Quantum Physics (CCQ) at the Simons Foundation's Flatiron Institute and collaborators at Boston University ...

May 21, 2026
Phys.org / Astronomers may have discovered the tiniest odd radio circle

Astronomers have identified a possible new member of one of astronomy's strangest classes of objects: Odd radio circles (ORCs), enormous ring-like structures visible only at radio wavelengths. The newly discovered source, ...

May 21, 2026
Phys.org / Crystals of space and time: A structural phenomenon that may collapse into tiny black holes

A team from Vienna and Frankfurt has found a formula describing a strange phenomenon: Space and time can form a kind of "crystal" that may turn into a black hole. The results are described in Physical Review Letters.

May 21, 2026
Phys.org / Molecule-in-a-crystal system could boost quantum computing via chemically engineered qubits

Within a crystal's atomic structure, tiny atomic-scale flaws will naturally occur where electrons can become trapped. These defects have emerged as one of the leading platforms for quantum information processing. Through ...

May 21, 2026
Phys.org / Ancient seas get a new T. rex as massive mosasaur emerges from Texas fossils

There's a new T. rex in the fossil record, only this one terrorized the ancient seas. New research led by scientists at the American Museum of Natural History, the Perot Museum of Nature and Science in Dallas, and Southern ...

May 21, 2026
Phys.org / Chimpanzees reveal 69 socially learned behaviors, nearly doubling known cultural repertoire

Scientists have identified dozens of previously overlooked cultural behaviors in wild chimpanzees, suggesting that the great ape's culture extends far beyond complex skills like tool use. In a single community, they found ...

May 21, 2026
Phys.org / Romania dig uncovers 350-square-meter megastructure in 45-house prehistoric settlement

Researchers from Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) have found new indications of how large prehistoric settlements were organized. Their research focused on a special type of building known as a megastructure. ...

May 21, 2026
Phys.org / Particle-by-particle tracking reveals uneven nanoparticle drug release

Precision medicine aims to transport therapeutic agents, such as molecules, proteins or RNA, to the exact place where they need to act within the body. One of the most promising strategies is the use of nanocarriers: nanoparticles ...

May 21, 2026
Phys.org / Saturn-sized exoplanet with Earth-like temperature reveals methane-rich atmosphere

A planet that is about the size of Saturn, but with a temperature more like Earth's, has an atmosphere rich in methane, according to a new study using NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST).

May 21, 2026