Phys.org news

Phys.org / Did trees in the Dolomites anticipate a solar eclipse? Not quite, say researchers

Around 14 hours before a partial solar eclipse passed over the Dolomites in Northern Italy, a group of spruce trees showed a sudden, synchronized increase in electrical activity. Previous research by Alessandro Chiolerio ...

Feb 6, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Three-component catalyst boosts ammonia from nitrate electrolysis by more than 50%

A research team led by Dr. Dandan Gao from the Department of Chemistry at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) has developed a new method for the sustainable production of ammonia and formic acid. Ammonia is indispensable ...

Feb 6, 2026 in Chemistry
Phys.org / Concert formats measurably change audience experience, classical music study finds

Orchestras and festival organizers continually develop and experiment with new concert formats for classical music. But do these formats actually have an impact on audiences? A research team led by the Max Planck Institute ...

Feb 6, 2026 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Turning nitrate pollution into green fuel: A 3D COF enables highly efficient ammonia electrosynthesis

Ammonia (NH3) is essential for fertilizers and emerging carbon-free energy technologies, yet its conventional production via the Haber-Bosch process is energy-intensive and CO2-emitting. Researchers from Tohoku University ...

Feb 6, 2026 in Chemistry
Phys.org / Engineering heat-tolerant, high-yield rice for a warming planet

Rising day and night temperatures are threatening rice, wheat, and maize production by disrupting plant growth, grain filling, and grain quality, putting global food security at risk. Precision breeding and genome editing ...

Feb 6, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Amino acid 'stickers' help decode spider silk's strength and flexibility

Scientists have identified the molecular interactions that give spider silk its exceptional strength and flexibility, opening the door to new bio-inspired materials for aircraft, protective clothing and medical applications, ...

Feb 6, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Smartwatch study shows stadium atmosphere spikes heart rate and stress levels

Fans of DSC Arminia Bielefeld experience matchday excitement far more intensely in the stadium than in front of the television when watching football (soccer). A study from Bielefeld University demonstrates clear differences ...

Feb 6, 2026 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Dark matter, not a black hole, could power Milky Way's heart

Our Milky Way galaxy may not have a supermassive black hole at its center but rather an enormous clump of mysterious dark matter exerting the same gravitational influence, astronomers say. They believe this invisible substance—which ...

Feb 5, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / A 'crazy' dice proof leads to a new understanding of a fundamental law of physics

Right now, molecules in the air are moving around you in chaotic and unpredictable ways. To make sense of such systems, physicists use a law known as the Boltzmann distribution, which, rather than describe exactly where each ...

Feb 5, 2026 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / VIP-2 experiment narrows the search for exotic physics beyond the Pauli exclusion principle

The Pauli exclusion principle is a cornerstone of the Standard Model of particle physics and is essential for the structure and stability of matter. Now an international collaboration of physicists has carried out one of ...

Feb 5, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Petra aqueduct survey uncovers rare 116-meter lead conduit beside terracotta pipe

In a recent study, Niklas Jungmann from the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin conducted a survey and investigation of the 'Ain Braq aqueduct of the ancient city of Petra. It was discovered that, unlike previously believed, ...

Feb 5, 2026 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / 'Jetty McJetface': Star-shredding black hole may keep ramping up its radio jet until 2027 peak

A supermassive black hole with a case of cosmic indigestion has been burping out the remains of a shredded star for four years—and it's still going strong, new research led by a University of Oregon astrophysicist shows.

Feb 5, 2026 in Astronomy & Space