Phys.org news

Phys.org / Quantum entanglement pushes optical clocks to new precision

By replacing single atoms with an entangled pair of ions, physicists in Germany have demonstrated unprecedented stability in an optical clock. Publishing their results in Physical Review Letters, a team led by Kai Dietze ...

Feb 19, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Largest ever radio sky survey maps the universe in unprecedented detail

An international collaboration using the Low Frequency Array (LOFAR) has published an exceptionally detailed radio sky map, revealing 13.7 million cosmic sources and delivering the most complete census yet of actively growing ...

Feb 19, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Archived tree cores reveal why boreal forests are getting starved for nitrogen

Despite decades of industrial deposition, nitrogen availability in the boreal forest is steadily declining. In a new study published in Nature, researchers from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences using decades ...

Feb 19, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / Nanodevice produces continuous electricity from evaporation

A nanodevice developed at EPFL produces an autonomous, stable current from evaporating saltwater by using heat and light to control the movement of ions and electrons. Previously, researchers in the Laboratory of Nanoscience ...

Feb 19, 2026 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / Particles don't always go with the flow (and why that matters)

It is commonly assumed that tiny particles just go with the flow as they make their way through soil, biological tissue, and other complex materials. But a team of Yale researchers led by Professor Amir Pahlavan shows that ...

Feb 19, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Novel bacteria discovered in Florida's stranded pygmy sperm whales

Pygmy sperm whales (Kogia breviceps) are among the ocean's most enigmatic inhabitants—rarely seen and largely unstudied. They live far offshore in small groups, diving in search of squid and fish. Their quiet behavior and ...

Feb 19, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / CT scans help detect ancient earthquakes in Hamilton Basin

In a world-first use of medical imaging technology, scientists have revealed the earthquake-generating potential of faults in the Hamilton and Hauraki areas. The study shows that hidden geological faults in Hamilton city ...

Feb 19, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / Cosmic predators: How supermassive black holes slow star growth in nearby galaxies

Intense radiation emitted by active supermassive black holes—thought to reside at the center of most, if not all, galaxies—can slow star growth not just in their host galaxy, but also in galaxies millions of light-years ...

Feb 18, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Chitosan-nickel biomaterial becomes stronger when wet, and could replace plastics

A new study led by the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) has unveiled the first biomaterial that is not only waterproof but actually becomes stronger in contact with water. The material is produced by the incorporation ...

Feb 18, 2026 in Chemistry
Phys.org / Hubble identifies a near-invisible galaxy that may be 99% dark matter

In the vast tapestry of the universe, most galaxies shine brightly across cosmic time and space. Yet a rare class of galaxies remains nearly invisible—low-surface-brightness galaxies dominated by dark matter and containing ...

Feb 18, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Giant DNA viruses encode their own eukaryote-like translation machinery, researchers discover

In a new study, published in Cell, researchers describe a newfound mechanism for creating proteins in a giant DNA virus, comparable to a mechanism in eukaryotic cells. The finding challenges the dogma that viruses lack protein ...

Feb 18, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / The Princess of Bagicz: Dendrochronology settles debate over age of rare Roman-era wooden coffin

Dr. Marta Chmiel-Chrzanowska and her colleagues conducted a multidisciplinary analysis of the only known preserved wooden coffin from the Roman Iron Age, the Princess of Bagicz. The study, published in Archaeometry, used ...

Feb 18, 2026 in Other Sciences