Phys.org news

Phys.org / Researchers create a never-before-seen molecule and prove its exotic nature with quantum computing

An international team of scientists from IBM, The University of Manchester, Oxford University, ETH Zurich, EPFL and the University of Regensburg have created and characterized a molecule unlike any previously known—one ...

Mar 5, 2026
Phys.org / New species of ancient mollusk found in South Korean waters

Scientists have discovered a new species of chiton, an ancient marine mollusk that has remained virtually unchanged for the last 300 million years. Chitons have an elongated oval shape with a shell composed of eight interlocking ...

Mar 5, 2026
Phys.org / Neutrons reveal magnetic signatures of chiral phonons

Physicists in China have uncovered new evidence that chiral phonons and magnons can interact strongly inside magnetic crystals. Using neutron spectroscopy, a team led by Song Bao at Nanjing University mapped magnetic signatures ...

Mar 5, 2026
Phys.org / New LVK catalog adds 128 gravitational-wave candidates, more than doubling detections

When the densest objects in the universe collide and merge, the violence sets off ripples, in the form of gravitational waves, that reverberate across space and time, over hundreds of millions and even billions of years. ...

Mar 5, 2026
Phys.org / Binary star population of open cluster NGC 2158 explored with Hubble

Astronomers have analyzed the images collected by the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) to investigate a galactic open cluster known as NGC 2158. Results of the study, published Feb. 25 on the arXiv pre-print server, provide essential ...

Mar 5, 2026
Phys.org / Newfound terrestrial crocodile fossil redraws the map of Europe in the age of the dinosaurs

A research team led by Dr. Márton Rabi from the Biogeology Department of the University of Tübingen, together with Máté Szegszárdi and Professor Attila Ősi from the Hungarian Eötvös Loránd University, is challenging ...

Mar 5, 2026
Phys.org / Engineers improve infrared devices using century-old materials

After decades of intense research, surprises in the realm of semiconductors—materials used in microchips to control electrical currents—are few and far between. But with a pair of published papers, materials engineers ...

Mar 5, 2026
Phys.org / Microbial ancestor of complex life was more sophisticated than previously thought, studies suggest

Our single-celled ancestor lived in a world without plants, animals or oxygen-rich oceans. Yet, this seemingly simple microorganism took the first steps toward complex life. From this ancestor emerged all multicellular (complex) ...

Mar 5, 2026
Phys.org / Toxic evolution: How wasps and frogs mimic pain molecules to deter predators

Certain species of wasps and frogs share a pain and inflammation peptide similar to one found in vertebrates to help defend against predators—a discovery that contributes to a shifting view of how evolution works, say researchers. ...

Mar 5, 2026
Phys.org / Why woodpeckers rarely get rattled: Skulls built to control rotation, not cushion blows

Woodpeckers are well known for striking tree trunks with remarkable force and precision. These birds deliver thousands of high-speed impacts per day, generating mechanical loads that would destabilize the skulls of most other ...

Mar 5, 2026
Phys.org / Molecular 'catapult' fires electrons at the limits of physics

Electrons can be "kicked across" solar materials at almost the fastest speed nature allows, scientists have discovered, challenging long-held theories about how solar energy systems work. The finding could help researchers ...

Mar 5, 2026
Phys.org / Scientists successfully harvest chickpeas from 'moon dirt'

As the U.S. plans to return to the moon with the upcoming Artemis II mission, a question endures: What will future lunar explorers eat? According to new research from The University of Texas at Austin, the answer might be ...

Mar 5, 2026