Phys.org news

Phys.org / Tiny feet on cells can sense defects and stall migration to heal wounds

Cells travel through the body both individually and in collective groups during development, wound healing and diseases such as cancer. New research from the McKelvey School of Engineering at Washington University in St. ...

23 hours ago
Phys.org / Brazil's vast coastline could help address food insecurity through sustainable seafood

New research into seafood consumption and production in Brazil highlights how one of the world's most populous countries could build healthier and more sustainable food systems by encouraging people to eat more seafood, developing ...

21 hours ago
Phys.org / Ancient Austronesian seafarers carried symbolic art 4,000 years ago

A 4,000-year-old painted stone plaque discovered on a remote Indonesian island is the first known example of portable art belonging to the Austronesian Painting Tradition (APT), providing a rare glimpse into the symbolic ...

23 hours ago
Phys.org / Observations since 1850 reveal regional climate fingerprints of human-induced warming

There is no question that the current global temperature increase is human-caused. Global warming has long since emerged as the dominant signal amid natural climate fluctuations. However, identifying how this warming manifests ...

21 hours ago
Phys.org / Butterflies on the move to higher ground as warming redraws Alpine habitats

Climate change presents animals and plants with a fundamental challenge: What can they do when their established habitats become increasingly warm? They can adapt to the changing conditions—or move to areas where the climate ...

21 hours ago
Phys.org / How plants selectively silence jumping genes while protecting essential ones

Histone variants help establish DNA methylation at transposons (jumping genes) while preventing this epigenetic modification from spreading to essential genes in plants, a study from the Institute of Science Tokyo reveals. ...

22 hours ago
Phys.org / Breath-strip-like nanofiber film delivers three pain drugs in under two seconds

Children and seniors who have difficulty chewing and swallowing conventional tablets may have an easier way to find pain relief. Cornell researchers have developed an ultrafast-dissolving nanofiber film that can deliver a ...

23 hours ago
Phys.org / AI agents coordinate behavior based on majority opinion—even when said opinions are meaningless

A new study published in Science Advances takes a closer look at how AI agents' choices are influenced by their peers. The team found that more advanced models tend to follow the majority when shown other agents' choices, ...

Aug 17, 2026
Phys.org / First pair of feeding supermassive black holes found in a Green Pea galaxy

Astronomers have discovered the first confirmed dual active galactic nucleus in a Green Pea galaxy, revealing two supermassive black holes growing at the same time inside a compact, intensely star-forming system. X-ray observations ...

Aug 17, 2026
Phys.org / Dark matter may be gravitationally lensing a likely source of cosmic neutrinos

Astronomers have discovered that the jet of a distant blazar has been gravitationally lensed by an unseen source of dark matter. Led by Silke Britzen at the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy in Germany, the team's ...

Aug 17, 2026
Phys.org / Amber fossil reveals firefly relative with unprecedented antennae

Insects rely on a wide range of strategies to sense their surroundings and communicate with their peers. Fireflies (Lampyridae) and some related beetles are known for their ability to produce visible light through chemical ...

Aug 17, 2026
Phys.org / Gold nanoclusters could help break down Alzheimer's amyloid plaques

Alzheimer's disease is a neurodegenerative brain disorder characterized by progressive memory loss and a decline in other mental functions. Past studies have consistently linked this disorder to the accumulation of the protein ...

Aug 17, 2026