Phys.org news

Phys.org / Scents of the afterlife: Identifying embalming recipes by 'sniffing' the air around Egyptian mummies

If you have ever stood close to an ancient Egyptian mummy, you may remember a distinctive, lingering odor. For a long time, it was assumed that this was simply due to age and decay. However, scientists have discovered that ...

Feb 5, 2026 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Finger length could provide vital clue to understanding human brain evolution

The evolution of the human species is marked by an increase in brain size. Now new research suggests that could be partly dependent on increases in prenatal estrogen—revealed by looking at the length of a person's fingers. ...

Feb 5, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Detection system uses gravitational waves to map merging black holes

An international collaboration of astrophysicists that includes researchers from Yale has created and tested a detection system that uses gravitational waves to map out the locations of merging black holes—known as supermassive ...

Feb 5, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Understanding the hazard potential of the Seattle fault zone: It's 'pretty close to home'

In the Pacific Northwest, big faults like the Cascadian subduction zone located offshore, get a lot of attention. But big faults aren't the only ones that pose significant hazards, and a new study investigates the dynamics ...

Feb 5, 2026 in Earth
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 / When Earth's magnetic field took its time flipping

Earth's magnetic field is generated by the churn of its liquid nickel-iron outer core, but it is not a constant feature. Every so often, the magnetic north and south poles swap places in what are called geomagnetic reversals, ...

Feb 5, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Unlocking the 'black box' of Grand Canyon's water supply

Every year at Grand Canyon National Park, millions of visitors from all over the world stop at one of a dozen water spigots. Most people are on a rim, seeing the canyon's majesty for the first time, when they step off the ...

Feb 5, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / A new comet was just discovered. Will it be visible in broad daylight?

A newly discovered comet has astronomers excited, with the potential to be a spectacular sight in early April. C/2026 A1 (MAPS) was spotted by a team of four amateur astronomers with a remotely operated telescope in the Atacama ...

Feb 5, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Study links daily mental sharpness to 30 to 40 extra minutes of work

A new U of T Scarborough study finds that being mentally sharp can translate into a productivity boost equivalent to about 40 extra minutes of work each day.

Feb 5, 2026 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / When gigantism shapes the diet of a superpredator: The Japanese giant salamander's spectacular transition

A study conducted by researchers at the University of Liège on a large population of Japanese giant salamanders—one of the largest amphibians in the world—reveals that above a certain size, a spectacular transition occurs ...

Feb 5, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Live-cell tracking reveals dynamic interaction between protein folding helpers and newly produced proteins

Proteins are the molecular machines of cells. They are produced in protein factories called ribosomes based on their blueprint—the genetic information. Here, the basic building blocks of proteins, amino acids, are assembled ...

Feb 5, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / When lasers cross: A brighter way to measure plasma

Measuring conditions in volatile clouds of superheated gases known as plasmas is central to pursuing greater scientific understanding of how stars, nuclear detonations and fusion energy work. For decades, scientists have ...

Feb 5, 2026 in Physics