Phys.org news

Phys.org / Gravitational wave signal tests Einstein's theory of general relativity

For those who watch gravitational waves roll in from the universe, GW250114 is a big one. It's the clearest gravitational wave signal from a binary black hole merger to date, and it gives researchers an opportunity to test ...

Jan 29, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / A new method to search for ultralight dark matter with advanced optical cavities

Dark matter is a mysterious type of matter that does not emit, absorb, or reflect light, yet is predicted to account for most of the universe's mass. While physicists have gathered extensive indirect evidence of its existence, ...

Jan 29, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Growing meltwater reservoirs—glacial lakes are both a resource and a habitat worthy of protection

Should growing glacial lakes be used for energy production and water supply—or remain protected as ecologically valuable systems? A research team from the University of Potsdam, together with partners from the University ...

Jan 29, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / Wetlands do not need to be flooded to provide the greatest climate benefit, shows study

Wetlands make up only about 6% of the land area but contain about 30% of the terrestrial organic carbon pool. Therefore, CO2 emissions from wetlands are central to the global climate balance. In Denmark, the plan is to flood ...

Jan 29, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / Fossilized plankton study gives long-term hope for oxygen-depleted oceans

A new study suggests the world's oxygen-depleted seas may have a chance of returning to higher oxygen concentrations in the centuries to come, despite our increasingly warming climate.

Jan 29, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / AI enables a who's who of brown bears in Alaska

A team of scientists from EPFL and Alaska Pacific University has developed an AI program that can recognize individual bears in the wild, despite the substantial changes that occur in their appearance over the summer season. ...

Jan 29, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / 2D discrete time crystals realized on a quantum computer for the first time

Physical systems become inherently more complicated and difficult to produce in a lab as the number of dimensions they exist in increases—even more so in quantum systems. While discrete time crystals (DTCs) had been previously ...

Jan 29, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / The first headbutting paravian: Bird-like dinosaur likely used thick skull to win over mates

Whether it's digging up weathered bones from a paleontological site or reexamining forgotten trays in museum and university collections, the study of dinosaurs still throws up something new.

Jan 29, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Measuring the quantum extent of a single molecule confined to a nanodroplet

There is no measurement that can directly observe the wave function of a quantum mechanical system, but the wave function is still enormously useful as its (complex) square represents the probability density of the system ...

Jan 29, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Gaia data reveal three galactic open clusters in detail

Using ESA's Gaia satellite, astronomers have investigated three open clusters in the galactic disk, namely Berkeley 17, 18 and 39. Results of the new study, published January 21 on the arXiv pre-print server, yield crucial ...

Jan 29, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Ancient DNA reveals 12,000-year-old case of rare genetic disease

Researchers led by the University of Vienna and Liège University Hospital Center have identified genetic variants associated with a rare inherited growth disorder in two prehistoric individuals who lived more than 12,000 ...

Jan 29, 2026 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / From metabolism to disease: Mitochondria's hidden signaling networks unveiled

The structural and functional characteristics of mitochondria shape their role as signaling organelles, with far-reaching effects regarding immune responses, inflammatory processes, and diseases. A research team led by Professor ...

Jan 29, 2026 in Biology