Phys.org news

Phys.org / Survey of young researchers raises concerns over future of science in U.S.

One-third of young scientists who had been planning careers in academic research changed their minds in the spring of 2025, according to a new survey. Fewer expected to remain in higher education or work in the U.S., or felt ...

Sep 7, 2026
Phys.org / Inexpensive blue pigment enables efficient one-step conversion of carbon dioxide to methane

A common blue pigment could help turn carbon dioxide (CO₂) from an industrial waste product into a useful fuel. A joint research team led by Tohoku University's Advanced Institute for Materials Research (WPI-AIMR), in collaboration ...

Sep 7, 2026
Phys.org / AI governance model inspired by Pope Leo XIV aims to put ethics first

Researchers at the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin (KUL) and the University of Eastern Finland have developed a new model of artificial intelligence governance inspired by the teachings of Pope Leo XIV as set out ...

Sep 7, 2026
Phys.org / From strays to territory bosses: Epigenetics makes cheetahs adaptable

The findings of a new study led by the Leibniz-IZW on Namibian free-ranging cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus jubatus) demonstrate that epigenetic mechanisms might play an important role in how animals develop different phenotypes ...

Sep 7, 2026
Phys.org / Bumpy battery surfaces can masquerade as nanoscale ion pathways, misleading material design

A signal that appears to show ions moving inside a battery may, in fact, be an illusion caused by an uneven surface. A KAIST research team has identified the origin of this type of artifact, which can lead researchers to ...

Sep 7, 2026
Phys.org / Can atmospheric methane removal limit peak warming?

In a new report, the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) concludes that global warming is expected to exceed 1.5°C within the next few years. This makes two questions increasingly important: how high will temperatures ...

Sep 7, 2026
Phys.org / Deep biosphere has endured mountain-building and erosion over hundreds of millions of years

A new study reveals that microbial life deep within Earth has persisted and repeatedly flourished through hundreds of millions of years of mountain-building and erosion. By analyzing minerals, fluids and gases from a 2.3-kilometer-deep ...

Sep 7, 2026
Phys.org / How 'hyperselection' is making modern life efficient, pleasant—and boring

It's difficult to imagine a song like Queen's 1975 "Bohemian Rhapsody" topping the charts today. Almost six minutes long, it moves through several radically different musical sections and famously ignores the conventional ...

Sep 7, 2026
Phys.org / How climate change may amplify the impact of earthquakes in the Arctic

Permafrost refers to permanently frozen ground. The rock is held together by ice, much like cement binds concrete. However, when the ice thaws, the ground becomes weak and unstable. During an earthquake, this can trigger ...

Sep 7, 2026
Phys.org / Why 'you're smart' can backfire: Young children may cheat more after ability praise

Parents and teachers might think telling kids "they're smart" is a helpful way to build self-confidence and support positive development.

Sep 7, 2026
Phys.org / Slender crystal's blue-to-yellow glow could make invisible forces visible

Applying pressure to luminescent organic crystals usually brings molecules closer together and weakens their fluorescence. Materials that instead brighten and undergo a large color change are rare, and clear design principles ...

Sep 7, 2026
Phys.org / Reversible electric control unlocks persistent chiral phonon states

Atoms in a material are rarely still. They jiggle back and forth in collective lattice vibrations known as phonons. Their motion can also carry a rotational element: In 2023, scientists at PSI experimentally proved the existence ...

Sep 7, 2026