Phys.org news

Phys.org / Record-breaking levels of plastic found in seabirds, with almost 900 pieces found in one bird alone

For more than a decade, it was thought that the world's most plastic-polluted birds couldn't get any more contaminated by the man-made material. But then, from 2023–2026, the record was broken every single year.

21 hours ago
Phys.org / Adaptive crystal can selectively capture CO₂ and recognize similar molecules

Chemical separation can be energy-intensive when molecules have similar sizes and properties. Researchers from Shibaura Institute of Technology, Japan, have now developed an interlayer adaptive crystal that changes its spacing ...

20 hours ago
Phys.org / Mitotic chromosomes may assemble from pre-existing chromatin 'building blocks' during cell division

Inside each human cell, about 2 meters (6.6 feet) of genomic DNA must be accurately copied and equally transmitted to two daughter cells during cell division. To achieve this, the copied DNA is condensed into thick, short ...

21 hours ago
Phys.org / Examining Americans' complicated relationship with science

A new study finds that while most Americans are interested in science and believe it benefits society, the public's relationship with science is more complicated than those positive views suggest.

Sep 15, 2026
Phys.org / How individual cells 'surf' chemical waves to form a collective

Researchers have developed an innovative imaging technique to visualize the transition of single cells into multicellular organisms in new detail.

23 hours ago
Phys.org / Satellite data reveal ESG scores track public image more than actual forest loss

Environmental sustainability researchers at NUS found that widely used environmental, social and governance (ESG) ratings often fail to reflect companies' actual exposure to deforestation, highlighting the need to integrate ...

23 hours ago
Phys.org / Avoiding a sticky situation: How cells stop messenger RNAs from clumping together

Messenger RNA, or mRNA, is best known for carrying genetic instructions from DNA to the cellular machinery that makes proteins. But all RNA molecules have another, less appreciated property: They are naturally sticky.

22 hours ago
Phys.org / Fertilizer study reveals where the world can boost food production and cut pollution

Global consumption of fertilizer has doubled since 1980, but some regions that have historically overused fertilizer, including China and parts of Europe, have taken steps to reduce use. Those are some of the findings of ...

23 hours ago
Phys.org / Novel particle beam could challenge Einstein's theory of gravity

Does gravity act equally on all particles in the universe, or are there differences between ordinary and exotic matter? Physics professor Anna Soter and her team at ETH Zurich and the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) in Villigen ...

Sep 15, 2026
Phys.org / A famous galaxy's black hole has been hiding its most violent behavior

Astronomers have found that a nearby galaxy's black hole is blasting out a far more powerful and hidden gas outflow than previously realized. Studying NGC 1068, a well-known galaxy with an actively feeding black hole at its ...

Sep 15, 2026
Phys.org / For many group-living females, breeding and raising young are shared endeavors

Some female animals living in groups raise offspring that are not their own, sometimes without reproducing themselves. While the behavior of cooperatively breeding species is well documented, some aspects remain poorly understood.

Sep 15, 2026
Phys.org / Ancient DNA traces medieval migration from Sweden to Finland

A new study led by the University of Turku provides new insights into the population history of Finland during the Late Iron Age and the Middle Ages. The researchers analyzed the genomes of people who lived in southwestern ...

Sep 15, 2026