Phys.org news
Phys.org / Centuries-old physics test could help detect millicharged particles
Theoretical physicists have long predicted the existence of millicharged particles (mCPs), hypothetical particles that carry a very small electric charge. These particles are expected to interact very weakly with ordinary ...
Phys.org / Einstein Probe catches rare X-ray flash from an exploding star
Astronomers have linked an X-ray flash discovered by the Einstein Probe to a known type of supernova with unusual features that point to the birth of an ultra-dense, rapidly spinning magnetar. The paper outlining this finding ...
Phys.org / Japan aims for the moons of Mars
Japanese scientists are readying a mission to Mars' moons to retrieve samples that may unlock the origins of the solar system and life on Earth, although a rival Chinese mission aims to make it back first.
Phys.org / A small squeeze reveals new clues about an unusual kind of magnet
Researchers at Rice University have found that gently squeezing a crystal of iron sulfide can change two of its unusual properties at the same time: its tiny magnetic signal and the way electricity moves through it. The result ...
Phys.org / Active particles could make stable glasses stronger without catastrophic brittle failure
The strongest glasses have an Achilles' heel that causes them to fail catastrophically when pushed past their limit. They do not bend or stretch, as all damage concentrates into a single plane and the material fails in an ...
Phys.org / Early-universe plasma may have stopped dark photons from heating cosmos
A new paper published in Physical Review Letters reveals that a leading dark matter candidate—the hypothetical "dark photon"—would not have heated the early universe as previously thought. The finding opens a vast region ...
Phys.org / Shackled men in 2,600-year-old Greek mass graves were likely locals, archaeologists find
In 2016, archaeologists working at the Phaleron Burial Ground, part of the ancient Attica region, uncovered an astonishing sight: three mass graves dating to the 7th and 6th centuries BCE containing the skeletons of 79 adult ...
Phys.org / Tungsten may suffer more radiation damage in fusion reactors than expected
Fusion reactors, devices that generate energy by fusing light atomic nuclei at extremely high temperatures, could contribute to ongoing efforts aimed at producing electricity more sustainably. The extreme environment inside ...
Phys.org / Topical clove oil for canine sarcoptic mange promises faster, plant-based treatment
Canine sarcoptic mange (scabies) is a skin condition in which microscopic mites (Sarcoptes scabiei) infest dogs' skin. The condition is contagious and zoonotic and can be difficult to detect. If left untreated, it can cause ...
Phys.org / Neptune's tiny moons tell the story of Triton's destructive capture
Neptune's moon and ring system stand out among the giant planets because of the strange imbalance between its one very large moon and its many tiny moons. Its largest moon, Triton, makes up more than 99% of the mass of all ...
Phys.org / After commercial whaling nearly erased them, blue and fin whales are slowly reclaiming the southeast Atlantic
More than 40 years after the end of commercial whaling, new research reveals a recent increase in sightings of the world's two largest whale species in the southeastern Atlantic. The findings, published in the African Journal ...
Phys.org / Nonrepeating photonic crystal may enable more tunable, reliable semiconductor lasers
Over the past two decades, photonic-crystal surface-emitting lasers (PCSELs) have shown promise as a type of advanced semiconductor laser useful in defense- and aerospace-related applications. Typically, these devices are ...
