Phys.org news

Phys.org / A tiny wall spider named for Pink Floyd is hunting urban pests up to six times its size

A team of researchers from institutions across South America have expanded scholarly knowledge of the Pikelinia spider genus, with their recent discovery of a new crevice weaver species: Pikelinia floydmuraria. The new species ...

Apr 14, 2026
Phys.org / High school student designs low-cost teabags to remove arsenic from water and help millions

Arsenic contamination in drinking water is a global issue, with over 200 million people estimated to be at risk. While water treatment plants remove the metal, the problem persists in low-resource areas or undertreated well ...

Apr 14, 2026
Phys.org / Contaminants, including ink, detected in meteorites suggest sample preparation needs improving

The IBeA group of the EHU-University of the Basque Country is proposing new measures to safeguard the purity of extraterrestrial samples. Several contaminants, including traces of ink, originating in the preparation of subsamples, ...

Apr 14, 2026
Phys.org / The once-theoretical skyrmion could unlock supercomputing memory

When looking to the future of information technology, researchers have pinpointed a once-theoretical particle-like structure: the skyrmion. Magnetic skyrmions are very stable structures found on micromagnetic materials that ...

Apr 14, 2026
Phys.org / Quantum simulations tackle photon polarization flip, but today's hardware falls short

For the last 80 years, the theory of quantum electrodynamics (QED), which describes all electromagnetic interactions, has been a cornerstone of the standard model, withstanding the scrutiny of countless experiments and agreeing ...

Apr 14, 2026
Phys.org / A tiny predator from ancient Spain just doubled the weasel family's evolutionary timeline

Weasels are small carnivores with a long body and short legs. They also have a stout skull and sharp teeth. These creatures, along with ferrets and minks, make up the Mustelinae subfamily. Until now, researchers believed ...

Apr 14, 2026
Phys.org / Next-generation atomic clock successfully tested at sea

Adelaide University researchers have successfully tested a new type of portable atomic clock at sea for the first time, using technology that could help power the next generation of navigation, communications and scientific ...

Apr 14, 2026
Phys.org / AI spots hidden behavior patterns in self-organizing bacteria

Life moves in mysterious ways—and perhaps especially so for organisms that undergo dramatic shifts in levels of self-organization, such as Myxococcus xanthus. A custom-built artificial intelligence system developed by Rice ...

Apr 14, 2026
Phys.org / Ancient graves and DNA uncover family bonds that went beyond genetics

You probably have a member of your family that you're not related to by blood—a step-parent, an adopted cousin, your mom's best friend who you grew up calling your aunt. They're indisputably part of your family, but a DNA ...

Apr 14, 2026
Phys.org / Cosmic dust identified as the source of Venus' enigmatic lower haze

Venus, often called Earth's twin, is in fact a planet of extremes. Beneath its thick carbon dioxide atmosphere are crushing surface temperatures and dense clouds of sulfuric acid. While the planet's main cloud layer sits ...

Apr 14, 2026
Phys.org / Four weeks of 'safe' low-level PFAS exposure in tap water altered embryo development in mice

An Adelaide University study has revealed that per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) found in tap water, at levels currently considered safe, affected the development of embryos, causing irreversible damage that may ...

Apr 14, 2026
Phys.org / A 'blob' in a tank is helping scientists tease out the secrets of turbulence

In a tank on the bottom floor of a University of Chicago research laboratory, scientists summon "The Blob" into existence by firing water jets to create an artfully choreographed series of rings.

Apr 14, 2026