Phys.org news

Phys.org / New image sensor breaks optical limits

Imaging technology has transformed how we observe the universe—from mapping distant galaxies with radio telescope arrays to unlocking microscopic details inside living cells. Yet despite decades of innovation, a fundamental ...

Dec 24, 2025 in Physics
Phys.org / Glowing urine and shining bark: Scientists discover the secret visual language of deer

During mating season, when male white-tailed deer want to get noticed by the opposite sex and warn off rivals, they rub their antlers against trees and scrape the forest floor. Then they pee on these patches. But there is ...

Dec 24, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Observations catch galaxy cluster in the process of merging

Astronomers have used the Keck Observatory's DEIMOS multi-object spectrograph to observe a nearby galaxy cluster designated RXC J0032.1+1808. As a result, they found that the cluster undergoes a major merging event. The finding ...

Dec 24, 2025 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Scientists boost mitochondria to burn more calories

Researchers have developed experimental drugs that encourage the mitochondria in our cells to work a little harder and burn more calories. The findings could open the door to new treatments for obesity and improve metabolic ...

Dec 24, 2025 in Chemistry
Phys.org / Radio black hole trio lights up in rare galaxy merger

Astronomers have confirmed the first known triple system in which all three galaxies host actively feeding, radio-bright supermassive black holes.

Dec 24, 2025 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Mechanism for twisted growth of plant organs discovered

From morning glories spiraling up fence posts to grape vines corkscrewing through arbors, twisted growth is a problem-solving tool found throughout the plant kingdom. Roots "do the twist" all the time, skewing hard right ...

Dec 24, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Africa's rarest carnivore: The story of the first Ethiopian wolf ever captured, nursed and returned to the wild

What's the value of one animal? When a wild animal is found badly injured, the most humane option is often euthanasia to prevent further suffering. That's what usually happens, and often for good reason. Even when the resources ...

Dec 24, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / An AI-based blueprint for designing catalysts across materials

Hydrogen peroxide is widely used in everyday life, from disinfectants and medical sterilization to environmental cleanup and manufacturing. Despite its importance, most hydrogen peroxide is still produced using large-scale ...

Dec 24, 2025 in Chemistry
Phys.org / Raindrops form 'sandballs' as they roll downhill, contributing more to erosion than previously thought

What happens as a raindrop impacts bare soil has been fairly well-studied, but what happens to raindrops afterward is poorly understood. We know that the initial splash of raindrops on soil contributes to erosion, but a new ...

Dec 23, 2025 in Physics
Phys.org / New reactor produces clean energy and carbon nanotubes from natural gas

Scientists from the University of Cambridge have developed a new reactor that converts natural gas (a common energy source primarily composed of methane) into two highly valuable resources: clean hydrogen fuel and carbon ...

Dec 23, 2025 in Physics
Phys.org / The chaotic 'Dracula's Chivito': Hubble reveals largest birthplace of planets ever observed

Astronomers using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope have imaged the largest protoplanetary disk ever observed circling a young star. For the first time in visible light, Hubble has revealed the disk is unexpectedly chaotic and ...

Dec 23, 2025 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Scientists crack ancient salt crystals to unlock secrets of 1.4 billion-year-old air

More than a billion years ago, in a shallow basin across what is now northern Ontario, a subtropical lake much like modern-day Death Valley evaporated under the sun's gentle heat, leaving behind crystals of halite—rock ...

Dec 23, 2025 in Astronomy & Space