Phys.org news

Phys.org / Nano-optics: New mechanism for channeling light waves discovered in natural hyperbolic materials

Researchers at the 4th Physics Institute of the University of Stuttgart and the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT) in Milan have demonstrated a new mechanism for directing light in a naturally hyperbolic van der Waals ...

Aug 4, 2026
Phys.org / Mapping monsters: Data release unveils all-sky views of supermassive black holes

Data released by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) marks a landmark expansion in the study of accreting supermassive black holes (SMBHs). As part of the fifth generation of the survey (SDSS-V), the Black Hole Mapper (BHM) ...

Aug 4, 2026
Phys.org / Electrocatalytic method could purify wastewater by converting pollutants into recoverable polymers

Wastewater treatment is a critical issue for global environmental protection and public health. Researchers from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) have recently achieved a major breakthrough with ...

Aug 4, 2026
Phys.org / Magnetic dopants help quantum dots use light for chemical reactions

Scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratory have demonstrated a new quantum-dot mechanism that could significantly expand the reach of light-driven chemistry. By introducing magnetic manganese dopants into semiconductor ...

Aug 4, 2026
Phys.org / Mythical mountain god inspires name for China's first freshwater cave snail

A team of scientists has announced the discovery of Erhaia dijiang, a species of eyeless freshwater cave snail.

Aug 4, 2026
Phys.org / Seaweed-derived coating keeps strawberries fresher than a fridge

University of British Columbia researchers have developed an edible, seaweed-derived coating that can keep strawberries fresh for at least four days at room temperature, outperforming uncoated berries stored in the refrigerator.

Aug 4, 2026
Phys.org / New method could sharpen diamond quantum sensors for tracking activity in single cells

A diamond-based quantum sensor inserted into a living cell can provide previously unseen levels of detail about how life works and how diseases form. "Think of it as an EKG for a single cell—a way to capture everything happening ...

Aug 4, 2026
Phys.org / Pushing the boundaries of ultracold neutral plasmas

Using a combination of laser cooling techniques and strong magnetic fields, researchers at Colorado State University have for the first time created an ultracold neutral plasma with electrons cooled to temperatures measured ...

Aug 4, 2026
Phys.org / DNA study uncovers deeper losses across Hawaiian honeycreeper family tree

Smithsonian researchers have identified the genetic relationships among all Hawaiian honeycreeper species known to have existed—and subsequently faced major losses—since the arrival of Europeans to the islands.

Aug 4, 2026
Phys.org / Scientists build 'cell villages' to map the genetics of brain cell fitness

How readily a cell divides and how well it survives are fundamental to life, shaping everything from organ size to the body's ability to withstand disease. That combination, known as cell fitness, isn't the same for everyone. ...

Aug 4, 2026
Phys.org / Unexpected bond-breaking order reveals a new path to bioluminescence

The dancing lights of fireflies and the eerie blue sparkle in crashing waves get their glow when a molecular square of carbon and oxygen atoms breaks. New research from Stanford University has shown that mechanical force ...

Aug 4, 2026
Dialog / How to keep the Earth habitable when the sun dies

In a billion years, the sun will start to run out of fuel and expand to become a red giant. Earth's oceans and atmosphere will be burned away, and Earth will likely be engulfed by the sun altogether. The sun will then shrink ...

Aug 3, 2026