Phys.org news

Phys.org / Braided, exotic particles could build reliable, universal quantum computers

A truly useful quantum computer must be able to run any algorithm, with the same versatility an ordinary laptop offers. Physicists have now shown a new way to give a quantum computer exactly that flexibility, harnessing the ...

Jul 16, 2026
Phys.org / How bacteria sacrifice themselves to render antibiotics ineffective

Bacteria can defend themselves against antibiotics with the help of an enzyme released by dying cells, according to a study by a team from the Institute for Biological Physics at the University of Cologne and Wageningen University ...

Jul 16, 2026
Phys.org / Cave-dwelling snail discovered in Greece, named after Hermes and the nymph who nurtured him

A team of researchers from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens has discovered a completely new genus and species of subterranean freshwater snail in the Peloponnese region of southern Greece. The species, Cyllena ...

Jul 16, 2026
Phys.org / Statistical method broadens forecasts by modeling uncertainty beyond average outcomes

When it comes to statistics, we usually expect to be informed about what happens "on average." But sometimes the key information lies in deviations from that mean: how likely is heavy rain, and how likely is it to remain ...

Jul 16, 2026
Phys.org / Roadless rule helps protect clean drinking water for 25 million Americans, new study shows

Approximately 90% of the U.S. population relies on public water systems. A significant portion of the water supplying those systems comes from forested lands, which means policies affecting forests also affect water access.

Jul 16, 2026
Phys.org / Hourly data reveal Alpine 100-year floods could arrive every 45 to 80 years

Heavy precipitation becomes more intense with every degree Earth warms. This affects flooding. Using hourly data from 384 rivers in the Alps, researchers from the WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF modeled ...

Jul 16, 2026
Phys.org / Frog protein could become first antidote to deadly red tide toxin

The "red tide" algal blooms that are becoming more frequent along the Pacific coast produce one of the most potent neurotoxins known: saxitoxin, or STX. The toxin accumulates in shellfish and causes paralytic shellfish poisoning ...

Jul 16, 2026
Phys.org / FIFA and pop superstars should discount tickets for fans to keep climate costs of 'mega-events' down, say researchers

The vast majority of carbon emissions caused by "mega-events" such as World Cups and global concert tours come from audience travel, according to University of Cambridge researchers. In a new study, researchers estimate that ...

Jul 16, 2026
Phys.org / A new stellar census strengthens the case for a 13.8-billion-year-old universe

Astronomers have used the ages of more than 155,000 stars in the Milky Way to independently estimate the age of the universe, and their findings may be good news for the standard cosmological model. The new research was reported ...

Jul 15, 2026
Phys.org / New process turns mixed plastic waste directly into hydrogen fuel without sorting

Plastic has become a ubiquitous part of modern life—in water bottles, shopping bags and car dashboards. But once discarded, it is among the hardest materials on Earth to recycle. Most recycling processes require plastics ...

Jul 15, 2026
Phys.org / Physicists create first room-temperature quantum material

Quantum materials could transform technologies ranging from powerful computers and ultrasecure communications to advanced energy systems. But there has always been one major obstacle.

Jul 15, 2026
Phys.org / T. rex babies were born ready to run and feed themselves

Tyrannosaurus rex was a giant of the prehistoric world, standing up to 13 feet (4 meters) tall and weighing around 9 tons (8 tonnes). So you might expect that its hatchlings were also a considerable size.

Jul 15, 2026