Phys.org news

Phys.org / Giant jars, ancient bells, buried bones and a mystery that endures

Helping to preserve artifacts, some potentially 2,000 years old, was an irresistible privilege. Since 2016, an Australian-Lao team led by Louise Shewan, Dougald O'Reilly and Thonglith Luangkhoth has conducted archaeological ...

Apr 8, 2026
Phys.org / Mathematical model predicts fish freshness in real time

Every day, fish caught in oceans and seas around the world pass through a long journey before reaching supermarkets, restaurants, and home kitchens. Along the way, their freshness steadily declines, often in ways that are ...

Apr 8, 2026
Phys.org / Ancient tectonic processes are the key to locating rare minerals

New research from Adelaide University has revealed that geological processes dating back billions of years are critical to locating the rare earth elements needed for modern technologies and the global clean energy transition. ...

Apr 8, 2026
Phys.org / Pollinator-friendly gardens don't have to sacrifice style

For gardeners who love colorful, tidy flower beds, helping pollinators doesn't have to mean going fully wild. A new study from plant biologists at Northwestern University and the Chicago Botanic Garden found that some cultivated ...

Apr 8, 2026
Phys.org / The binding sites that guide fungal 'vesicle hitchhiking'—new study maps mRNA transport

A specific protein controls mRNA transport in fungi and distinguishes important from unimportant binding sites in the transported mRNAs. Researchers from Würzburg and Düsseldorf have discovered this mechanism.

Apr 8, 2026
Phys.org / A greener route to citrus-derived therapeutics: What a new bromination method changes

Undergraduate students at Penn State Brandywine developed an environmentally friendly and easy method to synthesize compounds from plant-derived molecules for potential use in therapeutics. Their work, conducted under the ...

Apr 8, 2026
Phys.org / Mussels and mistletoe inspire design for sustainable materials

Taking inspiration from how mussels and mistletoe plants build natural fibers and adhesives, researchers at McGill University have developed a new way to manufacture complex materials that could offer a more environmentally ...

Apr 8, 2026
Phys.org / Human-altered mountains drive most fatal landslides worldwide, analysis finds

A new study reveals that most fatal landslides occur in human-transformed environments. Conducted by an international team of researchers from the University of Vienna, Ankara University, Istanbul Technical University, Bursa ...

Apr 8, 2026
Phys.org / Robust against noise, geometric-phase swap gates bring stability to quantum operations

Researchers at ETH Zurich have realized particularly stable quantum logical operations with qubits made of neutral atoms. Since these operations, called quantum gates, are based on geometric phases, they are extremely robust ...

Apr 8, 2026
Phys.org / Electron–atom scattering encodes the quantum state of electron wave packets

A new analysis reveals what happens when very short or narrow electron beams encounter a particle. The research is published in the New Journal of Physics. Scientists should be able to achieve a new level of control over ...

Apr 8, 2026
Phys.org / Online review structure, not just sentiment, predicts what readers find helpful

A study of nearly 200,000 Amazon reviews shows that the usefulness of online product reviews depends not only on what is said, but on how the information is structured. The researchers, from the Universities of Cambridge ...

Apr 8, 2026
Phys.org / High Mountain Asia's melting glaciers may threaten future water security

Glaciers in High Mountain Asia—a region encompassing the Tibetan Plateau and its surrounding mountain ranges—are shrinking rapidly, endangering water resources for millions of people, suggests a new study. Using satellite ...

Apr 8, 2026