Phys.org news

Phys.org / Gondwana really was a supercontinent—and it may have helped kickstart life on Earth

Some 550 million years ago, Earth looked very different than it does today. The Southern Hemisphere was dominated by an enormous single continent known as Gondwana.

Sep 10, 2026
Phys.org / Scientists visualize proteins' hidden water architecture that may help define biological function

For decades, scientists have understood proteins primarily through two defining features: their amino acid sequence and their three-dimensional structure. This framework has driven major advances in biology, biotechnology ...

Sep 10, 2026
Phys.org / Rare bird fossils from Bavaria reveal new species, including an eagle

The Hammerschmiede clay pit near Pforzen in the eastern Allgäu is famous for its wealth of finds: Besides fossils of two early anthropoid apes, the remains of numerous vertebrate species have been uncovered in 11.6-million-year-old ...

Sep 10, 2026
Phys.org / Future catastrophic weather could be 'far worse' than history suggests

Historical records of the deadliest storms and heat waves may be a poor indicator of the scale and impact future weather disasters could have, scientists at King's College London warn.

Sep 10, 2026
Phys.org / Unaccounted climate feedback loops may amplify warming by 20–30% this century, but cutting emissions will reduce risks

New research shows that warming-induced emissions—greenhouse gas emissions from natural sources driven by rising temperatures—could amplify global warming by approximately 20%–30% and add an estimated 0.2°C–0.4°C of warming ...

Sep 10, 2026
Phys.org / Psychologist wins Ig Nobel for proving rich drivers are the worst

Paul K. Piff, UC Irvine associate professor of psychology, has officially been recognized for what millions of frustrated commuters have long suspected: The fancier the car, the worse the driver.

Sep 10, 2026
Phys.org / Ultra-cold quantum sensors cut X-ray uncertainty, improving nuclear material assessments

To monitor the amount and type of nuclear material at power plants and weapons facilities, scientists look for a special signal—the unique pattern of gamma rays emitted by specific radioactive elements. However, some of these ...

Sep 10, 2026
Phys.org / 'Peculiar' new species of Jurassic squid found in Wyoming

A "peculiar" new species of Jurassic squid-like animal has been unearthed in Wyoming, U.S., following the discovery of two exceptionally rare fossils dating to around 160 million years ago.

Sep 10, 2026
Phys.org / A fake spider at the tip of this snake's tail helps it lure birds: Scientists get their first look inside it

Lots of animals use mimicry to survive. Some copy the appearance of threatening predators, and others have evolved to resemble plants or rocks so they can blend into the background and avoid being attacked. But a viper from ...

Sep 10, 2026
Phys.org / Cell wall transport disruption exposes weakness in antibiotic-resistant bacteria

Even highly antibiotic-resistant bacteria become more vulnerable when their cell wall transport system is disrupted, according to a new study from Umeå University. The discovery reveals a previously overlooked weakness that ...

Sep 10, 2026
Phys.org / An unusual bacterium that penetrates and lives inside human cells may offer a new drug target

Research underway in the lab of Rebecca Alexander, a professor in Wake Forest University's Department of Chemistry, is shedding light on an unusual human bacterium, Mycoplasma penetrans. Alexander's work to understand how ...

Sep 10, 2026
Phys.org / Ultrathin silicon structures can tune mid-IR light in billionths of a second

Light in the mid-infrared (mid-IR) portion of the electromagnetic spectrum plays a key role in modern sensing. Because molecules interact with this kind of light in specific ways, researchers use technologies like mid-IR ...

Sep 10, 2026