Phys.org news

Phys.org / Engineered lipid nanoparticles reprogram immune metabolism for better mRNA vaccines

The most common side effects of mRNA vaccines like the COVID-19 shot are well known: soreness, mild fever, and general malaise. Those symptoms, which typically resolve within days, are the natural result of the immune system ...

Mar 17, 2026
Phys.org / Extremely rare second-generation star discovered inside ancient relic dwarf galaxy

Discovered in the Pictor II dwarf galaxy, star PicII-503 has an extreme deficiency in iron—less than 1/40,000th of the sun. This signature makes it the clearest example of a star within a primordial system that preserves ...

Mar 16, 2026
Phys.org / Bull sharks form social relationships with specific 'friends,' research reveals

Sharks are often viewed as solitary, but a new study—carried out on the Shark Reef Marine Reserve in Fiji—has found that rather than mixing at random, bull sharks have "active social preferences" and choose their social ...

Mar 16, 2026
Phys.org / ISS study identifies thresholds for muscle atrophy and fiber changes in reduced gravity

It's well known that spaceflight causes muscle atrophy and other biological changes in reduced gravity, and especially in near-zero gravity (microgravity) environments. However, the gravity threshold needed to maintain sufficient ...

Mar 16, 2026
Phys.org / Do political social media ads influence the outcome of elections?

Social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram and X, are accessed daily by millions of people worldwide. In the weeks or months leading up to elections, many political parties use social media platforms as part of their ...

Mar 16, 2026
Phys.org / Globular cluster NGC 5824 is embedded in a dark matter halo, study suggests

Using data from the Magellan Clay telescope and the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT), astronomers have investigated a galactic globular cluster known as NGC 5824. Results of the new study, available in a paper published ...

Mar 16, 2026
Phys.org / Turning mosquitoes into flying vaccine carriers to protect against bat-borne viruses

Bats are reservoirs for several zoonotic viruses, such as Ebola and coronaviruses. These pathogens can spread to humans through direct contact with the flying mammals or their bodily fluids, or indirectly through contaminated ...

Mar 16, 2026
Phys.org / ChatGPT can provide original mathematical proofs, researchers show

VUB's Data Analytics Lab has published new results showing that it is possible to develop original mathematical proofs using commercial language models. In a paper posted to the arXiv preprint server, the researchers show ...

Mar 16, 2026
Phys.org / A galaxy next door is transforming, and astronomers can see it happening

The Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) is one of the Milky Way's closest galactic neighbors—a small, gas-rich galaxy visible to the naked eye from the southern hemisphere, and bound to our galaxy by gravity, alongside its companion, ...

Mar 16, 2026
Phys.org / Not just spin—electron orbitals can provide new method for controlling magnetism

Research is actively underway to develop a "dream memory" that can reduce heat generation in smartphones and laptops while delivering faster performance and lower power consumption. Korean researchers propose a new possibility ...

Mar 16, 2026
Phys.org / Location of reforestation projects has greater effect on climate than number of trees planted, study shows

In the fight against the climate crisis, countries are pinning great hope in reforestation projects. In a new study, ETH Zurich researchers show that the location in which reforestation is taking place is usually more important ...

Mar 16, 2026
Phys.org / Frog-cell 'neurobots' grow self-organized nervous systems and alter gene activity

Biobots, whose growing line of variants started with xenobots, are fascinating tiny self-powered living robots built exclusively using frog embryonic cells. Originally developed in the laboratories of Wyss Institute Associate ...

Mar 16, 2026