Phys.org news

Phys.org / Italians and Dutch share the same gestural instinct for teaching, research reveals

Italians are famous for speaking with their hands. But a new international study suggests that when it comes to teaching children, adults everywhere instinctively become more expressive with their gestures—even in cultures ...

May 28, 2026
Phys.org / 'Diversifying' social feeds can cut exposure to toxic content and preserve enjoyment

A new study from Northwestern University and the University of Chicago offers underlying evidence that the engagement-based algorithms used by major social media platforms amplify intergroup, moralized, emotional (IME) and ...

May 28, 2026
Phys.org / Global food shock model reveals self-sufficiency alone may not prevent crises

Global food systems are fragile. Recent shocks such as the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the Russian invasion of Ukraine have raised prices and exacerbated food insecurity. Governments are increasingly trying to shield ...

May 28, 2026
Phys.org / Electrical 'knob' can switch light on, off and tune intensity at the nanoscale

Physicists from Emory University have led work to develop a microscopic, nonlinear light source that can be switched on, off or tuned to a particular intensity by an electrical "knob." The paper is published in the journal ...

May 28, 2026
Phys.org / Plants exhibit remarkable tolerance to protein translation errors

The precise synthesis of proteins is considered essential for cellular function. Now, a team led by LMU biologists Dr. Benjamin Brandt and Professor Hans-Henning Kunz has demonstrated for the first time that plants can cope ...

May 28, 2026
Phys.org / Scientists unlock evolution of gigantism in Scottish island wrens

A new study of British wrens has provided new insights into the inner workings of "island syndromes," according to research led by the University of Birmingham. The paper, published in the Evolutionary Journal of the Linnean ...

May 28, 2026
Phys.org / Think DEET keeps mosquitoes away? They may be learning to love it

Every summer, millions of people spray themselves with DEET to keep mosquitoes away. But new research suggests mosquitoes may be able to learn to associate the repellent with food—and even become attracted to it.

May 28, 2026
Phys.org / Deep beneath Utah, rare mantle earthquakes reshape seismic hazard questions

Nearly 50 years ago, a puzzling earthquake beneath northern Utah jolted scientists' understanding of how Earth works. Now, research from the University of Utah confirms that the mysterious event was real, and part of a rare ...

May 28, 2026
Phys.org / Cobalt honeycombs open a new path to quantum computing

Honeycombs are famous for their elegant design, but now they may have found a new application: quantum computing. To collect knowledge from subatomic particles, quantum computers require carefully designed materials capable ...

May 28, 2026
Phys.org / New Gulf Coast plan uses ocean technology to trap carbon dioxide

The motion of the ocean may be the key to removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, so University of Houston researchers set out to determine which U.S. coastlines are best suited for the process in a new study.

May 28, 2026
Phys.org / Sensitivity of Antarctic ice to climate change sharply increased after ice age shift, study shows

A new study published in the journal Nature Geoscience by researchers at the IBS Center for Climate Physics (ICCP) at Pusan National University in South Korea shows that the Antarctic ice sheet became more sensitive to climate ...

May 28, 2026
Phys.org / Crops predictably select growth boosting microbes regardless of soil type, study finds

A new study shows crop species, and not soil type, primarily determines the beneficial functions provided by root-associated microbes. In the study, soil obtained from across nine UK locations was used to cultivate six key ...

May 28, 2026