Phys.org news

Phys.org / Novel particle beam could challenge Einstein's theory of gravity

Does gravity act equally on all particles in the universe, or are there differences between ordinary and exotic matter? Physics professor Anna Soter and her team at ETH Zurich and the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) in Villigen ...

Sep 15, 2026
Phys.org / Wild dogs make the longest recorded journey of any terrestrial mammal in Africa

African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) travel incredibly long distances to search for a mate and new places to breed. They typically embark on these mammoth treks as young adults and often face numerous hazards along the way. ...

Sep 15, 2026
Phys.org / Biophysical model suggests how cells optimize information gathering without using too much energy

In both biological and engineered systems, cells and sensors must make sense of noisy, changing signals to function. However, collecting and using this information consumes valuable energy. A new study, published in Physical ...

Sep 15, 2026
Phys.org / A famous galaxy's black hole has been hiding its most violent behavior

Astronomers have found that a nearby galaxy's black hole is blasting out a far more powerful and hidden gas outflow than previously realized. Studying NGC 1068, a well-known galaxy with an actively feeding black hole at its ...

Sep 15, 2026
Phys.org / For many group-living females, breeding and raising young are shared endeavors

Some female animals living in groups raise offspring that are not their own, sometimes without reproducing themselves. While the behavior of cooperatively breeding species is well documented, some aspects remain poorly understood.

Sep 15, 2026
Phys.org / Not all roads lead to Rome: Research challenges what we think we know about Roman roads

A multidisciplinary team of researchers from Aarhus University in Denmark, Queen Mary University of London and other European institutions analyzed a data set representing almost 300,000 kilometers (186,000 miles) of Roman ...

Sep 15, 2026
Phys.org / Ancient DNA traces medieval migration from Sweden to Finland

A new study led by the University of Turku provides new insights into the population history of Finland during the Late Iron Age and the Middle Ages. The researchers analyzed the genomes of people who lived in southwestern ...

Sep 15, 2026
Phys.org / Heat-stable enzyme from deep-sea microbe turns nitrogen gas into ammonia

Microorganisms can do remarkable things—for example, nitrogen fixation, the conversion of nitrogen gas (N₂) into a form that organisms can use. Although nitrogen gas makes up around 78% of Earth's atmosphere, plants and animals ...

Sep 15, 2026
Phys.org / Greenhouse gas benefits of agricultural irrigation far outweigh emissions costs, study finds

Irrigating U.S. crops prevents higher greenhouse gas emissions by avoiding land conversion, new research by Colorado State University shows. Agricultural irrigation allows the United States to grow more food on less land. ...

Sep 15, 2026
Phys.org / New peanut genome map uncovers hidden gene, boosts dense-planting yields 20%

An international team that includes researchers from Murdoch University's Centre for Crop and Food Innovation (CCFI) has built the most comprehensive genetic map of the peanut yet and used this new genomic resource to breed ...

Sep 15, 2026
Phys.org / Record-breaking levels of plastic found in seabirds, with almost 900 pieces found in one bird alone

For more than a decade, it was thought that the world's most plastic-polluted birds couldn't get any more contaminated by the man-made material. But then, from 2023–2026, the record was broken every single year.

Sep 15, 2026
Phys.org / Indigenous Australian population was much larger than previously thought and decimated after First Fleet's arrival

Australia had a much larger Indigenous population before the arrival of Europeans than previously thought, according to new research. The research also demonstrates much larger population losses resulting from colonization ...

Sep 15, 2026