Phys.org news

Phys.org / Symmetry says these crystal vibrations can never mix, but an exotic quantum phase rewrites the rules

Symmetry is one of the most fundamental principles in nature. It describes the rules that make an object look unchanged after a rotation, reflection, or other transformations. In materials, symmetry governs how atoms and ...

May 4, 2026
Phys.org / Antibiotic-resistant bacteria turn up in six lakes, with urban waters hit hardest

A team of scientists from Berlin analyzed water and sediment samples from six water bodies in Berlin and the adjacent federal states of Brandenburg and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, as well as the inflow and outflow of a ...

May 4, 2026
Phys.org / Time-varying magnetic fields can engineer exotic quantum matter

Quantum technology has promising potential to revolutionize how large and complex amounts of information are processed. While already in use primarily in laboratory and research settings globally, quantum technologies are ...

May 4, 2026
Phys.org / Politicians are not ignoring you, statistical analysis suggests

If you're registered to vote in the United States and you're not among the richest of the rich, political scientist Peter K. Enns has a message for you: Your voice still matters. So does data analysis methodology.

May 4, 2026
Phys.org / New insight could change how we break down 'forever chemicals'

PFAS, often called "forever chemicals," are notoriously difficult to remove from the environment. Their extreme chemical stability means they can persist in water and the human body for decades, creating a major global pollution ...

May 4, 2026
Phys.org / Scientists unlock new way to engineer next-generation glass

Scientists have adapted a centuries-old principle of chemistry to fine-tune a new type of glass made from metal–organic frameworks (MOFs)—metal atoms connected by organic molecules—that efficiently trap gases like CO₂ and ...

May 4, 2026
Phys.org / Synchrotron X-rays uncover hidden protein binding sites, enabling two new functions

Using bright X-rays from the Department of Energy's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab), researchers pioneered an innovative approach to designing proteins with targeted ...

May 4, 2026
Phys.org / Mathematical framework solves asteroid route planning exactly for first time

A new publication from Bielefeld University sets a benchmark in optimization research. Together with an international team, Professor Michael Römer from the Faculty of Business Administration and Economics has developed a ...

May 4, 2026
Phys.org / Climate change increases spillover risk of rodent-borne arenaviruses, study warns

Climate change is likely to drive rodent-borne arenaviruses into parts of South America that have never faced these diseases, putting new communities of people at risk, finds a study from the University of California, Davis. ...

May 4, 2026
Phys.org / Hidden risk pushes 459 Northwest communities higher on wildfire danger scale

A new wildfire risk assessment tool that takes social vulnerability into account indicates that more than 400 communities in the Pacific Northwest are at greater risk than previously thought. However, researchers at Oregon ...

May 4, 2026
Phys.org / Electric double layer unlocks molecular switch behind battery and hydrogen reactions

From smartphone charging to hydrogen production, the fundamental principles of energy technology have been revealed. Korean researchers have, for the first time, identified how molecular structures change within the ultra-small ...

May 4, 2026
Phys.org / Eucalyptus bark points the way to cleaner water and air

Eucalyptus bark, usually stripped from logs and treated as waste, could be repurposed to help clean polluted water, filter dirty air and capture carbon dioxide, according to new research from RMIT University. Researchers ...

May 4, 2026