Phys.org news

Phys.org / 'Red Potato' galaxy discovered by astronomers

Using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), an international team of astronomers has discovered a new massive and quiescent red galaxy, which they dubbed "Red Potato." The discovery was reported in a research paper published ...

Feb 4, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Forest soils increasingly extract methane from the atmosphere, long-term study reveals

Forest soils have an important role in protecting our climate: They remove large quantities of methane—a powerful greenhouse gas—from our atmosphere. Researchers from the University of Göttingen and the Baden-Württemberg ...

Feb 4, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / When continents try, and fail, to break apart

Great things can come from failure when it comes to geology. The Midcontinent rift formed about 1.1 billion years ago and runs smack in the middle of the United States at the Great Lakes. The rift failed to completely rupture, ...

Feb 4, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / Electron-phonon 'surfing' could help stabilize quantum hardware, nanowire tests suggest

That low-frequency fuzz that can bedevil cellphone calls has to do with how electrons move through and interact in materials at the smallest scale. The electronic flicker noise is often caused by interruptions in the flow ...

Feb 4, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Graphene sealing enables first atomic images of monolayer transition metal diiodides

Two-dimensional (2D) materials promise revolutionary advances in electronics and photonics, but many of the most interesting candidates degrade within seconds of air exposure, making them nearly impossible to study or integrate ...

Feb 4, 2026 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / Are returning Pumas putting Patagonian Penguins at risk? New study reveals the likelihood

Should we protect an emblematic species if it may come at the cost of another one—particularly in ecosystems that are still recovering from human impacts? This is the conservation dilemma facing Monte Leon National Park, ...

Feb 4, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Olives have been essential to life in Italy for at least 6,000 years—far longer than we thought

How far back does the rich history of Italian olives and oil stretch? My new research, published in the American Journal of Archaeology, synthesizing and reevaluating existing archaeological evidence, suggests olive trees ...

Feb 4, 2026 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / AI model OpenScholar synthesizes scientific research and cites sources as accurately as human experts

Keeping up with the latest research is vital for scientists, but given that millions of scientific papers are published every year, that can prove difficult. Artificial intelligence systems show promise for quickly synthesizing ...

Feb 4, 2026 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Study ties particle pollution from wildfire smoke to 24,100 US deaths per year

Chronic exposure to pollution from wildfires has been linked to tens of thousands of deaths annually in the United States, according to a new study.

Feb 4, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / Beyond climate: Connection and mobility were key drivers in early human innovation, research suggests

A new study challenges the idea that climate change drove early human innovation. Instead, researchers find that cultural developments arose under different environmental conditions, shaped by movement, interaction, and knowledge ...

Feb 4, 2026 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Acoustic study reveals deep-diving behavior of elusive beaked whales

Scientists have captured a rare view of one of the ocean's least understood whales—without ever seeing it. By listening to the sounds beaked whales naturally produce, researchers have reconstructed a three-dimensional picture ...

Feb 4, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Invisible actors in groundwater mapped for first time, revealing role in freshwater reservoir

Groundwater is considered the largest reservoir of liquid freshwater on Earth and a habitat for complex microbial communities that drive essential biogeochemical cycles. Until now, the role of viruses that infect microorganisms ...

Feb 4, 2026 in Biology