Phys.org news

Phys.org / Asteroid breakup may explain inner solar system bombardment 800 million years ago

A Southwest Research Institute-led study has proposed a connection between a specific collision in the main asteroid belt and an inner-solar-system-wide bombardment episode that may have had measurable biological and geological ...

Jul 15, 2026
Phys.org / New study reveals editorial trends at top science journals

Studies published in prestigious academic journals receive more attention from scholars and media outlets, shaping public discourse and potentially accelerating academic careers. While the path to publication is often murky, ...

Jul 15, 2026
Phys.org / Scientists find hidden individuality in viral infections

An international team of researchers developed a new way to uncover hidden differences in how viruses infect and destroy individual microbial cells—solving a biological puzzle that has persisted for more than 80 years.

Jul 15, 2026
Phys.org / Deep-sea larvae travel toward sunlight before returning to hydrothermal vents 2,000 meters down

Hydrothermal vents on the ocean floor host a broad range of rare and unusual ecosystems. They can be spread far apart, yet there is often overlap among the creatures that inhabit them. Researchers, including those from the ...

Jul 15, 2026
Phys.org / Prey accessibility, not abundance, may shape predator behavior in penguins

Large seabird colonies have a surrounding boundary known as Ashmole's halo, where food sources are depleted, forcing the birds to travel farther to gather the food they need. The reason seems obvious—the more birds, the more ...

Jul 15, 2026
Phys.org / Naked mole-rat queens produce an odorous chemical that ensures that only they can reproduce

An international team led by Dr. Gary Lewin, group leader of the Molecular Physiology of Somatosensory Perception lab at the Max Delbrück Center in Berlin, has discovered that the queens of naked mole-rat colonies release ...

Jul 15, 2026
Phys.org / New study reveals what drives the evolution of remarkable eyes in deep‑sea hyperiid amphipods

Hyperiid amphipods are a small but anatomically diverse group of shrimp-like crustaceans with remarkable adaptations for life in the ocean's twilight zone. A team of researchers from MBARI, the Smithsonian National Museum ...

Jul 15, 2026
Phys.org / New method scales up twist-engineered oxide materials for future electronics

Researchers have shown it is possible to expand the field of twistronics—literally. They have demonstrated a technique that allows them to fabricate oxide twistronic materials at much larger scales while also controlling ...

Jul 15, 2026
Phys.org / New species of monkey with unusual orange lips discovered in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Scientists have described a new species of colobus monkey in the forests of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), report John Hart at Lukuru Wildlife Research Foundation and colleagues in PLOS One. The first hint that a ...

Jul 15, 2026
Phys.org / Does teleworking reduce carbon emissions? It depends on how you do it

Teleworking—including working from home, coworking or working from other third places—can reduce carbon emissions by eliminating commutes. But if you're not careful, this benefit will be offset by the carbon cost of work-related ...

Jul 15, 2026
Phys.org / Risks of solar storms may be underestimated, warn researchers

The effects of extreme space weather may be larger than previously thought, research in the journal Nature reveals. The paper, titled "Regression to the mean can explain saturation of geomagnetic storms," is led by Dr. Nithin ...

Jul 15, 2026
Phys.org / Scientists explain how nucleolus sub-compartments drive ribosome assembly

The nucleolus is a liquid-like cellular organelle where protein factories called ribosomes are assembled. Researchers knew of three distinct compartments within the nucleolus, but how these compartments function to drive ...

Jul 15, 2026