Phys.org news

Phys.org / White barn owls may use moonlight to startle prey

White barn owls are effective killing machines. They fly silently through the night air and swoop down on unsuspecting prey with their sharp talons. But they have something you would think goes against being a stealth predator: ...

Jun 23, 2026
Phys.org / Einstein Probe detects mysterious X-ray transient that doesn't fit any known class

Astronomers have reported the discovery of an unusual X-ray transient detected by the Einstein Probe that does not fit any known class of cosmic explosions. The paper presenting its multiwavelength analysis was published ...

Jun 23, 2026
Phys.org / Hidden seismicity patterns before large earthquakes uncovered

When and where the next large earthquake will strike remains one of the most difficult questions in geoscience. Researchers from the GFZ Helmholtz Center for Geosciences led by Dr. Sadegh Karimpouli and Prof. Dr. Patricia ...

Jun 23, 2026
Phys.org / Pathway to high-fidelity quantum computing identified

Researchers from the University of Sydney, working with IBM, have identified and quantified important factors limiting the performance of quantum computers and demonstrated ways to overcome their impact.

Jun 23, 2026
Phys.org / Scientists create optical skyrmions using a two-century-old light phenomenon

Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) scientists have used a classic optical phenomenon known as the Poisson spot to create stable patterns of light called optical skyrmions, which are tiny, swirling ...

Jun 23, 2026
Phys.org / Espresso 'pucks' stop behaving predictably above certain pressures

When a physics student asked baristas at the Warsaw Coffee Conference what their biggest question for scientists was, the baristas said they wanted to know how to stop channeling during brewing.

Jun 23, 2026
Phys.org / Looking at AI startups to predict which jobs AI will affect

A study of funded AI startups provides a glimpse of which jobs may be most affected by AI. As AI tools are embraced by industry after industry, the impacts of these tools on jobs remain unclear. Previous analyses have focused ...

Jun 23, 2026
Phys.org / Hidden dark force may slow cosmic structure growth, not speed it up

Dark matter is often portrayed as a cosmic loner, interacting with itself and the rest of the universe only through gravity. But what if dark matter particles also exert a hidden force on one another?

Jun 23, 2026
Phys.org / Researchers find microplastics in hedgehogs—then trace them back to pet food

When colleagues and I found microplastics in hedgehog droppings, we wanted to know where they were coming from. One answer was surprisingly close to home: pet food.

Jun 23, 2026
Phys.org / New AI tool identifies wild animals by their unique patterns in real time

Patterns reveal the individual: A novel AI algorithm equips researchers with a powerful new tool to accurately identify individual jaguars, zebras and giraffes in real time based on their unique coat patterns. Biologists ...

Jun 23, 2026
Phys.org / Solid-state material turns visible light into high-energy UV at sunlight intensity, expanding solar energy potential

Two cups of warm water don't make one cup of boiling water. But in the quantum world, multiple low-energy photons can combine to produce a single, higher-energy photon.

Jun 23, 2026
Phys.org / Although woodland salamanders have looked the same for millions of years, their physiology has evolved rapidly

For her doctoral dissertation, Yale's Nathalie Alomar decided to study a small amphibian that appeared to have eluded the forces of evolution. She found that there is more to its evolution than meets the eye.

Jun 23, 2026