Phys.org news
Phys.org / Common plastics soak up ballistic impacts thanks to a cross-linking molecule
With help from a novel cross-linking molecule, MIT chemists have shown they can substantially improve the ballistic impact resistance of common polymers, including polystyrene and a type of rubber used to make shoe soles.
Phys.org / Cells have a built-in 'seatbelt' against sudden stress
When cells experience sudden physical stress, like stretching or pressure, they can activate a fast, protective mechanism that shields their nuclei from destruction, according to a new study published in the Biophysical Journal. ...
Phys.org / Dead Sea archaea sport reinforced swimming tail for hypersalty waters
Living in the Dead Sea would be a very unpleasant experience for most creatures. With salt concentration above 30% and temperatures ranging from 10–50°C, it takes unique environmental adaptations to survive in such harsh ...
Phys.org / Detailed molecular picture of tooth enamel reveals adaptations to diet
From chewing to chomping to grinding, teeth suffer from a lifetime of repeated mechanical stress. It makes sense, then, that enamel is one of the hardest natural materials.
Phys.org / Organized microbial guilds keep Earth's underground biosphere running, research reveals
By studying life deep inside a former gold mine, a Northwestern University-led team of scientists has uncovered evidence that Earth's hidden biosphere operates less like a random collection of microbes and more like an organized ...
Phys.org / Cutting a photon in two creates an infinite swarm of particles
By definition, elementary particles can't be broken into smaller pieces. But in a new theoretical study published in Physical Review Letters, Johannes Skaar and colleagues have revealed what would happen if you tried anyway ...
Phys.org / Plate tectonics shaped the Cradle of Civilization by merging two ancient rivers, study suggests
The Euphrates River is the longest river in Western Asia and runs through the eastern side of the Fertile Crescent. Flowing over 1,700 miles from Turkey through Syria and Iraq, the river played a crucial role in sustaining ...
Phys.org / Rare meteorite provides evidence of giant early planet
Four-and-a-half billion years ago, a massive world—possibly as big as the moon or even Mars—orbited our sun before crashing into another celestial body and shattering into rubble. Now, in a paper published in the journal ...
Phys.org / Single cell transforms into cannibalistic 'supergiant,' swallowing its clones whole
Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) have discovered a microscopic organism that can transform into a cannibalistic "supergiant" that drastically changes size, shape, and behavior, and abandons filter-feeding ...
Phys.org / Kamo'oalewa asteroid's lunar origin challenged ahead of Tianwen-2 arrival
China's Tianwen-2 sample-return mission is well on its way to its target, an asteroid called Kamo'oalewa. The spacecraft left Earth in May 2025 and should return in late 2027 with samples of a space rock that scientists had ...
Phys.org / How a Richard Feynman formula could explain your dining habits in a new city
One of the dilemmas facing anyone in a new and unfamiliar city is where to dine out. You might consult guides, speak to locals, check reviews, and ultimately, try your luck. But if you're there for a while, at some point ...
Phys.org / Molecular glasses solve long-standing Arrhenius paradox
Glasses are non-crystalline but solid states of matter in which molecules and atoms are not arranged into a regular crystal lattice, but rather in a disordered pattern. Glassy materials are widely used in various settings, ...
