Phys.org news

Phys.org / A galaxy next door is transforming, and astronomers can see it happening

The Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) is one of the Milky Way's closest galactic neighbors—a small, gas-rich galaxy visible to the naked eye from the southern hemisphere, and bound to our galaxy by gravity, alongside its companion, ...

Mar 16, 2026
Phys.org / Not just spin—electron orbitals can provide new method for controlling magnetism

Research is actively underway to develop a "dream memory" that can reduce heat generation in smartphones and laptops while delivering faster performance and lower power consumption. Korean researchers propose a new possibility ...

Mar 16, 2026
Phys.org / Location of reforestation projects has greater effect on climate than number of trees planted, study shows

In the fight against the climate crisis, countries are pinning great hope in reforestation projects. In a new study, ETH Zurich researchers show that the location in which reforestation is taking place is usually more important ...

Mar 16, 2026
Phys.org / Frog-cell 'neurobots' grow self-organized nervous systems and alter gene activity

Biobots, whose growing line of variants started with xenobots, are fascinating tiny self-powered living robots built exclusively using frog embryonic cells. Originally developed in the laboratories of Wyss Institute Associate ...

Mar 16, 2026
Phys.org / Hunted by Neanderthals, giant elephants traveled hundreds of kilometers across ice-age Europe

Neumark-Nord in northeastern Germany was a lake landscape in the last interglacial period. It is rich in archaeological finds discovered during lignite mining. The area in Saxony-Anhalt is one of the most important European ...

Mar 16, 2026
Phys.org / Amazonian chocolate: Combining cocoa clones with different post-harvest processes balances flavor and nutritional value

Chocolate produced in the Amazon is internationally recognized for its unique flavor. A study by researchers at São Paulo State University (UNESP) in Brazil has shown that it could be even more valuable. The analysis indicates ...

Mar 16, 2026
Phys.org / A clear roadmap for engineering combs of light

Optical frequency combs—laser sources that emit evenly spaced colors of light—are foundational, ubiquitous tools for precision measurement, found in optical clocks, gas-sensing spectrometers, and instruments that detect ...

Mar 16, 2026
Phys.org / Ice satellite detects powerful geomagnetic storm with precision

It seems improbable that a satellite designed to monitor polar ice sheets and floating sea ice could accurately measure a disturbance in Earth's magnetic field. But that is just what ESA's CryoSat mission did earlier this ...

Mar 16, 2026
Phys.org / Why sugar breakdown matters beyond energy—new insights into how it makes cells move

It has long been known that our bodies derive energy from sugar. Researchers at RPTU University Kaiserslautern-Landau have now discovered that sugar breakdown produces an intermediate product that is also crucial for the ...

Mar 16, 2026
Phys.org / Laser-assisted electron scattering seen with circularly polarized light for the first time

Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have succeeded in detecting laser-assisted electron scattering (LAES) using circularly polarized light for the first time. The use of circularly polarized light promises valuable ...

Mar 16, 2026
Phys.org / Milk-derived nanoparticles may enable physicians to target aggressive bile duct cancer

Mayo Clinic researchers have developed a promising new way to deliver treatment directly to cholangiocarcinoma tumors, a rare and aggressive bile duct cancer with limited treatment options, using milk-derived nanoparticles ...

Mar 16, 2026
Phys.org / Q&A: Reevaluating reaction rates to better understand the stars

Thermonuclear reaction rates power the models that explain how stars live, explode and create the elements. A new study co-authored by NC State faculty member Richard Longland provides a comprehensive, statistically grounded ...

Mar 16, 2026