Phys.org news

Phys.org / African grasslands expanded 5 million year earlier than previously thought, molecular fossils suggest

The iconic grassland savannas of Africa are geographically extensive and important for both local fauna and the global climate. But where did they come from, and how will they change in the future? Ongoing warming, rising ...

Aug 12, 2026
Phys.org / Space travel doesn't affect the strength of heart muscle cells, study finds

It's common to see images of astronauts on the International Space Station exercising, running on special treadmills and pedaling cycles designed for tight quarters.

Aug 12, 2026
Phys.org / Pain isn't the point: European viper venoms may have evolved to subdue prey

For many people, the fear of venomous snakes is linked to one thing: pain. Yet new research led by scientists at Bangor University suggests that, for Europe's vipers, at least, causing pain may never have been a driving force ...

Aug 12, 2026
Phys.org / First supernovae may have seeded rocky planet building blocks 100 million years after the Big Bang

The building blocks of rocky planets may have begun forming just 100 million years after the Big Bang—long before the first galaxies even existed—according to new research from the University of Portsmouth.

Aug 12, 2026
Phys.org / Mirage or miracle? JWST finds earliest known 'black hole star' at cosmic dawn

Little red dots have puzzled astronomers since their discovery in James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) data from the universe's deep past. Their "powering engines" might resemble a newly discovered phenomenon dubbed a "black ...

Aug 12, 2026
Phys.org / Fast-moving wildfires may prevent western forests from recovering

The severe, drought-fueled fires now burning across much of the American West and Canada may be scorching forests so thoroughly that they cannot recover to the forests they once were, new research shows. A study by Colorado ...

Aug 12, 2026
Phys.org / Single synthetic peptide forms electrically polarized, self-healing hydrogel

Researchers from the RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science (CSRS) and RIKEN Pioneering Research Institute (PRI) in Japan, together with collaborators from the University of Münster, Germany, have developed a new hydrogel ...

Aug 12, 2026
Phys.org / Sugar swap simplifies production of promising targeted cancer therapies

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison have developed a simpler way to produce a fast-growing class of targeted cancer therapies, a discovery that could make the medicines easier to manufacture consistently while ...

Aug 12, 2026
Phys.org / Quantum advantage reassessed: More realistic benchmarks for quantum algorithms

Quantum advantage refers to the point at which a quantum computer solves a clearly defined task faster or more efficiently than any classical computer—or makes it solvable in the first place. For many practical applications, ...

Aug 12, 2026
Phys.org / Ultrafast flash Joule heating significantly reduces MXene manufacturing time

MXenes are two-dimensional materials made of very thin layers of metals, measured on the atomic scale. They conduct electricity well and have surfaces that can easily interact with other materials, making them excellent candidates ...

Aug 12, 2026
Phys.org / What happens to nanoparticles when they enter the bloodstream?

The use of nanoparticles in drug delivery offers key advantages: they can enable targeted drug delivery, protect active ingredients from premature degradation, extend their duration of action in the body and reduce side effects. ...

Aug 12, 2026
Phys.org / New frog species discovered in the Amazon's flooded forests

Scientists from Brazil and other countries have discovered a new species of frog in the flooded forests of the western Amazon. They named it Adenomera varcena. This finding significantly advances our understanding of Amazonian ...

Aug 12, 2026