Phys.org news

Phys.org / RNA droplets may have helped start life on Earth

It's one of the origins-of-life chicken-or-egg problems: How could RNA have helped give rise to the first cells before there were cells to contain it?

Aug 20, 2026
Phys.org / ALMA uncovers sulfur for the first time around a rare class of supergiant star

Astronomers have discovered a chemically rich collection of sulfur-bearing molecules surrounding the rare massive star HD 87643. The observations include the first detection of sulfur monoxide and sulfur dioxide around a ...

Aug 20, 2026
Phys.org / Scarce emergence of new species drove the decline of African megaherbivores, study suggests

A study by the National Museum of Natural Sciences (MNCN-CSIC), the National Research Center on Human Evolution (CENIEH) and the University of Alcalá offers a new explanation for the decline of African megaherbivores. These ...

Aug 20, 2026
Phys.org / Hypersonic impact rapidly transforms diamond into graphite, revealing energy-absorbing mechanism

Rice University researchers have developed a way to stabilize diamond during high-temperature and low-pressure processing, creating a strong bulk composite and discovering that high-speed collisions can rapidly transform ...

Aug 20, 2026
Phys.org / Natural forest regrowth offers a lower-cost path to climate and biodiversity goals

As nations race to restore ecosystems and curb climate change, research has shown that letting nature do the work is a cost-effective, viable solution. A study from the University of Queensland and the University of Newcastle ...

Aug 20, 2026
Phys.org / 'Shaking up' biofilm research: Active topography reduces bacterial infections

The use of antibiotics has traditionally been considered the gold standard in bacterial infection control—the more bacterial cells you kill, and the faster you kill them, the better. University of Tennessee, Knoxville Professor ...

Aug 20, 2026
Phys.org / Rising ocean temperatures reduce the natural carbon storage capacity of seagrass meadows

A new study published in Communications Earth & Environment, with contributions from researchers at the Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT), shows that higher seawater temperatures could significantly reduce ...

Aug 20, 2026
Phys.org / Welcome to the jungle: Newly discovered snake named after Slash from Guns N' Roses

Slash, aka Saul Hudson, is probably best known as the guitarist for Guns N' Roses. But there's more to Slash than his music. He's also a lifelong reptile lover and an avid supporter of zoos and museums. And now, he's the ...

Aug 20, 2026
Phys.org / Honeybees struggle to gather nectar in August, direct measurements reveal

Letting late-summer weeds grow could help honeybees when they find it most challenging to gather nectar, according to new research published in the journal, Functional Ecology.

Aug 20, 2026
Phys.org / North Sea wind farm expansion may shift rain offshore, simulations suggest

Offshore wind farms are a key pillar of the energy transition. The European Union plans to expand offshore wind capacity in the North Sea by 2050. A new study by the Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon indicates that a very extensive ...

Aug 20, 2026
Phys.org / Alternative mRNA modification lets ribosomes move nearly twice as fast

In a new study, scientists from Johns Hopkins Medicine report that an experimental mRNA-based platform has the potential to help deliver next-generation mRNA therapeutics, including vaccines to fight infectious diseases, ...

Aug 20, 2026
Phys.org / Thinner lenses, brighter colors: Metalens research clears two hurdles for AR and VR glasses

AR and VR glasses once seen only in science fiction may soon be realized not as bulky stacks of lenses but as a single eyeglass-like optical element. That future is now closer to reality.

Aug 20, 2026