Phys.org news

Phys.org / AI model OpenScholar synthesizes scientific research and cites sources as accurately as human experts

Keeping up with the latest research is vital for scientists, but given that millions of scientific papers are published every year, that can prove difficult. Artificial intelligence systems show promise for quickly synthesizing ...

Feb 4, 2026 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Study ties particle pollution from wildfire smoke to 24,100 US deaths per year

Chronic exposure to pollution from wildfires has been linked to tens of thousands of deaths annually in the United States, according to a new study.

Feb 4, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / Beyond climate: Connection and mobility were key drivers in early human innovation, research suggests

A new study challenges the idea that climate change drove early human innovation. Instead, researchers find that cultural developments arose under different environmental conditions, shaped by movement, interaction, and knowledge ...

Feb 4, 2026 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Acoustic study reveals deep-diving behavior of elusive beaked whales

Scientists have captured a rare view of one of the ocean's least understood whales—without ever seeing it. By listening to the sounds beaked whales naturally produce, researchers have reconstructed a three-dimensional picture ...

Feb 4, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Quick test can curb antimicrobial resistance, identifying bacteria and antibiotic susceptibility in under 40 minutes

McGill researchers have developed a diagnostic system capable of identifying bacteria—and determining which antibiotics can stop them—in just 36 minutes, a major advance in the global effort to curb antimicrobial resistance ...

Feb 4, 2026 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / Honest or deceptive? What a new signaling model means for animal displays and human claims

For decades, scientists have tried to answer a simple question: why be honest when deception is possible? Whether it is a peacock's tail, a stag's roar, or a human's résumé, signals are means to influence others by transmitting ...

Feb 4, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / CFC replacements behind vast quantities of global 'forever chemical' pollution, research reveals

Chemicals brought in to help protect our ozone layer have had the unintended consequences of spreading vast quantities of a potentially toxic "forever chemical" around the globe, a new study shows. Atmospheric scientists, ...

Feb 4, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / An unusual dust storm on Mars reveals how the red planet lost some of its water

The current image of Mars as an arid and hostile desert contrasts sharply with the history revealed by its surface. Channels, minerals altered by water, and other geological traces indicate that the red planet was, in its ...

Feb 4, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Temperature of some cities could rise faster than expected under 2°C warming

New research led by the University of East Anglia (UEA) shows how many tropical cities are predicted to warm faster than expected under 2°C of global warming.

Feb 4, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / From cryogenic to red-hot: Optical temperature sensing from 77 K to 873 K

An international collaboration involving researchers from the University of Innsbruck has developed a novel luminescent material that enables particularly robust and precise optical temperature sensing across an exceptionally ...

Feb 4, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Nanocrystal biohybrids harvest light to reduce N₂ gas to ammonia

Ammonia, a key part of nitrogen fertilizers, is central to sustaining global food production. However, its manufacture is also energy intensive: Ammonia production requires 2% of global energy to meet global demand. Approximately ...

Feb 4, 2026 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / Lab-grown beef: Novel line of bovine embryonic stem cells shows promise

Researchers in the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources have developed a novel line of bovine embryonic stem cells, which have significant potential for a variety of new innovations, from lab-grown meat to ...

Feb 4, 2026 in Biology