Phys.org news

Phys.org / There's a range of magic angles to study superconductivity in a twisted 2D semiconductor

Last year, tungsten diselenide (WSe2) had its magic moment. Two independent research groups discovered "magic angles" at which two atom-thin layers of the unique semiconductor, when twisted relative to one another into what's ...

Apr 19, 2026
Phys.org / DESI completes planned 3D map of the universe and continues exploring

The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) has successfully completed the largest high-resolution 3D map of the universe ever made, a major milestone in understanding the force driving cosmic expansion. The milestone ...

Apr 18, 2026
Phys.org / People with dark personality traits are naturally inclined towards leadership roles, finds new study

Can you tell if you're working with a narcissist or a psychopath? A new study suggests that people's job choices may offer some clues, especially in fields built on leadership and persuasion such as business, politics, and ...

Apr 18, 2026
Phys.org / Mental math's shortcut—pupil dilation suggests people start solving before all numbers are in

People often solve simple arithmetic problems, such as basic addition, subtraction, multiplication or division, in their minds. The precise mental processes they rely on to solve these problems, however, are not entirely ...

Apr 18, 2026
Phys.org / Surprising link between metallicity and superconductivity uncovered in twisted trilayer graphene

Superconductivity is a state of matter characterized by an electrical resistance of zero, typically at very low temperatures. Past studies have found that in various materials, this unique state is accompanied by unusual ...

Apr 18, 2026
Phys.org / Universal quantum protocol extracts maximum work without knowing a system's state in advance

A new study published in Nature Communications has shown that in the asymptotic limit, extracting the maximum possible work from many copies of a quantum system does not require knowing exactly what state that system is in.

Apr 18, 2026
Phys.org / How poison frogs built a chemical weapons system one evolutionary step at a time

Poison frogs are small and brightly colored amphibians that originate from Central and South America. As suggested by their name, these frogs can release highly toxic chemicals from their skin, which deter and neutralize ...

Apr 18, 2026
Phys.org / Raven personalities shape survival as human pressure grows at the Dead Sea

Along the stark and shimmering coastline of the Dead Sea, where desert cliffs meet one of the world's most extreme environments, a quiet drama is unfolding in the skies above. Fan-tailed ravens, intelligent, adaptable, and ...

Apr 18, 2026
Phys.org / Earth's tectonic elevator hauls ancient buried microbes back to the seafloor to revive and spread

In subduction zones, the sites of the world's largest earthquakes, tectonic activity may generate a "pump" that transports long-buried subseafloor microbes back toward the seafloor, according to research presented at the ...

Apr 18, 2026
Phys.org / Prenatal opioid exposure in babies doesn't predict future classroom performance, study finds

Every 25 minutes in the United States, a baby is diagnosed with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), a condition that occurs in newborns who have been exposed to opioids in the womb and develop withdrawal after birth, according ...

Apr 18, 2026
Phys.org / Flat optics move toward market with 300-per-second metalens production

A collaborative research group has developed a fully automated roll-to-roll manufacturing platform capable of producing large-area visible metalenses at a rate of 300 units per second, marking a major breakthrough in translating ...

Apr 18, 2026
Phys.org / PFAS detected in dolphin milk may pass from mothers to calves

Researchers have found that a group of chemicals known as PFAS can be transferred from mother dolphins to their nursing calves, adding to the evidence that these persistent contaminants can be transferred from mothers to ...

Apr 18, 2026