Phys.org news

Phys.org / A hidden supermassive black hole may be lurking inside the Antennae galaxies

Astronomers may have uncovered a hidden supermassive black hole inside the famous Antennae galaxies NGC 4038/4039, a pair of colliding galaxies best known for their spectacular bursts of star formation. The paper outlining ...

May 29, 2026
Phys.org / 'Shoot for the moon?' Aim a bit lower, researchers say

How ambitious should you be? Folk wisdom offers conflicting advice: "Shoot for the moon," but also, "Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good." A new study by researchers at the University of Wyoming, Stanford University ...

May 29, 2026
Phys.org / Last-of-its-kind tree clinging to cliffside finds new hope at botanic gardens

Conservationists are in a race against time to prevent one of the world's rarest island plants from disappearing forever, after seeds collected from the only surviving wild Dendroseris neriifolia tree arrived at the Millennium ...

May 29, 2026
Phys.org / Orangutans breastfeed for six and a half years, the longest among mammals

Orangutans have one of the slowest life histories among mammals, and a new study now shows just how long orangutan mothers continue to breastfeed their offspring. An international team has demonstrated that wild orangutan ...

May 29, 2026
Phys.org / Fish-microbe partnership may influence ocean health by making carbon-trapping minerals

New research reveals a potential link between the gut microbes of a fish and global ocean processes, offering new insight into how marine ecosystems help regulate ocean chemistry and the marine carbon cycle. The study, titled ...

May 29, 2026
Phys.org / Diamond quantum sensor could reveal elusive altermagnets

For nearly a century, there were two known kinds of magnets. Ferromagnets are the classic magnets that attract metal and keep pictures stuck to the refrigerator. Antiferromagnets hide their magnetism at the atomic scale but ...

May 29, 2026
Phys.org / Elephant declines could trigger wider ecosystem losses in African savannas, 15-year test shows

For decades, ecologists have theorized that the extinction of one important species could set off a chain reaction of losses throughout an ecosystem. Now, new research offers some of the clearest real-world evidence that ...

May 29, 2026
Phys.org / Are taxpayers being gaslighted by street lamp charm?

Gas streetlights might look quaint, but researchers at the University of Cincinnati say they are costly, wasteful and release toxic pollutants into the air. In two studies examining their use in Boston, Massachusetts, and ...

May 29, 2026
Phys.org / A climate fix with a hidden catch: Cutting methane reshapes ozone layer's comeback in unexpected ways

Reducing methane emissions will slow climate change but could also slow the recovery of the stratospheric ozone layer, new research from the University of Reading shows.

May 29, 2026
Phys.org / 'Bio-stickers' speed up plastic breakdown in marine environments

Plastic waste poses an urgent problem for the planet's ecosystems, especially in waterways. Millions of tons of plastic waste enter Earth's oceans every year, and plastic has been found in every part of the ocean, including ...

May 29, 2026
Phys.org / Vast botanical data help solve Darwin's puzzle of why some exotic plants become pests

There's a conundrum that has perplexed biologists since Charles Darwin himself. Why do some exotic species take off as invasive pests while others don't?

May 29, 2026
Phys.org / Rare male red pipefish carrying eggs on its trunk spotted in Sydney

The red pipefish (Notiocampus ruber) is a rare relative of seahorses and seadragons found only in Australia.

May 29, 2026