Phys.org news

Phys.org / Tiny feet on cells can sense defects and stall migration to heal wounds

Cells travel through the body both individually and in collective groups during development, wound healing and diseases such as cancer. New research from the McKelvey School of Engineering at Washington University in St. ...

Aug 17, 2026
Phys.org / Locust neurons detect PFAS at environmentally relevant levels, pointing to portable sensors

Researchers at Michigan State University have discovered that neurons in a locust's brain can distinguish among multiple PFAS compounds, including PFOS, one of the world's most common "forever chemicals," at environmentally ...

Aug 17, 2026
Phys.org / Graphene device measures fractional electric charges carried by some of quantum physics' strangest objects

An electron is supposed to be indivisible. It carries one fundamental unit of electric charge, and every electron is exactly the same. But under extreme conditions, large numbers of electrons act together and give rise to ...

Aug 17, 2026
Phys.org / Ancient Austronesian seafarers carried symbolic art 4,000 years ago

A 4,000-year-old painted stone plaque discovered on a remote Indonesian island is the first known example of portable art belonging to the Austronesian Painting Tradition (APT), providing a rare glimpse into the symbolic ...

Aug 17, 2026
Phys.org / Brazil's vast coastline could help address food insecurity through sustainable seafood

New research into seafood consumption and production in Brazil highlights how one of the world's most populous countries could build healthier and more sustainable food systems by encouraging people to eat more seafood, developing ...

Aug 17, 2026
Phys.org / Observations since 1850 reveal regional climate fingerprints of human-induced warming

There is no question that the current global temperature increase is human-caused. Global warming has long since emerged as the dominant signal amid natural climate fluctuations. However, identifying how this warming manifests ...

Aug 17, 2026
Phys.org / Stellar explosions come into focus with new nuclear reaction measurements

In two separate papers published in Physical Review Letters, researchers investigated the nuclear reactions that take place inside supernovae and X-ray bursts—two of the universe's most powerful explosions. Together, the ...

Aug 17, 2026
Phys.org / How plants selectively silence jumping genes while protecting essential ones

Histone variants help establish DNA methylation at transposons (jumping genes) while preventing this epigenetic modification from spreading to essential genes in plants, a study from the Institute of Science Tokyo reveals. ...

Aug 17, 2026
Phys.org / Breath-strip-like nanofiber film delivers three pain drugs in under two seconds

Children and seniors who have difficulty chewing and swallowing conventional tablets may have an easier way to find pain relief. Cornell researchers have developed an ultrafast-dissolving nanofiber film that can deliver a ...

Aug 17, 2026
Phys.org / World off-track on nearly every food system goal, latest assessment reveals

The latest study from the Food Systems Countdown Initiative (FSCI) reveals the stark reality of where global food systems transformation stands: for most indicators on health, environment, livelihoods, governance and resilience, ...

Aug 17, 2026
Phys.org / Two eyeless shrimp-like species found in Japan's groundwater are new to science

Researchers have identified two new species in the genus Bogidiella, small shrimp-like amphipods that live in subterranean aquatic environments, from cave waters on the Ryukyu Islands, a subtropical island chain in southwestern ...

Aug 17, 2026
Phys.org / It's not just flowers that help the pollinators. Grass can too.

Bees may be relying on your lawn for their next meal, according to a new study from the University of Georgia.

Aug 17, 2026