Phys.org news

Phys.org / Mantle plume vs. plate tectonics: Basalt cores reshape the North Atlantic breakup debate

About 56 million years ago, Europe and North America began pulling apart to form what became the ever-expanding North Atlantic Ocean. Vast amounts of molten rock from Earth's mantle reached the ocean floor as the crust stretched ...

Feb 18, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / Rewriting our understanding of early hominin dispersal from Africa to Eurasia

What if Homo erectus (H. erectus), the direct ancestor of modern humans, arrived in China much earlier than we thought? Research published in Science Advances may rewrite our understanding of early human dispersal in that ...

Feb 18, 2026 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Map suggests up to 30% of western bird hotspots face severe wildfire risk

Up to 30% of bird diversity hotspots, places where large numbers of different bird species occur, in the western United States face threats from high-severity wildfires in the future that could eliminate critical forest habitats, ...

Feb 18, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Simplifying quantum simulations—symmetry can cut computational effort by several orders of magnitude

Quantum computer research is advancing at a rapid pace. Today's devices, however, still have significant limitations: For example, the length of a quantum computation is severely limited—that is, the number of possible ...

Feb 18, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Pekingese, Shih Tzu and Staffordshire bull terrier among 12 dog breeds at risk of serious breathing condition

Scientists have identified a further 12 dog breeds as being at risk of brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome—a condition that can cause serious breathing problems—including the Pekingese, Shih Tzu, Boston terrier, ...

Feb 18, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Homes in the fire zone: Why wildland-urban blazes create significantly more air pollution

A research team led by the U.S. National Science Foundation National Center for Atmospheric Research (NSF NCAR) has published a foundational inventory of emissions produced by structures destroyed by fires in the wildland-urban ...

Feb 18, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / Microscopic mirrors for future quantum networks: A new way to make high-performance optical resonators

Researchers in the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) and the Faculty of Arts and Sciences have devised a new way to make some of the smallest, smoothest mirrors ever created for controlling ...

Feb 18, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / A clearer future: Researchers unveil transparent, plastic-free wood

Researchers at the University of Osaka have developed a highly transparent material made entirely from natural wood without adding plastic and uncovered why some wood becomes clearer than others. Their study reveals that ...

Feb 18, 2026 in Chemistry
Phys.org / Ultrasound-jiggled nanobubbles can crack cancer's collagen 'fortress'

Researchers at Case Western Reserve University have discovered a way to breach one of cancer's most stubborn defenses: the impenetrable fortress that solid tumors build around themselves.

Feb 18, 2026 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / Quantum-level effects in biology: Weak magnetic fields and isotopes can alter cell protein structures

A novel method to manipulate the inner structure of cells connects several scientific fields and could represent a significant step in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. ...

Feb 18, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Solving a longstanding mystery about complex life's origin—oxygen-tolerant Asgard archaea may explain eukaryotes' rise

The most widely accepted scientific explanation for the arrival of all complex life on Earth has had an unsolved mystery at its heart. According to the theory, all plants, animals and fungi, known collectively as eukaryotes, ...

Feb 18, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / New durable hybrid materials enable faster radiation detection

Researchers at the University of Oklahoma have developed new hybrid materials that challenge conventional thinking about how light-emitting compounds work and could advance the field of fast radiation detection. The research, ...

Feb 18, 2026 in Chemistry