Phys.org news

Phys.org / Hearing tests uncover unexpected humpback sensitivity to high-frequency noise

University of Queensland hearing tests conducted across kilometers of ocean off the Australian coast show humpback whales react to higher frequency sounds than expected. Associate Professor Rebecca Dunlop from UQ's School ...

Jan 28, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / 443-million-year-old fossils reveal early vertebrate eyes

Scientists analyzing 443-million-year-old Scottish fossils have uncovered the early evidence that some of the first groups of vertebrates possessed surprisingly advanced eyes and traces of bone, reshaping our understanding ...

Jan 28, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Strength-in-numbers X-ray technique can map previously unattainable atomic structures

For many decades, the method to obtain atomic-level descriptions of chemical compounds and materials—be it a drug, a catalyst, or a commodity chemical—has been X-ray crystallography. This method has a known weakness: ...

Jan 28, 2026 in Chemistry
Phys.org / New ABF crystal delivers high-performance vacuum ultraviolet nonlinear optical conversion

Vacuum ultraviolet (VUV, 100–200 nm) light sources are indispensable for advanced spectroscopy, quantum research, and semiconductor lithography. Although second harmonic generation (SHG) using nonlinear optical (NLO) crystals ...

Jan 28, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Cell surface glycoRNA clusters found to fine-tune growth factor signaling

The recent discovery of glycoRNAs on the cell surface upended the world of cell biology. These glycoRNAs were found to form highly organized clusters with cell surface RNA binding proteins (csRBPs), but their purpose remained ...

Jan 28, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Cells' built-in capacity limit for copying DNA could impact cancer treatment

For almost 60 years, scientists have tried to understand why DNA doesn't replicate wildly and uncontrollably every time a cell divides, which happens constantly. Without this process, we would die. These essential, ongoing ...

Jan 28, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / AI bosses are creating a new problem for gig workers

For millions of gig workers driving for companies such as Uber Eats, DoorDash and Deliveroo, there is no human manager to call, no supervisor to appeal to and no office to walk into. Decisions about pay, performance, penalties ...

Jan 28, 2026 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Ultrathin kagome metal hosts robust 3D flat electronic band state

A team of researchers at Monash University has uncovered a powerful new way to engineer exotic quantum states, revealing a robust and tunable three-dimensional flat electronic band in an ultrathin kagome metal, an achievement ...

Jan 28, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Land use acts as a 'silent amplifier' of extreme heat, AI-driven study reveals

A new study using Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) has revealed land-use change—particularly deforestation and unplanned agricultural expansion—is dramatically intensifying heat waves across Africa, with findings ...

Jan 28, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / Atlantic nurse sharks show faster growth patterns in Biscayne Bay than nearby Bimini, Bahamas

A new study from the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science shows that juvenile Atlantic nurse sharks (Ginglymostoma cirratum) grow more rapidly as juveniles and reach smaller maximum ...

Jan 28, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Milky Way is embedded in a 'large-scale sheet' of dark matter, which explains motions of nearby galaxies

Computer simulations carried out by astronomers from the University of Groningen in collaboration with researchers from Germany, France and Sweden show that most of the (dark) matter beyond the Local Group of galaxies (which ...

Jan 27, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Higher water levels could turn cultivated peatland in the North into a CO₂ sink

In its natural state, peatland is one of the largest carbon stores in nature. This is because the soil is so waterlogged and low in oxygen that dead plant material breaks down very slowly. The plants do not fully decompose ...

Jan 27, 2026 in Earth