Phys.org news

Phys.org / Perfect randomness realized for the first time

Creating perfect randomness is surprisingly difficult. Even modern random number generators never generate completely ideal random numbers: small systematic errors can result in some numbers appearing slightly more frequently ...

May 27, 2026
Phys.org / Researchers push back fundamental limit on energy transfer between particles without 'spilling' radiation

Researchers at TU/e have demonstrated that energy transfer without loss via light or heat can occur over much greater distances than previously thought possible thanks to vibrations in microscopic gold rods. They succeeded ...

May 27, 2026
Phys.org / Moon base missions face an unseen threat, and these simulations show where it could strike first

Researchers have developed a novel virtual model for simulating how astronauts in future moon base operations might interact with each other and with their environment, with preliminary simulations revealing potential opportunities ...

May 27, 2026
Phys.org / Reconstructed 1.5‑billion‑year‑old protein network reveals hundreds of hidden disease‑linked genes

A University of Texas at Austin-led team has reconstructed the most detailed map to date of the molecular machines that carried out the functions of life in an ancient ancestor that gave rise to all complex life on Earth, ...

May 27, 2026
Phys.org / How the greenhouse effect governs temperature changes across Antarctica

A decade ago, Bradley Markle, an assistant professor at the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research at the University of Colorado Boulder, noticed an odd pattern while sifting through temperature records from the end of the ...

May 27, 2026
Phys.org / Metamaterials enable control of heat transfer at nanoscale, potentially transforming energy and electronics

Heat behaves in predictable ways: a hot cup of coffee cools, a laptop warms your hands, the sun heats Earth. But at scales thousands of times smaller than a human hair, those rules begin to break down, and scientists are ...

May 27, 2026
Phys.org / 'Feathered dragon' has some of the longest tail feathers ever found on a fossil bird

Birds have all kinds of fancy decorations for attracting mates—male peacocks have a fan of feathers accented with shimmering blue eye-spots, birds of paradise do courtship dances that highlight their fluffy plumes, and female ...

May 27, 2026
Phys.org / Monkey see, monkey do: Study sheds light on cooperative decision-making

The old "monkey see, monkey do" adage may rest on some neuroscientific evidence, finds a new Yale study. To examine how the primate brain facilitates cooperative behavior among individuals during social interaction, a team ...

May 27, 2026
Phys.org / DNA 'nicks' make for safer, more precise genetic analysis

Researchers at Cornell University have developed a safer and more precise way to study how genes function in living tissues by refining a recently developed CRISPR-based genetic technique in fruit flies, enabling researchers ...

May 27, 2026
Phys.org / Temporary carbon removal could help support climate goals, if used correctly

Persistent methane emissions from sectors such as agriculture and growing debates over the credibility of carbon offsets are creating new challenges for governments and companies pursuing net-zero commitments. New research ...

May 27, 2026
Phys.org / Long-distance bat migration runs on fatty acids, challenging limits of mammal metabolism

Bats are the only mammals that can actively fly, enabling many species to perform seasonal migrations. In migratory birds, remaining airborne for many hours is supported by burning fatty acids, something most mammals are ...

May 27, 2026
Phys.org / The strange quantum property of tomorrow's insulator

Ultra-fast data transfer and superconductivity: Quantum materials offer significant technological prospects—if we can understand them at the atomic scale. A team from the University of Geneva (UNIGE), in collaboration with ...

May 27, 2026