Phys.org news

Phys.org / Scientists find hidden individuality in viral infections

An international team of researchers developed a new way to uncover hidden differences in how viruses infect and destroy individual microbial cells—solving a biological puzzle that has persisted for more than 80 years.

Jul 15, 2026
Phys.org / Microplastics reach even 2,000 meters below the ocean surface, study finds

Plastic pollution has become a global environmental crisis, with an estimated 11 million tons of plastic entering the oceans each year. As larger plastic debris breaks down into microplastics, these tiny particles are transported ...

Jul 15, 2026
Phys.org / New study reveals what drives the evolution of remarkable eyes in deep‑sea hyperiid amphipods

Hyperiid amphipods are a small but anatomically diverse group of shrimp-like crustaceans with remarkable adaptations for life in the ocean's twilight zone. A team of researchers from MBARI, the Smithsonian National Museum ...

Jul 15, 2026
Phys.org / Quantum currents turn a nano 'soccer ball' into a powerful molecular electromagnet

Driving an electric current through a molecule can create a magnetic field. Yet in practice, such fields are often too weak to be detected experimentally. Through theoretical modeling, researchers at the Institute of Science ...

Jul 15, 2026
Phys.org / Deep-sea larvae travel toward sunlight before returning to hydrothermal vents 2,000 meters down

Hydrothermal vents on the ocean floor host a broad range of rare and unusual ecosystems. They can be spread far apart, yet there is often overlap among the creatures that inhabit them. Researchers, including those from the ...

Jul 15, 2026
Phys.org / Asteroid breakup may explain inner solar system bombardment 800 million years ago

A Southwest Research Institute-led study has proposed a connection between a specific collision in the main asteroid belt and an inner-solar-system-wide bombardment episode that may have had measurable biological and geological ...

Jul 15, 2026
Phys.org / Tiny water droplets convert stubborn plastic waste into valuable acids, study finds

A new way of converting stubborn plastic waste into high-value chemicals using only water and oxygen has been developed by an international team of scientists.

Jul 15, 2026
Phys.org / T. rex was likely responsible for some tooth marks on fossil bones from Cretaceous era

A collection of fossilized dinosaur bones from Wyoming features tooth marks that provide evidence that some bites were likely made by Tyrannosaurus rex, according to a study published July 15, 2026, in PLOS One by Bethania ...

Jul 15, 2026
Phys.org / When disaster strikes, people often flee to places that feel familiar

When the Marshall Fire tore through suburban Colorado in late 2021, residents had only hours to decide where to go. Some fled to nearby towns. Others stayed farther away for weeks or months. Now, a recent study published ...

Jul 15, 2026
Phys.org / Antarctic change drives slowdown of global ocean circulation

New Antarctic research shows the deepest layer of the Southern Ocean is shrinking faster than scientists realized, with the rate of change accelerating over the past decade. This is of worldwide significance because as it ...

Jul 15, 2026
Phys.org / Bacteria form 'herds' to survive predators, offering fresh insight into Earth's carbon cycle

Researchers at Queen Mary University of London have discovered that tiny photosynthetic bacteria band together into protective "herds" when attacked by predators—a survival strategy that could also influence how carbon is ...

Jul 15, 2026
Phys.org / Prey accessibility, not abundance, may shape predator behavior in penguins

Large seabird colonies have a surrounding boundary known as Ashmole's halo, where food sources are depleted, forcing the birds to travel farther to gather the food they need. The reason seems obvious—the more birds, the more ...

Jul 15, 2026