Phys.org news

Phys.org / Beneath Antarctica's largest ice shelf, a hidden ocean is revealing its secrets

Beneath Antarctica's Ross Ice Shelf lies one of the least measured oceans on Earth—a vast, dark cavity roughly twice the volume of the North Sea.

Jan 22, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / Experiment clarifies cosmic origin of rare proton-rich isotope selenium-74

Researchers have reported new experimental results addressing the origin of rare proton-rich isotopes heavier than iron, called p-nuclei. Led by Artemis Tsantiri, then-graduate student at the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams ...

Jan 22, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Cells that are not our own may unlock secrets about our health

During pregnancy, maternal and fetal cells migrate back and forth across the placenta, with fetal cells entering the mother's bloodstream and tissues. They can settle in maternal organs such as the thyroid, liver, lungs, ...

Jan 22, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Meadows reveal unexpected monotony in insect biodiversity study

According to a new study by the University of Würzburg, Bavarian meadows are the most monotonous insect habitats. Surprisingly, fields and settlements often offer more diversity than grassland.

Jan 22, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Resurrected ancient enzyme offers new window into early Earth and the search for life beyond it

By resurrecting a 3.2-billion-year-old enzyme and studying it inside living microbes, researchers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison have created a new way to improve our understanding of the origins of life on Earth ...

Jan 22, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Tungsten carbide phase control: Engineering a low-cost alternative catalyst for producing sustainable petrochemicals

Important everyday products—from plastics to detergents—are made through chemical reactions that mostly use precious metals such as platinum as catalysts. Scientists have been searching for more sustainable, low-cost ...

Jan 22, 2026 in Chemistry
Phys.org / Battery-free nano-sensors could pave the way for next-generation wearables

Nano-sensors that work without batteries or wires could pave the way for more comfortable, less obtrusive sleep and health care monitoring at home, according to scientists at the University of Surrey.

Jan 22, 2026 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / Growth chambers could enable reproducible plant-microbe data across continents

Harnessing the power of artificial intelligence to study plant microbiomes—communities of microbes living in and around plants—could help improve soil health, boost crop yields, and restore degraded lands. But there's ...

Jan 22, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Humans use local dialects to communicate with honeyguide birds, research shows

Researchers from the University of Cape Town (UCT), working with international collaborators, have shown that people in northern Mozambique use regionally distinct "dialects" when communicating with honeyguide birds, revealing ...

Jan 22, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Accessing water on Mars: Examining the best technologies for future missions

A new study has examined how future human missions to Mars could access one of the planet's most vital resources—water. The "Martian aqua: occurrence of water and appraisal of acquisition technologies" paper, published ...

Jan 22, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Entangled atomic clouds enable more precise quantum measurements

Researchers at the University of Basel and the Laboratoire Kastler Brossel have demonstrated how quantum mechanical entanglement can be used to measure several physical parameters simultaneously with greater precision.

Jan 22, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Sharktober: Scientists confirm spike in tiger shark bites in October

New University of Hawaiʻi research confirms that "Sharktober" is real, revealing a statistically significant spike in shark bite incidents in Hawaiian waters every October. The study, which analyzed 30 years of data (1995–2024), ...

Jan 22, 2026 in Biology