Phys.org news

Phys.org / Ultrafast laser pulses bring diamond-based quantum internet closer to reality

The controlled generation of single photons is an essential element of numerous quantum technology applications, such as quantum networks and quantum computing. A research team has now demonstrated the successful application ...

Mar 17, 2026
Phys.org / Computational bio tool automates and standardizes genome sequencing analysis

In a single experiment, scientists can decipher the entire genomes of many patient samples, animal models, or cultured cells. To fully realize the potential to study biology at this unprecedented scale, researchers must be ...

Mar 17, 2026
Phys.org / Nest-building birds help disperse cotton further than wind, study suggests

Birds play a larger role in the dispersal of wild cotton than previously assumed. This is shown by a study in the journal Oikos, carried out in southern Africa. Researchers discovered that birds actively collect wild cotton ...

Mar 17, 2026
Phys.org / Asteroid Bennu's rugged surface baffled NASA—now, we finally know why

In one of the biggest surprises of NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission, its target asteroid, Bennu, turned out to be a jagged, rugged world covered in large boulders, with few of the smooth patches that earlier observations from Earth-based ...

Mar 17, 2026
Phys.org / From dust to planets: Parabolic flight reveal a turbulent path

How does fine dust aggregate into building blocks that ultimately form entire planets like our Earth? A research team led by the University of Bern, with the participation of ETH Zurich, the University of Zurich and the National ...

Mar 17, 2026
Phys.org / Past intensive whaling threatens the future of bowhead whales

A unique collection of prehistoric bowhead whale bones, dating back 11,000 years, reveals a previously untold story of the relative impacts of humans on nature. The time series of ancient fossils show that commercial hunting ...

Mar 17, 2026
Phys.org / New rare bird species discovered in Japan

A previously unknown species of leaf warbler has been discovered in Japan. The Ijima's Leaf Warbler has proven to be two different species, not just one. Every year, a few new bird species are identified around the world. ...

Mar 17, 2026
Phys.org / When it comes to networks, nature has an edge

Networks exist in both nature—such as biological systems like food webs and gene regulatory networks—and in engineered systems as seen in power grids. Though natural and engineered systems share an overarching goal—providing ...

Mar 17, 2026
Phys.org / What's in your lipstick and water? New test flags hidden mutagens

Substances capable of mutating human genetic material—altering and permanently damaging it—are present in many everyday products. Researchers at Justus Liebig University Giessen (JLU) have, for the first time, detected ...

Mar 17, 2026
Phys.org / Nano 3D metallic parts turn out to be surprisingly strong despite defects

Scientists at Caltech have figured out how to precisely engineer tiny three-dimensional (3D) metallic pieces with nanoscale dimensions. The process can work with any metal or metal alloy and yields components of surprising ...

Mar 17, 2026
Phys.org / Charcoal records reveal 'unprecedented' wildfires in tropical peatlands during 20th century

A new study reveals an unprecedented increase in wildfires in tropical peatlands during the 20th century. "Unprecedented burning in tropical peatlands during the 20th century compared to the previous two millennia" is published ...

Mar 17, 2026
Phys.org / 'Conflict entrepreneurs': Examining divisive political rhetoric and the pursuit of celebrity by politicians

American politics is increasingly characterized by high levels of polarization and divisive rhetoric, despite stated preferences among voters for civility and substantive debate. Sean J. Westwood and colleagues sought to ...

Mar 17, 2026