Phys.org news

Phys.org / Halley's Comet wrongly named: 11th-century English monk predates British astronomer

The British astronomer and mathematician Edmond Halley was not, after all, the first to understand the cycle of the comet that now bears his name. This is shown by research conducted by, among others, Professor Simon Portegies ...

Jan 23, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Transforming hydrogen energy by flattening granular catalysts into paper-thin sheets

Catalysts are the invisible engines of hydrogen energy, governing both hydrogen production and electricity generation. Conventional catalysts are typically fabricated in granular particle form, which is easy to synthesize ...

Jan 23, 2026 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / Harnessing nanoscale magnetic spins to overcome the limits of conventional electronics

Researchers at Kyushu University have shown that careful engineering of materials interfaces can unlock new applications for nanoscale magnetic spins, overcoming the limits of conventional electronics. Their findings, published ...

Jan 23, 2026 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / Hydrogen's role in generating free electrons in silicon finally explained

Researchers announced that they have achieved the world's first elucidation of how hydrogen produces free electrons through the interaction with certain defects in silicon. The achievement has the potential to improve how ...

Jan 23, 2026 in Chemistry
Phys.org / Refined radiocarbon dating provides clearer timeline of human activity along Cantabrian coast 18,000 years ago

A new study refines radiocarbon dating of marine remains and significantly improves the precision with which the human past of the Magdalenian period in the Cantabrian region of Spain can be reconstructed, a key phase of ...

Jan 23, 2026 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / 2D material offers a solution to long-standing obstacle in diamond-based circuits

Beyond their sparkle, diamonds have hidden talents. They shed heat better than any material, tolerate extreme temperatures and radiation, and handle high voltages while wasting almost no electricity—ideal traits for compact, ...

Jan 23, 2026 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / Biologists and engineers follow goopy clues to plant-wilting bacteria

Slippery, drippy goop makes Ralstonia bacteria devastating killers of plants, causing rapid wilting in tomato, potato, and a wide range of other crops, according to new research. The work, published Jan. 22 in Proceedings ...

Jan 23, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Climate change can alter flower nectar quality and supply, threatening monarch butterfly migration

Monarch butterflies have always been remarkably resilient. Every fall, these delicate orange-and-black travelers set out on a journey so improbable it borders on myth, flying some three thousand kilometers from Canadian fields ...

Jan 23, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Glassy dynamics model predicts lipid exchange rates across cell membranes

Biological processes that govern our lives are many, intertwined, and often difficult to understand. They involve countless interactions happening at once—molecules recognizing each other, signals being transmitted, and ...

Jan 23, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / The art of custom-intercalating 42 metals into layered titanates

A research team affiliated with UNIST has reported a novel synthesis strategy that enables the direct intercalation of a wide range of metal cations into the interlayer spaces of layered titanate (LT) structures. This approach ...

Jan 23, 2026 in Chemistry
Phys.org / Multiwavelength variability reveals dust structure in quasars

A research team has investigated quasar variability by tracking optical to mid-infrared (MIR) wavelengths of variability information. This multiband joint analysis provides an opportunity to probe the dust structure in the ...

Jan 23, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Whales may divide resources to co-exist under pressures from climate change

The North Atlantic Ocean is warming up. Higher temperatures and increased human activity in the region can trigger abrupt changes in marine ecosystems, for example, how species are distributed and what they eat.

Jan 23, 2026 in Biology