Phys.org news

Phys.org / Microcline reveals how a common mineral surface triggers ice formation in clouds

Pure water freezes only at around -38°C (-36°F). Tiny mineral dust particles act as so-called ice nucleators—crystallization seeds on which ice crystals form. A research team at Bielefeld University and the University of ...

Aug 25, 2026
Phys.org / Naked photobombing comet found in public image

Sometimes images are released before anyone realizes they have been photobombed, meaning something unexpected showed up in the background. A team of researchers found a naked photobombing comet in publicly available archival ...

Aug 25, 2026
Phys.org / Simulations reveal asymmetric diffusion of magnetic skyrmions through an off-center gate

Diffusion is a fundamental natural phenomenon that can be observed across a wide range of length and time scales. It plays a key role in many fields, including physics, biology and economics. In particular, asymmetric or ...

Aug 25, 2026
Phys.org / Electron beams cut poultry pathogens while preserving turkey quality

Researchers are gauging the effectiveness of electron beams in the fight against foodborne pathogens in poultry. "Impact of Electron Beam (eBeam) Treatment on Meat Quality and Sensory Attributes of Ground Chicken and Turkey" ...

Aug 25, 2026
Phys.org / Scientists resurrect ancient proteins, offering new antibiotic leads

University of Oregon biologists have resurrected prehistoric proteins up to 160 million years old that carry natural antimicrobial properties. The revived molecules could inspire the design of new treatments for antibiotic-resistant ...

Aug 25, 2026
Phys.org / Could 12 inches of rain hit New York City? AI maps plausible rare storms

Can a city's seawall stand up to a blockbuster storm? Will a region's power grid hold against record-breaking heat? And can a town's firefighting resources contain a major wildfire?

Aug 25, 2026
Phys.org / Chemists harness light to build 3D molecular structures for drug discovery

Researchers from the Department of Chemistry at The University of Hong Kong (HKU), led by Professor Jian He and collaborators, have developed a new light-driven method for constructing three-dimensional molecular building ...

Aug 25, 2026
Phys.org / Lunar soil reads as a cosmic time capsule for exploding stars

When a star reaches its final stages of life, it ends in a bright, powerful explosion called a supernova and scatters material across the universe. A new study led by a University of Hawai'i at Mānoa researcher has discovered ...

Aug 25, 2026
Phys.org / New workflow helps ecologists measure how individual animals use their habitat

A researcher has developed a new, reproducible workflow that lets ecologists measure, in a standardized way, how individual animals within a species differ in their habitat use, based on GPS tracking data. The tool was developed ...

Aug 25, 2026
Phys.org / Bright ideas accelerate the hunt for quantum emitters

The search for materials that can power future quantum technologies is accelerating, but identifying the most promising candidates remains painfully slow. Evaluating whether a material can efficiently emit quantum light requires ...

Aug 25, 2026
Phys.org / Listening for extinction: Study finds areas of critical concern for northern spotted owls

Northern spotted owl populations are approaching or have already crossed functional extinction across large areas of the Pacific Northwest, a new study, published in Ecological Applications found. Researchers used artificial ...

Aug 25, 2026
Phys.org / A tiny drop of water is all that's needed to find threatened frogs

New James Cook University research has used highly sensitive environmental DNA (e-DNA) techniques to find two species of threatened frogs in places they've never been seen before—and find another still struggling to recover ...

Aug 25, 2026