Phys.org news

Phys.org / Chaotic polymer vibrations may unlock stronger, flexible thermal insulators

University of Massachusetts Amherst researchers have demonstrated a possible new avenue for developing flame-retardant and generally low-conductivity (low-heat-transfer) plastics that retain the benefits of being strong and ...

Jun 22, 2026
Phys.org / Crashing insect populations lead to smaller tree swallows that reproduce less

Since the 1970s, the number of insects at Canada's Long Point Bird Observatory has dropped by more than 60%, according to a new study led by the University of Michigan. Because of this, today's birds are smaller and facing ...

Jun 22, 2026
Phys.org / Ordinary enzyme that evolves into 'control switch' reveals tuberculosis weak spot

Researchers at the University of Surrey have identified a protein that acts as a control switch, preventing Mycobacterium tuberculosis from accessing the energy sources it needs to survive. The discovery points to a specific ...

Jun 22, 2026
Phys.org / 125-million-year-old fossil reveals 'pregnant' shellfish

An international team of scientists led by Dr. Graciela Delvene of the Geological and Mining Institute of Spain (CSIC) has uncovered the oldest known evidence of maternal care in shellfish, revealing that some freshwater ...

Jun 22, 2026
Phys.org / How AI-generated cartoons reshaped Taiwan's 2024 protests

In spring 2024, more than 100,000 people protested in Taiwan's streets. On Threads, a parallel fight was underway.

Jun 22, 2026
Phys.org / Primordial halo simulations reveal how cosmic storms shaped the universe's first stars

Just a few hundred million years after the Big Bang, the universe was a dark and simple place. There were no galaxies like the Milky Way, no planets, and no heavy elements such as carbon or oxygen. Instead, vast clouds of ...

Jun 22, 2026
Phys.org / The Caspian Sea has lost an area nearly the size of Sicily: Human activities are a major reason why

The Caspian Sea, the largest inland body of water on Earth, is shrinking. Not fluctuating, not entering another natural cycle, but shrinking.

Jun 22, 2026
Phys.org / Molecular 'Velcro' gel removes PFAS from water without fluorinated materials

A new gel-based material developed by University of Florida chemical engineers filters PFAS forever chemicals from water more efficiently than many widely used commercial options. The advance offers a potential new path to ...

Jun 22, 2026
Phys.org / Machine learning helps identify six promising solvents for carbon dioxide electroreduction

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a primary driver of climate change in Earth's atmosphere. At the State University of New York at Stony Brook (Stony Brook University), Ph.D. researcher Kuldeepsinh Raj, along with principal investigator ...

Jun 22, 2026
Phys.org / High-severity fires burn 30 times more acreage than 40 years ago, researchers find

Forest fires now burn 10 times more acreage annually than in 1985, while wildfire severity has gotten even worse. In California, 30 times more acreage burned from high-severity, forest-killing fires, according to new UCLA ...

Jun 22, 2026
Phys.org / CRISPR safety check evaluates intended and unintended mutations

A team of researchers led by Professor Akitsu Hotta (Department of Clinical Application) developed a comprehensive framework that combines computational prediction, experimental validation and whole-genome analysis to evaluate ...

Jun 22, 2026
Phys.org / Heat stress exposure climbed from 16% to 22% worldwide over 50 years, study shows

The number of people exposed to dangerous heat stress worldwide has risen sharply over the past half-century, propelled by climate change, according to a study released Monday as Europe sweltered through a punishing heat ...

Jun 22, 2026