Phys.org news

Phys.org / Vertebrate paleontology has a numbers problem. Computer vision can help

How many fossils does it take to accurately train an image-based AI algorithm? According to a new study co-authored by Bruce MacFadden, UF Distinguished Professor Emeritus and retired curator of vertebrate paleontology at ...

Feb 25, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Yogurt waste inspires researcher to innovate with sourdough bread

If you were one of the many amateur bakers who learned to bake sourdough bread during lockdown, you'll know how complex a single loaf can be. The rise of the bread, moisture, firmness and even crumb structure can make or ...

Feb 25, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / 'Tiny' dinosaur, big impact: A 90-million-year-old fossil rewrites history

A team co-led by University of Minnesota Twin Cities researcher Peter Makovicky and Argentinean colleague Sebastian Apesteguía has identified a 90-million-year-old fossil that provides the "missing link" for a mysterious ...

Feb 25, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Webb examines 'Exposed Cranium' nebula

Two heads are better than one in the latest images from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, which reveal new detail in a mysterious, little-studied nebula surrounding a dying star. Nebula PMR 1 is a cloud of gas and dust that ...

Feb 25, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / A robust new telecom qubit identified in silicon

Quantum technologies are anticipated to transform computing, communication, and sensing by harnessing the unusual behavior of matter at the atomic scale. Translating quantum's promise into practical devices will require physical ...

Feb 25, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Hidden architecture inside cellular droplets reveals new targets for cancer and neurodegeneration

Cells rely on biomolecular condensates to coordinate essential biological processes without surrounding membranes. These droplet-like dynamic assemblies control the way in which DNA is turned into proteins, help clear cellular ...

Feb 25, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / A world first at the microscopic scale: Metamaterials that can shrink and expand on their own

Leiden physicists Daniela Kraft and Julio Melio have created soft structures that can take on different shapes without any external drive in their lab. They present their research on microscale metamaterials in Nature—a ...

Feb 25, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Plants stay neatly patterned as they grow, and PLETHORA proteins may explain why

How do plants achieve their remarkably regular arrangement of leaves and flowers? And why does this pattern remain so stable, even as plants grow and respond to their environment? Researchers at Wageningen University & Research ...

Feb 25, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Iron nanoparticle eliminates tuberculosis in mice and may pave the way for new treatments

An iron-based compound encapsulated in lipid nanoparticles completely eliminated tuberculosis in the lungs of mice after 30 days of treatment, according to a study by the Tuberculosis Research Laboratory at the Araraquara ...

Feb 25, 2026 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / Humanity's oldest geometries, engraved on ostrich eggs

At several archaeological sites in southern Africa, hundreds of highly unusual fragments of ostrich eggs have been found. Dating back more than 60,000 years, the shells were engraved by groups of Homo sapiens who lived in ...

Feb 25, 2026 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / How a 3D-printed synthetic sea lion pelvis enhances veterinary capabilities to counter ongoing beaching

Scores of sea lions continue to beach themselves along the Southern California coastline, stricken with sickness. Toxic algae blooms are to blame, though a mechanical engineering innovation could shift the tide in favor of ...

Feb 25, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / 'Lock-and-key' chemistry keeps cancer drugs inactive until they reach tumor sites

Many therapeutic molecules used in cancer treatments are highly toxic, often harming healthy tissues and causing significant side effects. This creates a critical need for strategies that localize their toxic activity to ...

Feb 25, 2026 in Chemistry