Phys.org news

Phys.org / ATLAS acts as a cosmic-ray laboratory with first measurement of proton–oxygen collisions

Tens of kilometers above Earth's surface, high-energy particles from outer space constantly strike the atmosphere, creating showers of energetic secondary particles that rain down from the sky. Approximately one of these ...

Apr 21, 2026
Phys.org / Better-fed calves are more motivated to play, pioneering study shows

New research has revealed dairy calves that are fed less complete tasks faster and remember more in pursuit of milk, but miss out on play. Calves that were given more food were more inclined to play. The study, led by the ...

Apr 21, 2026
Phys.org / Mosses and thale cress share the same leaf growth principles, despite 400 million years of separate evolution

A study published in Science Advances shows that, in moss and the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, commonly known as thale cress, leaf formation relies on very similar cellular dynamics, with growth concentrated at their ...

Apr 21, 2026
Phys.org / Stretching and squeezing diamond opens new path for ultra-precise quantum sensors

Researchers have discovered a new way to tune the quantum properties of tiny defects in diamond—by gently stretching or compressing the crystal. These findings could pave the way for next-generation sensors that can detect ...

Apr 21, 2026
Phys.org / Water-based process could make compostable packaging practical at industrial speeds

About 30% of plastics consumed are made to last forever but are discarded after a single use. Researchers at Virginia Tech are working to change that with a new approach that could make environmentally responsible packaging ...

Apr 21, 2026
Phys.org / One-step method reveals structures of RNA-protein complexes in living cells

A new method developed at Baylor College of Medicine and collaborating institutions allows researchers to better understand how RNA works. The method, published in Molecular Cell, is a powerful strategy for identifying intricate ...

Apr 21, 2026
Phys.org / Breaking a shared defense restores antibiotics against two cystic fibrosis lung bacteria

A newly discovered mechanism renders antibiotic-resistant bacteria vulnerable by disabling both their individual resistance and a process known as cross-protection, the ability of resistant bacteria to shield nearby, otherwise ...

Apr 21, 2026
Phys.org / AI maps mammals' molecular 'dark matter' by predicting billions of missing metabolites

Invisible "dark matter"—what cosmologists call the mysterious glue that holds everything together—is estimated to make up more than a quarter of the universe. In chemistry, dark matter refers to the thousands of small molecules ...

Apr 21, 2026
Phys.org / Could the mathematical 'shape' of the universe solve the cosmological constant problem?

The cosmological constant is the mathematical description of the energy that drives the ever-accelerating expansion of the cosmos. It's also the source of one of the most enduring and confounding problems in modern physics.

Apr 20, 2026
Phys.org / Water simulation of famous quantum effect reveals unexpected wave patterns

In the quirky quantum world, particles can be affected by forces that they never directly encounter. A classic example is the Aharonov–Bohm (AB) effect, where electrons are affected by a magnetic field, despite not passing ...

Apr 20, 2026
Phys.org / Disabled parrot is undefeated alpha male of his group thanks to novel 'beak jousting'

A study reported in Current Biology shows how physical disabilities in the animal world can be overcome through behavioral innovation. The report features an endangered kea parrot in captivity at New Zealand's Willowbank ...

Apr 20, 2026
Phys.org / Finding a hidden highland culture in the mountains of southern Georgia

Archaeologists are unearthing evidence of long-term human occupation in the mountains of the Republic of Georgia. A new paper published in the journal Antiquity reports on eight years of digging on the Javakheti Plateau, ...

Apr 20, 2026