Phys.org news

Phys.org / Satellite data reveal Southern Ocean vertical currents diving 3,000 feet below surface

Ocean currents are not just horizontal motions that flow from side to side. There are also vertical currents that act like deep-sea elevators, pushing heat and carbon down into the deep, while bringing up vital nutrients ...

Jun 9, 2026
Phys.org / Maya altar and offerings at abandoned Belize sites highlight enduring ritual activities

Archaeologists excavating Maya sites at Kaxil Uinik and Ayiin Winik in Belize have discovered the first reported Late Postclassic altar in the region, along with additional evidence that Postclassic Maya people continued ...

Jun 9, 2026
Phys.org / Oldest Maya Long Count calendar date may reveal how royalty turned time into power

Archaeologists working at the ancient Maya site of El Palmar in Campeche, Mexico, have discovered what may be the earliest known Long Count calendar date in the Maya lowlands. It is carved into a stone monument and is interpreted ...

Jun 9, 2026
Phys.org / Quantum memory surpasses classical limits for storing unknown quantum operations

Quantum memories, systems that store and retrieve information leveraging quantum mechanical effects, can outperform classical storage systems on some existing tasks. Yet these promising memories could also complete operations ...

Jun 9, 2026
Phys.org / Physicists observe synchronized quantum dance of excitons and phonons

An international team of researchers has reported a major advance in understanding quantum dynamics in semiconductor materials. They directly observed how excitons and phonons evolve together in perovskite nanocrystals, revealing ...

Jun 9, 2026
Phys.org / Freshwater boundary breach deepens as climate and land use amplify extremes

Human activities have significantly altered the freshwater cycle, threatening its ability to support vital climatic and ecological Earth system processes. A new study led by researchers at the University of Eastern Finland ...

Jun 9, 2026
Phys.org / Brain removal in Iron Age Scotland burial reveals far-reaching family ties

It is difficult to identify funerary practices in Iron Age (c. 800 BC–AD 43) Britain, as human remains rarely survive. However, evidence is particularly prominent in north-west Scotland, because environmental conditions support ...

Jun 9, 2026
Phys.org / Chasing the ghost dog of the Amazon: New insights into a mythical canid

For decades, the short-eared dog (Atelocynus microtis) has been considered one of the least-known carnivores in Latin America, and potentially one of the least-known canids in the world. Because of its highly secretive nature, ...

Jun 9, 2026
Phys.org / Silent volcanic gas buildup revealed six months before La Palma eruption

Researchers at Geosciences Barcelona (GEO3BCN-CSIC) have developed a novel way to monitor the silent accumulation of volcanic gases beneath Earth's surface using seismic ambient noise. The results could significantly improve ...

Jun 9, 2026
Phys.org / A lack of sex held back life's diversity for millions of years, fossil study finds

The way that Earth's first animals reproduced held back life's diversity for millions of years, until stress and competition led to the development of sexual reproduction, which in turn accelerated the pace of evolution.

Jun 9, 2026
Phys.org / Precision measurement under impact—when the balance itself becomes the object of measurement

How do you take measurements using one of the most sensitive scales in the world? Researchers at TU Wien have demonstrated how the measurement process affects not only the object being measured but also the scale itself, ...

Jun 9, 2026
Phys.org / Adélie penguins use colony cues to switch foraging sites if their previous trip was unsuccessful

Many animals live in groups. Among seabirds in particular, most species form colonies during the breeding season. Although coloniality entails costs, such as increased competition for food and disease transmission, its repeated ...

Jun 9, 2026