Phys.org news

Phys.org / Chromosome-level genome unlocks evolution of endangered fern Brainea insignis

Ferns, defined by large genomes, high chromosome counts, and pervasive aneuploidy as well as intraspecific polyploid complexity, diverge significantly from the classical genetic theories and analytical frameworks largely ...

Feb 3, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Using duality to construct and classify new quantum phases

A team of theoretical researchers has found duality can unveil non-invertible symmetry protected topological phases, which can lead to researchers understanding more about the properties of these phases, and uncover new quantum ...

Feb 3, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Infrared-activated hydrogel uses lysozyme 'nets' to combat resistant bacteria

Each year, bacterial infections are responsible for roughly 7.7 million deaths worldwide, with this problem further exacerbated by rising antibiotic resistance. Not only are wound infections increasingly difficult to treat, ...

Feb 3, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / From sea to soil: Molecular changes suggest how algae evolved into plants

Before plants evolved, vegetative life consisted of primitive green algae living in the sea. Like plants, these algae survived by performing photosynthesis, turning sunlight into energy. However, little light reaches the ...

Feb 3, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / How species competition shapes trait diversity worldwide

Every ecosystem is shaped by billions of invisible battles: organisms competing for light, nutrients, space, or mates. These competitive interactions determine which species survive, how they evolve, and how vibrant and resilient ...

Feb 3, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Ancient Alaskan site may help explain how the first people arrived in North America

New evidence has emerged that sheds light on the possible first people to populate the Americas. Dating of stone and ivory tools found at an archaeological site in Alaska suggests that these early pioneers traveled through ...

Feb 2, 2026 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / A student made cosmic dust in her lab—what she found could help us understand how life started on Earth

A Sydney Ph.D. student has recreated a tiny piece of the universe inside a bottle in her laboratory, producing cosmic dust from scratch. The results shed new light on how the chemical building blocks of life may have formed ...

Feb 2, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / 91-qubit processor accurately simulates many-body quantum chaos

Quantum chaos describes chaotic classical dynamical systems in terms of quantum theory, but simulations of these systems are limited by computational resources. However, one team seems to have found a way by leveraging error ...

Feb 2, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Long-period Jupiter-like exoplanet discovered with TESS

Using NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), an international team of astronomers has discovered a new extrasolar planet transiting a distant star. The newfound alien world, designated TOI-6692 b, is the size ...

Feb 2, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Experiments clear up confusion over the form of solid methane

Through a combination of high-pressure experiments and optical spectroscopy, physicists have revealed new insights into the structural forms of solid methane. Led by Mengnan Wang at the University of Edinburgh in the UK, ...

Feb 2, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Geologists may have solved mystery of Green River's 'uphill' route

New research may have solved an American mystery which has baffled geologists for a century and a half: How did a river carve a path through a mountain in one of the country's most iconic landscapes? Scientists have long ...

Feb 2, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / Newly identified RNA molecule may drive cancer patient survival

In a recent study, researchers at the Texas A&M University Health Science Center (Texas A&M Health) identify a novel RNA molecule that plays a crucial role in preserving the integrity of a key cellular structure, the nucleolus ...

Feb 2, 2026 in Biology