Phys.org news

Phys.org / Moon base missions face an unseen threat, and these simulations show where it could strike first

Researchers have developed a novel virtual model for simulating how astronauts in future moon base operations might interact with each other and with their environment, with preliminary simulations revealing potential opportunities ...

May 27, 2026
Phys.org / How the greenhouse effect governs temperature changes across Antarctica

A decade ago, Bradley Markle, an assistant professor at the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research at the University of Colorado Boulder, noticed an odd pattern while sifting through temperature records from the end of the ...

May 27, 2026
Phys.org / 'Feathered dragon' has some of the longest tail feathers ever found on a fossil bird

Birds have all kinds of fancy decorations for attracting mates—male peacocks have a fan of feathers accented with shimmering blue eye-spots, birds of paradise do courtship dances that highlight their fluffy plumes, and female ...

May 27, 2026
Phys.org / Metamaterials enable control of heat transfer at nanoscale, potentially transforming energy and electronics

Heat behaves in predictable ways: a hot cup of coffee cools, a laptop warms your hands, the sun heats Earth. But at scales thousands of times smaller than a human hair, those rules begin to break down, and scientists are ...

May 27, 2026
Phys.org / Monkey see, monkey do: Study sheds light on cooperative decision-making

The old "monkey see, monkey do" adage may rest on some neuroscientific evidence, finds a new Yale study. To examine how the primate brain facilitates cooperative behavior among individuals during social interaction, a team ...

May 27, 2026
Phys.org / DNA 'nicks' make for safer, more precise genetic analysis

Researchers at Cornell University have developed a safer and more precise way to study how genes function in living tissues by refining a recently developed CRISPR-based genetic technique in fruit flies, enabling researchers ...

May 27, 2026
Phys.org / Temporary carbon removal could help support climate goals, if used correctly

Persistent methane emissions from sectors such as agriculture and growing debates over the credibility of carbon offsets are creating new challenges for governments and companies pursuing net-zero commitments. New research ...

May 27, 2026
Phys.org / Long-distance bat migration runs on fatty acids, challenging limits of mammal metabolism

Bats are the only mammals that can actively fly, enabling many species to perform seasonal migrations. In migratory birds, remaining airborne for many hours is supported by burning fatty acids, something most mammals are ...

May 27, 2026
Phys.org / The strange quantum property of tomorrow's insulator

Ultra-fast data transfer and superconductivity: Quantum materials offer significant technological prospects—if we can understand them at the atomic scale. A team from the University of Geneva (UNIGE), in collaboration with ...

May 27, 2026
Phys.org / Lake Erie produces 'forbidden soup' of rotating potential toxins

Municipalities and federal agencies monitor U.S. waters for microcystins, a toxin produced by harmful algal blooms in Lake Erie, but a University of Michigan study shows that the blooms produce a greater range of potentially ...

May 27, 2026
Phys.org / Sea squirt reveals glowing spines and unexpected nervous system anatomy

Ascidians, also known as sea squirts, are the evolutionary link between vertebrates and invertebrates, making them valuable subjects of biological studies. For the first time, researchers at Ruhr University Bochum have detected ...

May 27, 2026
Phys.org / Corn Belt groundwater and irrigation boost thunderstorm complexes by 24–35%, simulations show

An international team of scientists has demonstrated how powerful thunderstorm complexes over the U.S. Corn Belt are fueled by moisture rising from the region's fertile fields or just beneath them. The findings can lead to ...

May 27, 2026