Phys.org news

Phys.org / Melting sea ice combines with Arctic sea to make clouds

Scientists have uncovered a previously unknown natural process that dramatically increases the number of cloud-forming particles in the Arctic atmosphere—potentially altering cloud cover, sunlight reflection and future climate ...

Aug 5, 2026
Phys.org / Diffuse inter-filament gas is likely a key fuel source for massive star formation

Researchers from Kyushu University have discovered that diffuse gas surrounding dense filaments in a nearby stellar nursery plays a much larger role in star formation than previously recognized. By tracking the movement of ...

Aug 5, 2026
Phys.org / Electrostatic nanocorral offers new control over charged excitons and quantum light

Researchers created an electrically tunable quantum nanoscale corral that traps charged excitons and enables precise electrical control of tiny light sources, including their brightness, color and quantum states, the team, ...

Aug 5, 2026
Phys.org / Ancient armored fish that narrowly avoided meteorite strike reveals life before Earth's largest mass extinction

A rare fossil discovered near South America's largest known meteorite crater has been named a new species. Initially mistaken for a frog by locals, Leolepis matogrossensis is actually a species of ancient ray-finned fish—the ...

Aug 5, 2026
Phys.org / Damaging coastal storm conditions have become twice as frequent at a New Jersey Beach since 1979

Storm conditions capable of causing major coastal erosion at New Jersey's North Beach on Sandy Hook are occurring about twice as often as they did in 1979, according to Rutgers researchers. The finding offers new evidence ...

Aug 5, 2026
Phys.org / Genomic evidence suggests coral reefs may be rewriting their genetic future in real time

The 2019 heat wave that struck Mo'orea—a volcanic island in French Polynesia—swept through its coral reefs like an invisible wildfire. Colorful, lively corals bleached into ghostly, chalk-white skeletons as soaring ocean ...

Aug 5, 2026
Phys.org / Well-worn wins: Wild capuchin monkeys prefer stones with a proven track record of cracking nuts

A new study provides experimental evidence that wild capuchin monkeys use more than just physical cues when selecting stone tools; they also rely on visible signs that a stone has previously been used for this purpose.

Aug 5, 2026
Phys.org / How humans process the extraordinary—most report positive long-term effects

One-fourth of people who undergo an extraordinary experience report immediate discomfort, but more than half say the experience caused positive long-term effects, according to a study published Aug. 5, 2026, in the open-access ...

Aug 5, 2026
Phys.org / Artificial cells reveal how living ones take shape

Using simple artificial cells, a research group led by Makito Miyazaki of the RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences (IMS) in Japan has uncovered fundamental physical principles that govern how living cells change ...

Aug 5, 2026
Phys.org / Human activity more than doubles Arctic fire occurrence, satellite analysis suggests

Fires in the Arctic are not solely a regional issue, as shown by the hazy skies in Switzerland last summer despite otherwise sunny weather. Smoke from major fires in northern Canada crossed the Atlantic and reached Europe. ...

Aug 5, 2026
Phys.org / Tangled seaweed inspires one-size-fits-all cleaners for ocean microplastics

Inspired by naturally occurring mats and balls of seaweed, researchers have created highly porous, superadhesive meshes capable of capturing both large and small microplastic particles—a longstanding challenge in the field. ...

Aug 5, 2026
Phys.org / Cell-inspired synthetic fibers reveal a reversible route to self-protecting smart materials

Researchers at the University of Bayreuth, together with colleagues from Freie Universität Berlin and the Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden, have developed a synthetic fiber system inspired by the cellular cytoskeleton ...

Aug 5, 2026