Phys.org news

Phys.org / Hidden clean energy under mountains? Why erosion could shape hydrogen prospects in Alps and Pyrenees

Hydrogen gas formed by natural processes in the subsurface of mountain ranges could represent a promising source of clean energy. A new international study led by Unil and GFZ shows that erosion plays a key and complex role ...

May 18, 2026
Phys.org / Policing plagiarism of ideas in generative AI-assisted research writing

As more people—including researchers—use generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in their writing, it's becoming increasingly important to define what plagiarism looks like and how to police it.

May 18, 2026
Phys.org / Climate adaptation may drive gentrification across African cities, continent-scale analysis shows

Green-blue adaptation (climate adaptation based on green and water spaces), which uses green and water spaces such as creating urban parks and restoring wetlands, is considered a representative climate adaptation strategy ...

May 18, 2026
Phys.org / Machine learning reveals 5-angstrom sweet spot behind metallic glass stability

Using the second-nearest neighboring atoms to predict metallic glass stability can help researchers more accurately model the disordered solid with strong, elastic properties, according to a recent study led by University ...

May 18, 2026
Phys.org / Copper-based sensor explains key defense signaling in stressed plants

Researchers at the Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (WPI-ITbM), Nagoya University, together with collaborators from RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science (RIKEN CSRS) and The University of Osaka, have uncovered ...

May 18, 2026
Phys.org / People overestimate how confident AI systems are in their responses, experiments reveal

Artificial intelligence (AI) systems, particularly conversational agents such as ChatGPT or Gemini, are now used daily by a growing number of people worldwide. While many users trust the answers of AI agents to their queries, ...

May 17, 2026
Phys.org / Neutrino flavor flips could be key to triggering supernovae

Despite being so elusive, neutrinos are produced in abundance in some of the most violent events in the universe. One of their strangest properties is that they can spontaneously switch between three types, or "flavors": ...

May 17, 2026
Phys.org / eROSITA discovers a 'changing-look' Seyfert galaxy

Astronomers have tracked a dramatic "changing-look" active galactic nucleus (AGN) whose central supermassive black hole appeared to switch off and then rapidly reignite. The galaxy, HE 1237−2252, dimmed in X-rays by a factor ...

May 17, 2026
Phys.org / Surrounded by stardust: Antarctic ice cores confirm Earth is accumulating iron-60 from local interstellar cloud

Our solar system is currently passing through the Local Interstellar Cloud, a region of highly diluted gas and dust between the stars. On its path, Earth continuously accumulates iron-60, a rare radioactive isotope of iron ...

May 17, 2026
Phys.org / Roadmap charts three paths to room-temperature quantum materials for cooler computing

Imagine a laptop that never gets hot, a phone that holds its charge for days, or a computer memory chip designed to permanently retain data, even when the power goes out. This is the possibility sitting inside a remarkable ...

May 17, 2026
Phys.org / When politics enter the picture, credentials take a back seat

Most Americans know what a real expert's credentials look like: relevant degree, years of experience, and respect from peers. The problem, according to a study recently published in Scientific Reports, is that none of it ...

May 17, 2026
Phys.org / Hidden cell networks emerge in 3D as new nanoscopy tracks living bridges

A new nanoscopy technique developed at The Australian National University (ANU) has uncovered hidden networks used for communication between cells, opening new ways to understand human diseases. Described in an article published ...

May 17, 2026