Phys.org news

Phys.org / Volcano myths unravel, from 'smoke' plumes to Yellowstone catastrophe claims

Volcanoes emit smoke. Beneath a volcano lies a huge chamber filled with liquid magma. A series of earthquakes means an eruption is imminent. And if a "supervolcano" like Yellowstone were to awaken, a global catastrophe would ...

Aug 19, 2026
Phys.org / 3D-printed ceramic waveguide lasers could surpass the power of glass fiber lasers by 10 times

At the bottom of the ocean, optical fibers transmit telecommunications and internet data around the world. Waveguides make that feat possible by channeling and amplifying the light—and therefore the data within—over enormous ...

Aug 19, 2026
Phys.org / Oases in the desert of Arabia created 'brands' in the Bronze Age

Did brands exist before modern society, in noncapitalist economies? An international team led by Marta Luciani of the University of Vienna has made unexpected discoveries about Bronze Age trade: Yes, brands did indeed exist ...

Aug 19, 2026
Phys.org / Search in strange quark sector reveals new particle possibilities

Despite science's best efforts to classify the vast menagerie of subatomic particles discovered over the past few decades, some exotic varieties defy explanation. Now, nuclear physicists at the U.S. Department of Energy's ...

Aug 19, 2026
Phys.org / Reusing liquid pickle waste to produce omega-3 fatty acids

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) are omega-3 fatty acids known to have beneficial effects and are popular as functional foods and dietary supplements. They are polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs); ...

Aug 19, 2026
Phys.org / Evolutionary process behind live birth in lizards uncovered

Scientists studying one of nature's greatest reproductive innovations have discovered how some lizards evolved from laying eggs to giving birth to live young. The new research is the first to reveal the evolutionary process ...

Aug 19, 2026
Phys.org / A viral 'loose cannon' enzyme helps phages shut down bacterial defenses

As antimicrobial resistance grows around the world, novel therapies to counter it become increasingly important. Phages—viruses that infect bacteria—are an exciting avenue of research in this regard, providing a means to ...

Aug 19, 2026
Phys.org / Supramolecular nanofibers paired with nanohole substrate improve exciton transport in organic solid

Self-assembling, anthracene-based supramolecular nanofibers can enable excitons to migrate hundreds of nanometers, according to a new experimental finding by researchers at Science Tokyo. Coupling these nanofibers with a ...

Aug 19, 2026
Phys.org / New lipid nanoparticle delivers capped circular RNA for longer-lasting gene expression

Researchers at Nagoya University in Japan in collaboration with FUJIFILM have developed a novel way of delivering circular RNA (cirRNA) into cells, paving the way for longer-lasting mRNA-based therapeutics including cancer ...

Aug 19, 2026
Phys.org / Were Denisovans tall compared to other ancient humans? We should be skeptical

Take a walk in London's Trafalgar Square this summer, and people of all body sizes—some tall, some short—will be wilting in the heat: a real mix of sizes.

Aug 19, 2026
Phys.org / 'Disarming' discovery could help scientists fight deadly fungal infections

Researchers from Monash University, in collaboration with the University of Warwick, have discovered how the bacterial antibiotic "gladiolin" can disarm Candida albicans, one of the leading causes of life-threatening fungal ...

Aug 19, 2026
Phys.org / Too much RNA can starve cells of energy, study finds

A new study from researchers at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) has uncovered a previously unknown consequence of viral infection: Too much RNA inside a cell can disrupt its ability ...

Aug 19, 2026