https://phys.org/ en-us Phys.org internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Physics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine. Some birds sing to attract a mate. Others dance or display colorful feathers. But in the moonlit forests and shrublands of northern Argentina, one bird courts romance by snapping its wrists together, producing a sharp clapping sound scientists have puzzled over for decades. Now, researchers have captured the behavior in detail for the first time, revealing how scissor-tailed nightjars create one of the most curious sounds in the avian world. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-birds-dark-flirt-nightjars-reveal.html Plants & Animals Tue, 19 May 2026 19:40:03 EDT news698426881 An international team of scientists has developed a new analysis of how sound waves behave, revealing surprising effects that have largely been overlooked for decades. In the new paper in Scientific Reports, which was led by researchers from City St George's, University of London, the team explored how sound waves move through air and how those movements might be perceived visually. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-visualizing-scientists-reveal-hidden-behaviors.html General Physics Tue, 19 May 2026 15:40:02 EDT news698415841 Quantum technologies promise powerful new kinds of computers, giving scientists new tools to mimic and explore nature at its tiniest scales. At those levels, everything in nature—from atoms and electrons to light itself—follows the strange rules of quantum mechanics. But the real world is never perfectly clean: Signals fade, energy leaks away and systems pick up noise from their surroundings. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-chip-quantum-imperfections.html Optics & Photonics Tue, 19 May 2026 14:43:08 EDT news698420424 The scale of chemistry simulations with quantum computing has increased dramatically in just the last few months. In the latest milestone for the field, researchers from Cleveland Clinic, RIKEN, and IBM used a quantum-centric supercomputing (QCSC) framework to calculate the electronic structure of a pair of large protein-ligand complexes, reaching a scale of 12,635 atoms in the largest simulation. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-quantum-centric-supercomputing-simulates-atom.html Quantum Physics Tue, 19 May 2026 11:40:08 EDT news698404017 Sound plays an important role for many animals, helping them navigate and hunt. Echolocation is the ability of animals like bats and dolphins to locate objects by emitting sound waves and interpreting the returning echoes. But detecting meaningful information in a noisy environment poses a major challenge for them. Bats operate by identifying weak prey echoes among complex background sounds generated by surrounding objects and their own movement during flight. To overcome this issue, these bats have evolved a highly sophisticated echo detection system that uses ultrasonic voices to perceive their surroundings with remarkable precision. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-silent-frequency-zones-prey-noisy.html Plants & Animals Tue, 19 May 2026 05:00:04 EDT news698344021 The rapid growth of large language models is placing increasing demands on data centers, where large volumes of data must be transferred efficiently between servers. Optical interconnects are essential for enabling this communication, but as data rates continue to rise, these systems must deliver higher bandwidth while maintaining low latency and energy efficiency. However, integrating electronic and photonic components remains challenging, as conventional approaches often introduce signal loss, limit interconnect density, and restrict scalability. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-reconfigurable-ge-si-photodetector-ultrahigh.html Optics & Photonics Mon, 18 May 2026 18:50:01 EDT news698344321 Looking back at 14 years of Hubble telescope data for Jupiter's moon Europa has given Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) scientists a better understanding of its tenuous atmosphere. The findings have cast doubt on previous evidence suggesting that the icy moon intermittently discharges faint water plumes from a presumed subsurface ocean. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-reconsider-europa-vapor-plumes.html Astrobiology Mon, 18 May 2026 17:00:05 EDT news698337061 Neurons, the uber-connected nerve cells that act as a main switchboard for the brain, are central to some incredibly complicated processes. They make it possible to think, walk, speak, and breathe. They even have built-in backup batteries to use in emergencies. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-neuron-complicated-cell-simple-mission.html General Physics Mon, 18 May 2026 09:26:12 EDT news698315086 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 in Nature Communications, the method allows researchers to observe how living cells interact with their environment over several days, revealing three-dimensional behaviors that were previously invisible to conventional microscopes. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-hidden-cell-networks-emerge-3d.html Cell & Microbiology Sun, 17 May 2026 10:00:04 EDT news697991652 A new approach to better assessing whale population data has emerged, led by a research team of marine biologists from Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego and statisticians from Cal Poly. Scientists typically monitor whale presence through a variety of traditional methods such as visual surveys, photo identification, acoustic monitoring, satellite imagery, and increasingly, genomic methods. But monitoring can be challenging due to a wide-ranging migration area and intermittent surface pop-ups, among other difficulties. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-tiny-ocean-life-scientists-whale.html Plants & Animals Thu, 14 May 2026 17:00:55 EDT news697996801 In physics, the spontaneous de-mixing of two substances is known as phase separation. It is an important mechanism in nature to create structure and patterns and typically requires some form of attraction between the constituents. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization (MPI-DS) in Göttingen, together with collaborators at the University of Edinburgh and the Institute of Physical Chemistry in Warsaw, have now discovered a new route to phase separation available in systems where the constituents are inherently alive or active. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-hidden-growth-cell-colonies-phase.html Cell & Microbiology Wed, 13 May 2026 16:12:22 EDT news697907521 Researchers have developed a technique to analyze how black holes "ring" when they collide and merge: one of the universe's most dramatic events. When black holes merge, the collision produces a new, larger black hole that "rings" like a plucked guitar string or a bell while it settles into its final, stable shape. But instead of sound waves, the new black hole rings with gravitational waves: ripples in spacetime first predicted by Albert Einstein. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-statistical-technique-uncover-secrets-black.html Astronomy Wed, 13 May 2026 16:07:01 EDT news697907161 Researchers have recently found a new way to summon useful structures in magnetic materials using light, heat, and electric fields. This new method, described in a new study published in Physical Review Letters, may lead to more energy-efficient and flexible technologies for data storage and optical devices. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-liquid-crystal-demand-skyrmions-room.html Condensed Matter Wed, 13 May 2026 12:40:02 EDT news697890165 Gravitational wave researchers working on the world's most sensitive scientific instruments have found a way to tune their detectors using a process akin to the pitch-correction used in music production. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-gravitational-detectors-autotune-harmonize-heavens.html Astronomy Tue, 12 May 2026 20:00:02 EDT news697800651 In 2018, an artificial intelligence (AI) program called AlphaFold achieved a major breakthrough by placing first in the critical assessment of structure prediction, a competition for predicting the three-dimensional structures of proteins. It scored close to 90 on a 100-point scale for moderately difficult targets, marking a turning point in the use of AI for understanding protein structure and highlighting its potential applications. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-deepafm-decodes-protein-motion-noisy.html Biochemistry Tue, 12 May 2026 15:00:03 EDT news697807741 Firework shows are controversial in this day and age. While beautiful, fireworks are loud, bright, and smoky, and they can be dangerous to the surrounding environment, releasing contaminants into the air and frightening both pets and wildlife alike. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-brown-fireworks.html Plants & Animals Tue, 12 May 2026 10:20:09 EDT news697707301 Mice do more than just squeak when they want to make a noise. They can also sing. And the way they do it is different from most mammals that produce sounds by vibrating their vocal cords. When Alston's singing mouse (Scotinomys teguina) makes its music, it does so by puffing up an air sac in its throat. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-mice-inflatable-air-sacs.html Plants & Animals Tue, 12 May 2026 09:30:18 EDT news697796976 From navigation to solar weather forecasting, many different areas of research require space-based sensors to measure Earth's magnetic field as accurately as possible at any given moment. So far, however, existing sensors have consistently struggled with effects including drift, interference from the spacecraft itself, and the harsh conditions of orbit. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-resilient-quantum-sensor-earth-magnetic.html Space Exploration Mon, 11 May 2026 14:00:05 EDT news697711981 Conflicts in the Middle East are increasing dangers for whales off South Africa by shifting sea traffic into their habitats and heightening the risks of collision, researchers told AFP. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-wardriven-sea-detours-reshaping-shipping.html Ecology Mon, 11 May 2026 04:50:01 EDT news697692865 Researchers at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) have demonstrated, for the first time, a single quantum of vibrational energy interacting with a single atomic spin, seeding a pathway to quantum technologies that use sound as an information carrier, instead of light or electricity. The results are published in Nature. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-good-vibrations-quantum-communications-couple.html Quantum Physics Sun, 10 May 2026 17:00:03 EDT news697300032 With over 60,000 ships passing through the Strait of Gibraltar each year, this stretch between the Atlantic and Mediterranean is one of the busiest waterways on the planet. This narrow strip of water is also home to a critically endangered population of long-finned pilot whales (Globicephala melas). Living in such congested waters, whales must thread their way between vessels while attempting to catch food, find mates and raise their young. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-whales-shouting-full-volume-busy.html Plants & Animals Thu, 07 May 2026 18:00:05 EDT news697372561 The intrinsic information-seeking impulse we call curiosity is independent of extrinsic rewards, such as food or mating opportunities. Curiosity is purely the pursuit of understanding the unknown, driving both humans and animals to explore their environments. Still, certain stimuli tend to spark curiosity more than others. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-gaming-monkeys-curiosity-japanese-macaques.html Plants & Animals Thu, 07 May 2026 16:40:03 EDT news697378692 Researchers have developed, for the first time in the world, incoherent dielectric tensor tomography (iDTT), a technology that can read complex three-dimensional optical fingerprints inside materials using only everyday LED illumination. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-3d-optical-fingerprints-materials-lasers.html Optics & Photonics Thu, 07 May 2026 13:00:02 EDT news697371121 Lidar systems use pulses of infrared light to measure distance and map a 3D scene with high resolution, allowing autonomous vehicles to rapidly react to obstacles that appear in their path. But traditional lidar sensors are expensive, bulky systems with many moving parts that degrade over time, limiting how the sensors can be deployed. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-photonics-advance-enable-compact-high.html Optics & Photonics Thu, 07 May 2026 11:40:01 EDT news697366559 Theories of quantum mechanics predict that some particles can exist in superpositions, which essentially means that they can be in more than one state at once. When a particle's state is measured, however, this superposition appears to "collapse" into a single outcome; a phenomenon often referred to as the "measurement problem." https://phys.org/news/2026-05-quantum-collapse-theory-xenonnt-dark.html General Physics Thu, 07 May 2026 08:00:06 EDT news697277569 Photodetectors remain a critical component in the development of advanced electronics and photonics, particularly in the role of signal readout through the conversion of photons into electrons. These digital imaging components are ubiquitous in sensors, cameras, adaptive displays, telecommunications, LiDAR systems, health monitoring wearables, and oximeters. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-solar-2d-heterostructure-responsivity-gain.html Nanophysics Tue, 05 May 2026 16:40:05 EDT news697195813 Quantum technology has promising potential to revolutionize how large and complex amounts of information are processed. While already in use primarily in laboratory and research settings globally, quantum technologies are in a transition phase for broader industry applications across many economic sectors. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-varying-magnetic-fields-exotic-quantum.html Condensed Matter Mon, 04 May 2026 12:20:09 EDT news697112761 Take a brief walk outside and you're likely to encounter a wide range of things that could influence your health—the sunlight beaming on your face, a plume of exhaust, or even noise from a car driving by. Each exposure carries with it the possibility of affecting your physical well-being. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-disentangling-factors-play-exposure-science.html Environment Sat, 02 May 2026 08:00:04 EDT news696765056 Penn Engineers have developed a new way to use AI to solve inverse partial differential equations (PDEs), a particularly challenging class of mathematical problems with broad implications for understanding the natural world. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-ai-tackles-math-brutal-problems.html Mathematics Fri, 01 May 2026 11:20:05 EDT news696847922 Researchers at the University of Oxford have demonstrated a new type of quantum interaction using a single trapped ion. By creating and controlling increasingly complex forms of "squeezing" – including a fourth-order effect known as quadsqueezing – the team has, for the first time, made previously unreachable quantum effects experimentally accessible. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-physicists-quadsqueezing-quantum-interaction.html General Physics Fri, 01 May 2026 09:20:01 EDT news696844261