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. Researchers at the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) at the U.S. Department of Energy's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory have measured the shortest high-energy X-ray pulses ever recorded at an X-ray free-electron laser (XFEL). The pulses had photon energies of about 9 kiloelectronvolts (keV) and clocked in at durations of 100 to 400 attoseconds—mere billionths of a billionth of a second. The results are published in Nature Photonics. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-ray-free-electron-laser-shortest.html Optics & Photonics Wed, 21 Oct 2026 14:40:10 EDT news711803582 The size of a nucleus (nuclear charge radius) is an important physical quantity that reflects the arrangement of protons and neutrons within the nucleus. Particularly in deformed nuclei, such as those of rare-earth elements, examining changes in the charge radius can deepen our understanding of nuclear structure and nuclear deformation. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-spectroscopy-method-enables-comparisons-nuclear.html General Physics Thu, 15 Oct 2026 19:00:01 EDT news711297241 An international collaboration led by a research group from GSI/FAIR in Darmstadt, Germany, has achieved the first measurement of the chemical stability of a superheavy element compound. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-superheavy-element-compound-reveals-weaker.html Analytical Chemistry Wed, 14 Oct 2026 15:40:02 EDT news711197821 The cells of higher organisms such as mammals, flies and fungi enclose their genetic material in a nucleus. A nuclear envelope, consisting of two stacked membranes, protects it. For the cell to survive, the nucleus must constantly exchange molecules with the rest of the cell. This exchange relies on channels called nuclear pores, which act as selective gates that transport proteins or messenger RNA in or out. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-cells-center-accessible.html Cell & Microbiology Tue, 13 Oct 2026 09:20:08 EDT news711099061 When the universe was still in its infancy—only 500 million years after the Big Bang, or about 3% of its current age—some of the universe's earliest stars and galaxies had already formed. Astronomers have long predicted that much of the gas surrounding these young galaxies must have remained relatively pristine, composed mostly of hydrogen and helium, the primordial ingredients available in the newborn cosmos. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-jwst-early-galaxies-seeding-universe.html Astrobiology Thu, 24 Sep 2026 05:00:04 EDT news709373161 An international team led by researchers from the University of São Paulo (USP) in Brazil has developed an innovative method to identify stars that have consumed the planets around them. The technique detects variations in the abundance of beryllium, a relatively rare chemical element, and could open a new window into studying the evolution of planetary systems. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-beryllium-stars-swallowed-rocky-planets.html Astronomy Wed, 09 Sep 2026 17:30:01 EDT news708191461 New observations of the composition of distant galaxies offer insights into the earliest phases of the universe and confirm decades of scientific understanding of the elements and particles produced by the Big Bang, according to a new study. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-helium-conditions-seconds-big.html Astronomy Wed, 09 Sep 2026 14:40:03 EDT news708172561 Inside some fusion energy systems, particles hotter than the core of the sun can become unruly in a few thousandths of a second, far faster than any human operator can react. A new software framework developed by researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) and Princeton University hands those split-second decisions to artificial intelligence (AI), while keeping the machine safe and humans firmly in charge of the goals. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-pacman-ai-framework-fusion-safely.html Plasma Physics Wed, 02 Sep 2026 17:00:08 EDT news707581261 Every second, tens of billions of neutrinos produced by nuclear fusion in the sun pass through every square centimeter of Earth—and through our bodies—almost without interacting. Although they are among the most abundant particles emitted by the sun, their extremely weak interactions make detecting these elusive particles one of the greatest experimental challenges in particle physics. A number of specialized neutrino detectors are in operation around the world, exploiting the unique properties of neutrinos to investigate astrophysical phenomena. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-energy-solar-neutrinos-electrons.html General Physics Tue, 01 Sep 2026 14:40:03 EDT news707482381 A mysterious background of extremely low-frequency gravitational waves detected by networks of pulsars may carry information about events that began more than 13 billion years ago—including the formation of some of the first supermassive black holes in the universe. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-dark-stars-left-gravitational-echoes.html Astronomy Wed, 19 Aug 2026 17:50:01 EDT news706379341 Astronomers at MIT and elsewhere have spotted an extremely bright red spot in the early universe. The object resembles an enormous star, roughly the size of our solar system. But it also is putting out 100 billion times more energy than any known star can physically produce. In fact, such energies are closer to what a black hole might generate. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-black-hole-star-astronomers-brand.html Astronomy Sun, 16 Aug 2026 07:00:01 EDT news705724274 Fusion reactors, devices that generate energy by fusing light atomic nuclei at extremely high temperatures, could contribute to ongoing efforts aimed at producing electricity more sustainably. The extreme environment inside these devices, however, can damage materials that surround the superheated, electrically charged plasma where the nuclear fusion reaction takes place. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-tungsten-fusion-reactors.html Condensed Matter Sat, 15 Aug 2026 08:40:01 EDT news705839207 A tiny UK-developed satellite, roughly the size of a small carry-on suitcase, could help answer one of the biggest questions in cosmology: What happened during the roughly 150 million years of the cosmic dark ages, before the universe's first stars appeared? https://phys.org/news/2026-08-tiny-satellite-dark-side-moon.html Astronomy Fri, 14 Aug 2026 11:00:01 EDT news705749643 For decades, astronomers lumped brown dwarfs into a single category defined by mass alone—too big to be classified as planets but too small to become stars. However, this definition ignores the two very different mechanisms that can form them: the direct collapse of gas clouds and formation within the accretion disks of massive stars. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-tess-rare-brown-dwarf-orbiting.html Astronomy Thu, 13 Aug 2026 17:00:06 EDT news705841178 A popular myth about black holes is that they act like giant cosmic vacuum cleaners, sucking in everything around them. But Wladimir Lyra's research found a new mechanism around supermassive black holes that is more like a cosmic nursery, giving birth to planets more massive than Jupiter. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-supermassive-black-holes-massive-planets.html Astronomy Thu, 13 Aug 2026 09:11:08 EDT news705831033 More than 70% of massive stars are born in close binary systems, where gravitational tugs and mass transfer between companions dramatically alter their evolution. Yet once the interaction ends—whether through mass transfer, merger or the supernova explosion of one partner—the surviving star often appears as a solitary object, hiding its turbulent past. For decades, astronomers have struggled to detect these hidden histories. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-chemical-fingerprints-reveal-hidden-binary.html Astronomy Wed, 12 Aug 2026 14:40:03 EDT news705753601 "Dead stars" known as white dwarfs have already shown the potential to help us better understand how planetary systems, including our own solar system, take shape and evolve. Now, research from the University of Michigan and the University of Colorado Boulder suggests that potential could be even greater than anticipated. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-dead-stars-healthy-appetites.html Astronomy Mon, 27 Jul 2026 15:40:03 EDT news704380621 Fusion at high temperatures powers the sun and, if harnessed, could provide a potential source of energy here on Earth. But controlling fusion reactions has other benefits. The process also generates subatomic particles called neutrons that are used in a range of applications spanning medicine, research and national security. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-materials-fusion-reaction.html General Physics Thu, 23 Jul 2026 18:40:06 EDT news704037601 If you're looking for hydrogen on the elemental chart, it won't take you long to find it. It is right there at the beginning, the lightest possible material. One electron, one proton—that's it. Simple, minimalistic, the Marie Kondo of the elemental chart, but with enormous potential in terms of possible technological applications. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-hydrogen-tracking-absorption.html Materials Science Wed, 08 Jul 2026 19:40:01 EDT news702737305 Plasma pinches: From pursuits of nuclear fusion to an attractive point source of accelerated protons for proton radiography. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-plasma-radial-proton-crisp-imaging.html Optics & Photonics Wed, 08 Jul 2026 17:00:01 EDT news702737542 As we scour and scorch the Earth for deeper wells of energy, investors and government agencies are pouring billions into nuclear fusion research. The hope is that fusion may ultimately provide a virtually limitless source of clean energy. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-nuclear-fusion-lightning.html Plasma Physics Mon, 22 Jun 2026 15:40:06 EDT news701354339 In the next few decades, many physicists are hopeful that nuclear fusion could become a realistic source of practically limitless energy. But before this can happen, it will be critical to ensure that reactors cannot be covertly misused to produce materials for nuclear weapons. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-fusion-reactors-covert-plutonium-production.html General Physics Sat, 13 Jun 2026 13:00:03 EDT news700233543 Standardizing calculations of the helium byproducts generated in advanced fission and fusion energy system materials can increase reactor safety and longevity, according to a study led by University of Michigan Engineering with collaborators at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and its management contractor UT-Battelle. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-helium-fission-fusion-materials.html General Physics Wed, 20 May 2026 17:40:05 EDT news698508541 When physicists fire beams of fast electrons at materials, they often need to know exactly how much energy those electrons will lose as they travel through. Through new research published in Physical Review Letters, a team led by Ke Jiang at Shenzhen Technology University in China has found that porous, mostly empty foam materials can stop high-current electron beams far more effectively than denser materials—overturning many previous assumptions about how these beams interact with solid materials. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-foam-overturns-assumptions-electron.html General Physics Wed, 13 May 2026 12:00:01 EDT news697886187 Particle accelerators such as those at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) in Geneva are typically highly complex large-scale devices. In these ring-shaped facilities, which are often several kilometers in length, magnets and radio-frequency cavities are used to accelerate elementary particles. An alternative approach is now emerging: compact laser–plasma accelerators that can be built and operated at a fraction of the cost. These accelerators can achieve acceleration gradients up to around 1,000 times higher than those of conventional accelerators. Researchers at HHU contributed significantly to this development. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-laser-plasma-polarization-helium-ions.html Plasma Physics Thu, 30 Apr 2026 14:20:02 EDT news696770265 For the first time, a research team has demonstrated, in a metal-wall environment, a plasma regime that simultaneously achieves partial divertor detachment, an edge-localized-mode (ELM)-free high-confinement mode (H-mode), and high pedestal performance. This integrated regime was sustained on a minute scale and the work is published in Physical Review Letters. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-tokamak-regime-sustains-stable-fusion.html Plasma Physics Wed, 29 Apr 2026 19:10:08 EDT news696701401 Scientists have directly observed muonic molecules in resonance states for the first time, using a high-resolution X-ray detector, a new Science Advances study reports. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-muonic-molecules-critical-muon-catalyzed.html Plasma Physics Fri, 17 Apr 2026 11:40:02 EDT news695643962 For decades, astronomers have struggled to differentiate giant planets from brown dwarfs, a class of objects more massive than planets but too small to ignite nuclear fusion like true stars. Through a telescope, these cosmic lookalikes can have overlapping brightness, temperatures, and even atmospheric fingerprints. The striking similarity leaves astronomers unsure if they have observed an oversized planet or an undersized star. Now, a Northwestern University-led team has uncovered a crucial clue that separates the two: how fast they spin. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-clearest-evidence-giant-planets-faster.html Astronomy Wed, 18 Mar 2026 10:00:02 EDT news692954942 A team of physicists from the Institute of Modern Physics (IMP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, together with collaborators, has identified the dominant physical mechanism responsible for energy release in the nuclear isomer molybdenum-93m (Mo-93m). Using high-precision experiments, the researchers showed that inelastic nuclear scattering—rather than the long-hypothesized nuclear excitation by electron capture (NEEC)—is the primary driver of isomer depletion under their experimental conditions. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-physicists-key-mechanism-energy-molybdenum.html General Physics Mon, 09 Feb 2026 12:00:06 EST news689860363 Using data collected by NASA's Parker Solar Probe during its closest approach to the sun, a University of Arizona-led research team has measured the dynamics and ever-changing "shell" of hot gas from where the solar wind originates. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-sun-unraveling-mysteries-solar.html Space Exploration Fri, 30 Jan 2026 10:35:31 EST news688991702