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. By rapidly twisting a microscopically small tip back and forth, researchers at the University of Maryland (UMD) have unlocked a new way to detect subtle changes on the surface of a material flexing in response to infrared light. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-high-res-view-2d-materials.html Nanomaterials Fri, 07 Aug 2026 18:00:03 EDT news705327588 Many material properties depend on how electrons are arranged inside a material. Their distribution determines, for example, whether a material conducts electricity or displays magnetic behavior. Understanding how electrons organize themselves at the atomic scale is therefore one of the major challenges in materials science. Now, a team led by researchers at the Institute of Materials Science of Barcelona (ICMAB-CSIC) has developed a new technique that, for the first time, reveals how electrons are organized inside materials with an unprecedented level of detail. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-key-material-properties-atom.html Analytical Chemistry Thu, 06 Aug 2026 15:00:01 EDT news705237421 Researchers at the 4th Physics Institute of the University of Stuttgart and the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT) in Milan have demonstrated a new mechanism for directing light in a naturally hyperbolic van der Waals material without conventional nanofabricated waveguides. The discovery opens new possibilities for integrated photonics, on-chip optical communication and future quantum technologies. The paper is published in the journal Nature Nanotechnology. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-nano-optics-mechanism-channeling-natural.html Nanophysics Tue, 04 Aug 2026 14:40:03 EDT news705065941 Extant and ancient cephalopods—including octopuses, squids, extinct ammonites, cuttlefish and nautiluses—have all had to solve the problem of buoyancy, whether they have hard external shells or not. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-early-cambrian-fossil-uncovers-key.html Evolution Wed, 29 Jul 2026 13:40:05 EDT news704541901 Ethanol is an alcohol used in a vast number of industrial and household applications. When dehydrogenated—in this case, stripped of some of its hydrogen atoms—it yields another important compound: acetaldehyde, which is used to make resins, dyes, perfumes and synthetic flavors, among many other products. But currently available catalysts for ethanol dehydrogenation suffer from deactivation, poor performance over time and unwanted side reactions. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-successful-sustainable-catalyst-ethanol-dehydrogenation.html Materials Science Wed, 29 Jul 2026 08:40:01 EDT news704530201 Every summer, algal blooms turn rivers and lakes green. Although they are widely known as a major form of water pollution that makes water murky, a KAIST research team has now shown for the first time that algal bloom conditions can make discarded plastics, such as plastic bags, more prone to breaking apart, potentially accelerating the formation of microplastics. The study points to a new direction for the era of climate change: water pollution and plastic pollution need to be managed together rather than as separate problems. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-algal-blooms-plastic-weathering-potentially.html Environment Tue, 28 Jul 2026 17:20:01 EDT news704470141 Many people are familiar with fossilized wood as a decorative item from a museum shop. However, the fact that it can preserve the geological history of entire regions spanning millions of years is a new discovery. A research team led by geologist Dr. Steffen Trümper from the University of Münster has now demonstrated for the first time that fossilized wood is a natural archive from which the geological history of an entire region over hundreds of millions of years can be deduced. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-fossilized-wood-reveals-million-years.html Earth Sciences Fri, 24 Jul 2026 10:00:06 EDT news704103389 A moth caterpillar identified by the agribusiness sector as one of the most destructive pests of soybean, cotton and corn crops may harbor fungi and bacteria in its gut that can degrade expanded polystyrene, also known as Styrofoam. In an article published in the journal BMC Microbiology, researchers from the Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar) and São Paulo State University (UNESP) in Brazil presented the results of a study investigating the gut microbiota of Helicoverpa armigera and its role in degrading this petroleum-derived plastic. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-destructive-crop-caterpillar-harbors-fungi.html Cell & Microbiology Thu, 23 Jul 2026 16:30:01 EDT news704039282 In most everyday materials, such as copper, silver and silicon, the behavior of electrons is relatively predictable. In quantum materials, however, electrons can interact in complex ways, giving rise to collective electronic states with remarkable properties. Understanding how these states emerge—and, ultimately, how to control them—is one of the central challenges in quantum materials research. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-striped-checkered-magnetic-field-electronic.html Condensed Matter Thu, 23 Jul 2026 05:00:10 EDT news703933441 A technology has been developed that allows artificial intelligence to inversely determine the process conditions for quantum-dot light-emitting diode (QLED) devices—conditions that previously required extensive trial and error to identify. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-ai-qled-recipe-efficiency-boosts.html Optics & Photonics Sat, 18 Jul 2026 08:00:09 EDT news703512040 Researchers in Thailand have developed a prototype high-performance bicycle tire that replaces conventional nylon fabric reinforcement with natural silk. The team combined laboratory-scale material testing with pilot-scale tire manufacturing. Natural rubber composites were produced by placing a layer of silk or nylon fabric between rubber sheets and bonding the layers using a resorcinol-formaldehyde-latex coating. The selected composite formulation was then used to manufacture full bicycle tires. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-prototype-bicycle-silk-outperform-nylon.html Materials Science Fri, 17 Jul 2026 13:40:01 EDT news703500275 Graphene has long been regarded as one of the most promising materials for future electronics, but its relatively weak electron interactions have limited its potential for applications such as high-temperature superconductivity. Now, researchers from Tohoku University have overcome a major obstacle by creating a stable version of the long-sought "boron graphene" on the surface of a three-dimensional crystal, revealing a new quantum state that could lead to more energy-efficient electronic devices. The findings were published in Science Advances on July 2, 2026. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-scientists-stable-boron-graphene-uncover.html Condensed Matter Thu, 16 Jul 2026 12:20:10 EDT news703407615 Quantum technologies promise revolutionary advances in computing, sensing and information processing. However, controlling individual quantum bits (qubits) at the atomic scale remains a major challenge because conventional approaches rely on magnetic fields, which are difficult to confine to a single molecule. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-scientists-electrical-molecule-quantum-states.html Quantum Physics Thu, 16 Jul 2026 09:30:03 EDT news703407599 Mathematics has always been at the core of securing information. From online banking to government communications, modern society relies on cryptography, in which complex mathematical algorithms transform readable information into an unreadable form to keep it secure. But as computing power grows and quantum technology advances, these mathematical safeguards are increasingly vulnerable to being broken. That's where biology stepped in. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-dna-origami-secret-messages-nanomorse.html Biotechnology Tue, 14 Jul 2026 11:20:07 EDT news703241682 Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) are used in everything from household lighting and mobile phones to large display screens. Improving their efficiency could reduce energy use and enhance performance across a wide range of technologies. A new study involving researchers from the University of Liverpool and the University of Strathclyde has demonstrated a powerful way to identify tiny crystal defects that can reduce the efficiency of LED materials. The advance could help scientists better understand how these defects form and ultimately support the development of more efficient electronic and optoelectronic devices. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-imaging-method-fresh-insight-materials.html Analytical Chemistry Sun, 12 Jul 2026 16:00:01 EDT news702896148 The rise of AI has created an almost insatiable appetite for computing power. Training and running AI systems requires vast numbers of transistors, and engineers are now racing to pack more of them onto every chip. With their existing designs, however, silicon transistors are rapidly running up against physical limits on how small they can get. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-scientists-smallest-contacts-future-chips.html General Physics Tue, 07 Jul 2026 05:40:02 EDT news702562568 Scientists have long posited that the earliest water animals to transition to land had amphibious tadpole features, going through a metamorphosis akin to that of today's frogs. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-rare-million-year-fossils-early.html Paleontology & Fossils Sun, 05 Jul 2026 09:20:01 EDT news701061081 Scientists have grown wheat containing supersized starch granules—a leap forward in biological engineering with potential benefits for our daily diets and a raft of industrial applications. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-giant-wheat-starch-granules-biological.html Biotechnology Fri, 03 Jul 2026 14:00:10 EDT news702286264 Werner Heisenberg's famous uncertainty principle describes one of the most intriguing features of quantum physics: certain pairs of physical quantities describing a particle, such as position and momentum, cannot simultaneously be determined with arbitrary precision—not because of imprecise measuring instruments, but because nature forbids it. Between position and time, however, there is no Heisenberg uncertainty principle. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-ultrafast-scanning-tunneling-microscopy-quantum.html Optics & Photonics Fri, 03 Jul 2026 12:00:06 EDT news702290288 Researchers report some corn plants are genetically predisposed to develop longer, less constricted water-conducting tissues and deeper roots, which helps them deal with drought. That's the conclusion of a team led by Penn State researchers that conducted a study of the plant's xylem tissue, which moves water upward from the roots to the leaves. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-newly-corn-trait-crop-drought.html Cell & Microbiology Tue, 30 Jun 2026 17:20:01 EDT news702042223 Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light (MPL) have developed a technique for interrogating molecules on surfaces with spectroscopic precision, thereby reaching the ultimate quantum limit for the first time. With their findings, published in Science, the researchers open new opportunities for the study of molecule-surface interactions and molecular quantum technologies. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-crystal-surface-molecules-ultimate-quantum.html Optics & Photonics Fri, 26 Jun 2026 17:00:01 EDT news701698772 In a recent study, Manish Garg, independent group leader at Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research (MPI FKF), succeeded in probing the local properties of bright and dark excitons in the organic superconductor copper naphthalocyanine (CuNc). The findings are published in the journal Nature Communications. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-packet-interferometry-captures-elusive-dark.html Condensed Matter Tue, 23 Jun 2026 18:10:03 EDT news701453702 An international team of researchers has discovered a remarkable new spider species in the rainforest of North Queensland that spins an ingenious and powerful spring-actuated snare to catch a single species of ant—one ant at a time—in what they describe as "the ultimate specialization." https://phys.org/news/2026-06-newly-australian-ballista-spider-snare.html Plants & Animals Mon, 22 Jun 2026 11:00:09 EDT news701094716 Life on our planet began in the water. Eventually, one branch of the fish family tree developed legs and came up on land. These early four-legged animals, the tetrapods, were the forebears of today's mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-fossilized-babies-ancient-crocodile-predators.html Evolution Thu, 18 Jun 2026 14:00:04 EDT news700988881 Quantum computers—systems that process information and perform computations by leveraging the principles of quantum mechanics—could solve some tasks faster and more effectively than classical computers. While some studies have demonstrated the advantages of these computers for specific tasks, ensuring their reliable operation in real-world settings has proved challenging. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-majorana-modes-disorder-atomic-chains.html Condensed Matter Wed, 10 Jun 2026 07:00:03 EDT news700136437 Nature is filled with remarkable visual phenomena created by microscopic surface structures that interact with light in fascinating ways. The iridescent wings of butterflies, the shimmering feathers of birds and the glossy surfaces of flower petals are all examples of how living organisms control the reflection, absorption and scattering of light. These optical effects are not only visually striking but also serve important biological functions, including attracting pollinators, communication, camouflage and protection from environmental stress. Understanding these naturally occurring photonic structures has become an important area of research, as they provide inspiration for the development of advanced biomimetic materials and optical technologies. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-hardy-ice-optical-possibilities.html Optics & Photonics Tue, 09 Jun 2026 17:30:01 EDT news700243562 Rhodoliths may look like small rocks on the seafloor, but they are actually living algae that create habitats for marine life and contribute to long-term carbon storage. A new study found that the deeper, low-light waters off Japan's Tanegashima Island harbor a surprisingly distinct and diverse community of these living pink rocks, including four species completely new to science. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-underwater-pink-carbon-scientists-species.html Ecology Tue, 09 Jun 2026 09:48:35 EDT news700217282 A material may appear flawless on the surface yet fail to function properly. The cause lies in structural defects hidden within two-dimensional thin films, which are considered key materials for next-generation semiconductor devices. Recently, a Korean research team developed an optical analysis method that can identify these invisible defects using light. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-flawless-flipped-hidden-defects-2d.html Nanomaterials Sun, 07 Jun 2026 15:00:01 EDT news699875372 Water deficit resistance in plants has long been a topic of interest for cultivating reliable crops. Some plants can alter their above-ground structure to lock in moisture, while others develop deep, industrious roots that find hard-to-reach water sources. While such responses are obvious to the naked eye, we know little about how responses to environmental stress occur at the microscopic, cellular level. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-tiny-membrane-tethers-revealed-key.html Cell & Microbiology Tue, 02 Jun 2026 11:00:02 EDT news699608101 On the moon, the lack of atmosphere and accompanying features such as biological activity, oxygen-rich air, flowing water and rain, wind, and most erosion allows the lunar regolith to preserve a long-term record of surface processes in the space environment. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-regolith-reveal-nanoscale-space-weathering.html Astronomy Thu, 28 May 2026 10:20:07 EDT news699178261