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. While neutrinos are some of the most abundant particles in the universe, they remain among the least understood. One of the biggest puzzles is their mass: although experiments have shown that neutrinos must have some mass, pinning down exactly how much has proven extraordinarily difficult. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-tritium-infused-graphene-sharpen-neutrino.html General Physics Tue, 19 May 2026 10:40:03 EDT news698400557 Artificial intelligence and machine learning are shaping major design and research decisions for the planned Electron-Ion Collider (EIC), a next-generation nuclear physics research facility that will collide electrons with protons or nuclei to probe matter's structure. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-ai-electron-ion-collider.html General Physics Mon, 18 May 2026 11:40:09 EDT news698320142 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": a phenomenon known as neutrino oscillation that remains poorly understood in extreme astrophysical environments. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-neutrino-flavor-flips-key-triggering.html Astronomy Sun, 17 May 2026 08:40:03 EDT news697886203 A few years ago, I had just moved into a house. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-friendship-loneliness.html Social Sciences Fri, 15 May 2026 08:59:31 EDT news698054342 If you could take an apple and break it into smaller and smaller parts, you would find molecules, then atoms, followed by subatomic particles like protons and the quarks and gluons that make them up. You might think you hit the bottom, but, according to string theorists, if you keep going to even smaller scales—about a billion billion times smaller than a proton—you will find more: tiny vibrating strings. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-theory-uniquely-derived-basic-assumptions.html General Physics Thu, 14 May 2026 12:26:29 EDT news697980361 Nasa is developing ways to use nuclear power to send spacecraft to their destinations. Nuclear propulsion could greatly reduce the journey time to Mars, perhaps cutting a voyage of more than six months to three or four months. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-nasa-big-nuclear-journey-mars.html Space Exploration Wed, 13 May 2026 12:48:49 EDT news697895284 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 Describing new species can take decades. But scientists are working to identify new ways to speed up our understanding of this hidden biodiversity. By looking at the genetic data of thousands of beetle species, our researchers are able to reveal the true breadth of tropical ground beetles in a move that could help save their rainforest homes. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-world-beetles-rainforest.html Ecology Wed, 13 May 2026 08:36:50 EDT news697880162 Matter behaves strangely under extreme conditions, and often, remnants of these behaviors are left behind even when conditions return to normal. The Trinity nuclear test in 1945 left behind such remnants, and now, 80 years after the explosion, researchers have identified another unique example of what happens when various materials are heated to temperatures exceeding 1,500 °C (2,730 °F) and put under pressures tens of thousands of times atmospheric pressure. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-years-trinity-nuclear-scientists-molecule.html General Physics Tue, 12 May 2026 12:50:01 EDT news697805584 Dark matter particles could be mediators of the interaction between electrons and atomic nuclei, as shown by a study conducted by junior group leader, Dr. Konstantin Gaul, Dr. Lei Cong, and Professor Dr. Dmitry Budker, of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU), Helmholtz Institute Mainz (HIM) and the PRISMA++ Cluster of Excellence. Their work, published last week in Physical Review Letters, presents new constraints on previously unexplored candidates for dark matter and, more generally, some hypothetical particles that are not included in the Standard Model of particle physics (SM). https://phys.org/news/2026-05-unexplored-interactions-electrons-atomic-nuclei.html General Physics Mon, 11 May 2026 19:40:01 EDT news697736521 A great Tyrannosaurus rex strides through the conifer trees of her territory, sniffing the air. She picks up the scent from the carcass of a dead horned dinosaur, Triceratops, that she was feeding on yesterday. She walks over and strips off some more shreds of meat, but the smell is foul even for her. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-dinosaurkilling-asteroid-armageddon-blowbyblow-account.html Paleontology & Fossils Mon, 11 May 2026 18:00:01 EDT news697724041 On the evening of Aug. 9, 2025, passengers on the Hanse Explorer finished taking selfies and videos of the South Sawyer Glacier, and the ship headed back down the fjord. Twelve hours later, a landslide from the adjacent mountain unexpectedly collapsed into the fjord, initiating the second-highest tsunami in recorded history. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-alaska-nearrecord-landslide-tsunami-feet.html Earth Sciences Sun, 10 May 2026 15:00:03 EDT news697292948 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 An international research team, including scientists from the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), has achieved a methodological breakthrough in the study of superhydrides, a promising class of superconductors. For the first time, the team succeeded in analyzing lanthanum superhydrides under extreme pressure using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-magnetic-super-lenses-window-high.html Condensed Matter Wed, 06 May 2026 19:40:03 EDT news697296601 Proton beams are not only used in sophisticated nuclear physics experiments. Today, they are becoming increasingly popular in radiotherapy, where they are an irreplaceable tool for destroying cancer cells. Doctors and physicists can enhance their precision thanks to two solutions developed at the Cyclotron Center Bronowice of the Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-proton-tool-radiotherapy-energy-treatment.html General Physics Fri, 01 May 2026 14:40:01 EDT news696857941 A century after their discovery, cosmic rays—particles of extreme energy originating from the far reaches of the universe—remain a mystery to scientists. The DAMPE (Dark Matter Particle Explorer) space telescope is tackling this phenomenon, particularly investigating the role that dark matter may play in their formation. This international mission, which includes the University of Geneva (UNIGE), has made a major breakthrough by highlighting a universal feature of these particles. The results are published in the journal Nature. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-dampe-satellite-reveals-cosmic-rays.html Astronomy Thu, 30 Apr 2026 18:40:03 EDT news696777961 An international research team has achieved an important milestone for astrophysics at GSI/FAIR in Darmstadt: In the CRYRING@ESR storage ring, scientists were able to measure nuclear reactions at extremely low energies for the first time, mirroring the conditions inside stars. This novel experimental approach lays the foundation for decoding the formation of elements in the universe with even greater precision in the future. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-nuclear-reactions-energies-pathways-astrophysics.html General Physics Thu, 30 Apr 2026 16:50:01 EDT news696782161 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 A new study by University of Maryland chemical physicists demonstrates how to control the nuclear spin of molecular hydrogen (H2) by simply freezing it in dry ice. This new technique, published in the journal Physical Review Letters, could improve energy storage for hydrogen fuel, memory for quantum computing and the ability to measure comet temperatures in outer space. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-frozen-dry-ice-hydrogen-reveals.html Quantum Physics Wed, 29 Apr 2026 16:30:01 EDT news696696122 You're in the lab analyzing Martian regolith samples within your cozy Mars habitat serving on the fifth human mission to Mars. The power within the habitat has been flowing flawlessly thanks to the MARS-MES (Mars Atmospheric Resource & Multimodal Energy System), including the general habitat lighting, science lab, sleeping quarters, exercise equipment, the virtual reality headsets the crew use for rest & relaxation, oxygen and fuel generation, and water. All this from converting the Martian atmosphere into workable electricity. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-situ-power-stations-future-mars.html Space Exploration Wed, 29 Apr 2026 12:40:12 EDT news696679141 Scientists have used the power of AI to analyze and predict the conversion of liquid radioactive waste into solid glass waste forms, increasing the amount of waste that goes into each container of glass produced and reducing operational risks, mission duration and costs. The research team, from the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, published its work in the April 15 edition of the Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-scientists-leverage-ai-optimize-glass.html Analytical Chemistry Wed, 29 Apr 2026 10:40:06 EDT news696676382 Shielding materials are essential in key modern industrial settings—such as spacecraft, nuclear power plants, semiconductor equipment, and advanced medical devices—to protect both equipment and personnel from electromagnetic waves and radiation. In particular, as space exploration gains momentum—such as with the successful launch of Artemis 2 on the 2nd—the importance of next-generation shielding technology capable of withstanding extreme environments is growing. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-thinner-hair-stretchable-rubber-shield.html Space Exploration Tue, 28 Apr 2026 18:00:05 EDT news696613921 A study conducted in the Brazilian state of Amazonas has demonstrated that small amounts of Amazonian dark earth (ADE)—an anthropogenic soil created by ancient Amazonian populations—can increase the height and diameter of the pink trumpet tree (Handroanthus avellanedae) by up to 55% and 88%, respectively. This tree also occurs in the Atlantic Forest. The research is published in the journal BMC Ecology and Evolution. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-soil-fertilization-amazonian-dark-earth.html Plants & Animals Tue, 28 Apr 2026 16:40:06 EDT news696612241 Scientists at Ames National Laboratory developed a new artificial intelligence (AI) tool that accelerates discovery of materials needed for next-generation fusion energy systems. The tool, DuctGPT, combines advanced AI with physics-based modeling to help researchers predict materials with the appropriate properties to function in the extreme conditions inside of fusion reactors. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-ductgpt-ai-discovery-generation-fusion.html Plasma Physics Mon, 27 Apr 2026 07:00:03 EDT news696490741 "Dogs at Chernobyl are now genetically distinct … thanks to years of exposure to ionizing radiation, study finds." https://phys.org/news/2026-04-chernobyl-wildlife-real-story-isnt.html Ecology Sun, 26 Apr 2026 19:00:02 EDT news696082828 In the novel "When There Are Wolves Again" by E.J. Swift, the Chernobyl disaster and its legacy is extrapolated to a near future where natural habitats are depleted and precarious. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-forty-years-disaster-foxes-bison.html Ecology Sat, 25 Apr 2026 17:30:02 EDT news695911516 Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have implemented an advanced microscopy technique to visualize multiple biomolecules inside the nucleus of a cancer cell simultaneously at incredibly high resolution. The biomolecules they visualized include critical components of the cell's transcription machinery and proteins that provide structural support to the nucleus—providing one of the first detailed maps of nuclear organization. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-high-resolution-imaging-nanoscale-nuclear.html Cell & Microbiology Fri, 24 Apr 2026 18:00:01 EDT news696256202 A team of astrophysicists from Nanjing University and University of Bonn have demonstrated that, rather than being random, the mass of new stars born inside a star cluster is actually governed by a defined process of self-regulation. Their work has been published in the journal Research in Astronomy and Astrophysics. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-cosmic-star-clusters.html Astronomy Fri, 24 Apr 2026 13:40:04 EDT news696248642 It was 1972 and Apollo astronauts Harrison "Jack" Schmitt and Eugene Cernan had just stepped onto the moon's surface to begin collecting rock and soil samples. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-qa-apollo-astronaut-schmitt-moon.html Space Exploration Fri, 24 Apr 2026 04:20:01 EDT news696222126