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. When is the best time to apply nitrogen? What plant response was there to fertilizer or any number of other treatments? There is a general answer to those questions now, but what if plant breeders and agronomists could download data from continuously monitored cornstalks and ears to develop specific answers for those questions? https://phys.org/news/2026-11-sensors-corn-growth.html Biotechnology Tue, 03 Nov 2026 22:20:05 EST news712944865 Researchers in the U.S. and China have created a biocompatible, metal-free magnet that can be safely implanted and generate signals from deep inside the body. Led by Wubin Bai at the University of North Carolina, the team revealed how magnetism can emerge from the rearrangement of atoms in heated carbon nitride, which strengthens the coupling between unpaired electrons. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-metal-free-magnetic-sensor-safely.html Analytical Chemistry Tue, 27 Oct 2026 13:20:03 EDT news712314189 The National Institute for Materials Science has developed a technology to strongly bond dissimilar materials by using a porous layer, formed by a solution-coating and drying process, as an anchor. The research team confirm that even materials that are normally difficult to bond together can be bonded with a strength exceeding 7 MPa by adopting a hybrid approach: adhering to one material through chemical affinity and bonding to another via physical interlocking using tiny pores. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-porous-anchor-strongly-bonds-dissimilar.html Materials Science Tue, 27 Oct 2026 09:00:01 EDT news712300700 Scientists from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) have developed a new class of light-activated compounds that could lead to safer and more versatile applications in 3D printing, cosmetics and medicine. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-nontoxic-compound-safer-3d-advanced.html Biochemistry Thu, 22 Oct 2026 15:00:02 EDT news711899581 For scientists, breakthroughs often stem from unexpected turns. A research team led by Oscar Dahlsten, an associate professor in the Department of Physics at City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK), set out to prove a theoretical limitation, only to discover a quantum solution. The finding breaks traditional physical constraints and introduces a strategy for harvesting energy from fluctuating sources. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-quantum-pathway-entropy-free-energy.html General Physics Tue, 20 Oct 2026 11:00:01 EDT news711706981 It looks like a small, transparent patch with a rainbow on its surface—or for those old enough to remember, the back of a CD. The patch is the first of its kind in the world and, when combined with an ordinary smartphone camera, can measure two things: pulse and blood vessel stiffness. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-octopus-patch-skin-reveals-pulse.html Bio & Medicine Tue, 20 Oct 2026 10:00:16 EDT news711705901 A research team led by Professor Jiwoong Yang of the Department of Energy Science and Engineering at DGIST has developed the world's first foundational technology for an ultrahigh-resolution stretchable quantum dot display (QLED) that can stretch freely like skin while maintaining sharp image quality. The findings were published in Nature Nanotechnology. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-display-technology-combines-brightness-pixels.html Nanophysics Wed, 07 Oct 2026 16:30:02 EDT news710605801 KAIST's discovery of graphene oxide liquid crystals in 2011 laid the foundation for 15 years of research worldwide, leading to technologies for producing graphene fibers with high strength and thermal conductivity. The fundamental materials research that helped bring antibacterial toothbrushes and functional sportswear to market is now advancing into materials for thermal management. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-toothbrushes-aerospace-graphene-advances-fibers.html Nanomaterials Thu, 17 Sep 2026 20:40:01 EDT news708863195 Thermoelectric materials can directly convert heat into electricity, making them promising for recovering waste heat from factories, vehicles and other sources. They can also transport heat when an electric current is applied through a phenomenon known as the Peltier effect. These properties have attracted considerable interest in energy-saving technologies and thermal management. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-framework-thermoelectric-material.html General Physics Sat, 12 Sep 2026 15:30:02 EDT news708268512 A research team led by Sungwon Lee, a professor in the Department of Physics and Chemistry at DGIST, developed a hierarchical nano-on-nano structure by directly growing graphene nanowalls (GNWs) on polymer nanofibers and successfully used the structure to enhance the sensing performance of wearable gas sensors. The technology is expected to be applied to next-generation wearable sensors for real-time monitoring of individuals' breathing environments or hazardous gases in industrial settings. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-breathable-smart-sensor-real-hazardous.html Bio & Medicine Fri, 28 Aug 2026 13:40:02 EDT news707136781 Researchers from Skoltech and their colleagues from Harbin Institute of Technology in China and ITMO University in Russia have devised a way to deposit elaborate geometric patterns of carbon nanotubes without wasting material. Such patterns are used in advanced optical devices and mechanical strain sensors for structural integrity monitoring. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-reusable-stencils-carbon-nanotube-patterns.html Nanophysics Tue, 25 Aug 2026 23:20:01 EDT news706880285 While electronic devices have become an integral part of everyday life, the consumption of critical raw materials and energy demand associated with their production continue to rise. According to the European Commission's European Green Deal, Europe aims to become climate-neutral while maintaining a competitive economy by 2050, which calls for new approaches that consider sustainability not only at the end of a product's life cycle but also during the development phase. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-sustainable-medical-electronics-environmental-impact.html Environment Tue, 18 Aug 2026 18:40:01 EDT news706267778 Research teams have developed a multifunctional fiber-shaped electronic device capable of both generating electricity and detecting hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) gas. The achievement demonstrates that a single fiber can function as a self-powered safety sensor that generates its own electricity while detecting hazardous gases. The technology is expected to accelerate the practical application of smart clothing and wearable devices for industrial safety. The study is published in the Chemical Engineering Journal. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-fiber-based-electronic-device-generates.html Materials Science Thu, 13 Aug 2026 12:02:05 EDT news705841304 QUT researchers have overcome a challenge that has limited next-generation energy-harvesting materials for more than two decades, opening the door to more powerful wearable electronics and new ways of turning wasted heat into electricity. The breakthrough centers on carbon nanotubes, which are flexible, conductive microscopic rods that have long shown promise for wearable technologies but have been difficult to control. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-molecules-carbon-nanotubes-clumping-electricity.html Nanomaterials Mon, 20 Jul 2026 17:40:06 EDT news703781761 A smartwatch can tell us the level of oxygen in our blood, when our sleep is restless or the number of steps we take in a day. Now imagine that kind of tracking ability for plants. By the time farmers see curling leaves or stunted growth in their fields, their crops may already have spent days under stress. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-wearables-track-health-farmers-real.html Biotechnology Thu, 09 Jul 2026 10:20:07 EDT news702807380 Researchers at Tohoku University have uncovered the long-standing mystery behind the synthesis of Janus two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors, paving the way for more precise manufacturing of materials used in future electronics and clean energy technologies. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-electron-buildup-2d-interface-reveals.html Nanophysics Wed, 24 Jun 2026 17:40:09 EDT news701529061 Wearable and implantable biosensors have the potential to revolutionize health care by diagnosing, monitoring, and even treating a wide range of health conditions. Recent innovations in the lab of Wei Gao, professor of medical engineering at Caltech and a Heritage Medical Research Institute Investigator, are pushing the field forward through the creation of soft, stretchable, tissue-integrated bioelectronics for continuous sensing and adaptive therapy. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-stretchy-soft-sticky-advancing-generation.html Biotechnology Wed, 10 Jun 2026 05:00:03 EDT news700237202 Researchers from the University of Cambridge and GlitterinTech, a startup founded by the same research group, have unveiled a fundamentally new type of optical spectrometer that delivers laboratory-grade precision in a device small enough to be embedded in portable and wearable technologies. By rethinking how spectra are measured and processed, the team has demonstrated a spectrometer costing only around $10, operating at a centimeter scale, and capable of applications ranging from industrial quality control to real-time health care monitoring. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-spectrometer-chip-real-chemical-wearables.html Optics & Photonics Mon, 08 Jun 2026 17:40:04 EDT news700146465 From household plastic packaging to the flexible frameworks that support wearable electronics, polymer materials form the invisible backbone of modern life. At a microscopic level, polymers consist of long, ribbon-like molecular chains that are entangled into a disorganized mass resembling a bowl of cooked noodles. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-precise-polymer-uncover-hidden-slack.html Polymers Mon, 01 Jun 2026 12:20:02 EDT news699533461 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 Researchers at The University of Texas at Dallas have developed a new electrolyte system that significantly boosts the energy-harvesting performance of twistrons, which are carbon nanotube yarns that generate electricity when repeatedly stretched. The findings could aid in the manufacturing of intelligent textiles, such as fabrics used to make spacesuits, that would power wearable electronic devices or sensors by harvesting energy from human motion. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-heavy-energy-potential-carbon-nanotube.html Nanomaterials Wed, 11 Mar 2026 16:40:04 EDT news692449381 In a paper published in the journal Small, a team of physicists from IISER Pune have developed tiny electronic devices from a special semiconductor material called bismuth oxyselenide (Bi2O2Se). This development has potential applications in future flexible smartphones, wearable health monitors, smart fabrics, and bendable electronic gadgets. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-electronics-flexible-atom-thin-materials.html Nanophysics Wed, 18 Feb 2026 16:52:30 EST news690655921 Ammonia (NH3)—the second-most-produced chemical globally—has proven to be highly important in furthering human civilization over the centuries, both in terms of technological capabilities and innovation potential. It is widely utilized in fertilizers, refrigerants, biomarkers, and next-generation fuel. Unfortunately, NH3 is highly toxic, resulting in complications such as respiratory irritation, chest pain, pulmonary edema, and even death. This makes effective and rapid NH3 sensing and detection capabilities indispensable in industries or environments prone to NH3 leaks. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-wearable-sensor-dangerous-ammonia-gas.html Nanomaterials Thu, 12 Feb 2026 19:40:02 EST news690113601 Nano-sensors that work without batteries or wires could pave the way for more comfortable, less obtrusive sleep and health care monitoring at home, according to scientists at the University of Surrey. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-battery-free-nano-sensors-pave.html Bio & Medicine Thu, 22 Jan 2026 10:11:50 EST news688299061 Wearable health care devices—such as glucose monitors, ultrasound patches and blood-pressure monitors—can be invaluable for keeping patients safe. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-health-electronics-booming-sustainable.html Environment Sat, 17 Jan 2026 11:00:05 EST news687437890 Graphene has long been hailed as a "wonder material." It is incredibly strong, highly conductive and almost impossibly thin—just one atom thick. These properties make it a promising candidate for next-generation technologies such as flexible electronics, wearable devices and printed sensors. Yet despite years of research, turning graphene into practical, printable inks has remained a major challenge. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-graphene-derived-material-generation-electronics.html Nanomaterials Wed, 14 Jan 2026 17:40:01 EST news687604955 The organic light-emitting diode (OLED) technology behind flexible cell phones, curved monitors, and televisions could one day be used to make on-skin sensors that show changes in temperature, blood flow, and pressure in real time. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-nanomaterial-flex-mxene-electrodes-oled.html Nanophysics Wed, 14 Jan 2026 11:00:12 EST news687520165 In recent years, two-dimensional (2D) single-crystalline metal nanosheets have emerged as a promising next-generation platform for self-powered electronics. However, their potential for triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs)—a promising energy-harvesting technology—remains largely untapped, mainly due to their low current output and limited durability. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-porous-copper-nanosheets-boost-energy.html Nanomaterials Thu, 08 Jan 2026 14:20:39 EST news687104401 Imagine wearable health sensors, smart packaging, flexible displays, or disposable IoT controllers all manufactured like printed newspapers. The same technology could underpin communication circuits, sensors, and signal-processing components made entirely from solution-processed 2D materials. https://phys.org/news/2025-12-framework-2d-materials-printable-electronics.html Nanophysics Sun, 14 Dec 2025 09:20:04 EST news684166621 Modern devices, from fitness trackers and smart garments to Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, require compact and sustainable power sources. In new research published in Scientific Reports, scientists present an energy harvester based on a horizontally mounted vial half-filled with a biodegradable ferrofluid. https://phys.org/news/2025-11-sloshing-ferrofluids-harness-vibration-energy.html Nanophysics Mon, 24 Nov 2025 14:54:02 EST news683218441