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. Io is a world of extremes. It is by far the most volcanically active world in our solar system. Being continually squeezed in the never-ending tug-of-war between Jupiter and its larger satellites will do that to a moon. As a result, Io has over 400 "paterae"—volcanic depressions that spew lava up onto its surface. And, according to a new paper available in pre-print on arXiv and utilizing data from Juno's Jupiter InfraRed Auroral Mapper (JIRAM) tool, we have been massively underestimating the power output of those paterae for decades. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-massively-underestimated-io-thermal-output.html Planetary Sciences Mon, 04 May 2026 18:40:03 EDT news697126088 If you're registered to vote in the United States and you're not among the richest of the rich, political scientist Peter K. Enns has a message for you: Your voice still matters. So does data analysis methodology. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-politicians-statistical-analysis.html Social Sciences Mon, 04 May 2026 18:40:01 EDT news697126082 Urbanization, climate change, and fire suppression practices are contributing to increased wildfire risk at the densely populated wildland-urban interface. These factors make fires more unpredictable and harder to manage. In January 2025, this was made devastatingly clear in Los Angeles, when massive wildfires engulfed entire hillsides and canyons, destroying neighborhoods and damaging surrounding ecosystems. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-wildfire-severity-state-vegetation.html Earth Sciences Mon, 04 May 2026 18:20:04 EDT news697124282 A new autonomous laboratory recently navigated through billions of potential material synthesis recipes to identify brighter, lead-free light-emitting nanomaterials in just 12 hours. The work could accelerate development of safer light-emitting nanoplatelets for use in applications ranging from photodetectors to the production of fuel from solar energy. A paper describing this work appears in Nature Communications. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-ai-powered-lab-brighter-free.html Nanomaterials Mon, 04 May 2026 18:20:02 EDT news697125962 For women in their 50s experiencing homelessness, daily life means far more than finding a place to sleep. It means navigating dangerous shelter environments, managing serious health conditions without adequate support, and fighting to maintain dignity in a system that was never designed for them. A new study led by Boston University School of Social Work (BUSSW) Professor Judith Gonyea puts their experiences at the center. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-voice-older-homeless-women-streets.html Social Sciences Mon, 04 May 2026 18:00:03 EDT news697124161 A team of scientists from Berlin analyzed water and sediment samples from six water bodies in Berlin and the adjacent federal states of Brandenburg and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, as well as the inflow and outflow of a wastewater treatment plant in Berlin. The scientists analyzed bacteria found in these samples and detected a higher diversity and load of antibiotic resistance genes in urban samples. The inflow and effluent from the treatment plant were the most heavily contaminated, but resistant bacteria were also found in rural lakes far from urban areas. The study is published in the journal iScience. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-antibiotic-resistant-bacteria-lakes-urban.html Ecology Mon, 04 May 2026 18:00:02 EDT news697125841 Climate change is likely to drive rodent-borne arenaviruses into parts of South America that have never faced these diseases, putting new communities of people at risk, finds a study from the University of California, Davis. For the study, published in the journal npj Viruses, scientists incorporated climate projections, shifting rodent populations, and the risks of human infection into a model to offer an early risk projection for arenaviruses and other diseases in the next 20 to 40 years. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-climate-spillover-rodent-borne-arenaviruses.html Ecology Mon, 04 May 2026 17:40:04 EDT news697125781 A new wildfire risk assessment tool that takes social vulnerability into account indicates that more than 400 communities in the Pacific Northwest are at greater risk than previously thought. However, researchers at Oregon State University and The Nature Conservancy say their assessment tool could inform fair distribution of risk reduction resources. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-reveals-wildfire-communities-northwest.html Environment Mon, 04 May 2026 17:40:02 EDT news697123502 Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, is experimenting with a policy that has drawn national attention and local skepticism: providing cash compensation to people confined in the Allegheny County Jail in the city of Pittsburgh. The funds include monthly disbursements to all those incarcerated and additional pay tied to work assignments and participation in educational programming. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-wrong-pay-incarcerated-people-pennsylvania.html Social Sciences Mon, 04 May 2026 17:20:05 EDT news697123201 PFAS, often called "forever chemicals," are notoriously difficult to remove from the environment. Their extreme chemical stability means they can persist in water and the human body for decades, creating a major global pollution challenge. Now, researchers have made an important discovery that could change how we tackle the problem. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-insight-chemicals.html Environment Mon, 04 May 2026 17:20:04 EDT news697125541 A National Taiwan University study shows that traffic particles can create sharply localized exposure hotspots near busy roads, intersections and elevated corridors. The findings suggest that targeted street-level planning may better protect children and other vulnerable groups than citywide averages alone. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-invisible-curb-3d-reveal-hidden.html Environment Mon, 04 May 2026 17:00:03 EDT news697122841 Using bright X-rays from the Department of Energy's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab), researchers pioneered an innovative approach to designing proteins with targeted functions. Their method generated new insights that allowed the team to turn a single designed protein into two new proteins with completely different functions—one of which is the most active designed enzyme to date. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-synchrotron-rays-uncover-hidden-protein.html Biochemistry Mon, 04 May 2026 17:00:02 EDT news697125001 The Netherlands prohibits gambling advertising from targeting young people under age 24. Using Meta's ad library, we found a minority of ads published by both online (7.3%) and offline (29.8%) Dutch gambling licensees that broke this rule, including the state-owned Holland Casino (which quickly admitted to and fixed the mistake upon notification). https://phys.org/news/2026-05-24s-illegally-dutch-gambling-ads.html Social Sciences Mon, 04 May 2026 16:40:01 EDT news697112877 Excavations from 2015 to 2021 on the ancient site of Motza, just west of Jerusalem, revealed a sprawling settlement with some surprisingly advanced technology. The site dates back to 7100–6700 BCE during the Pre-Pottery Neolithic B (PPNB) period. A new study, published in the Journal of Archaeological Science, describes plaster floors from the site made by a technique previously thought to have been first developed by the Romans 8,000 years later. The finding has archaeologists looking at Neolithic craftsmen in a new light. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-plaster-technique-previously-attributed-romans.html Archaeology Mon, 04 May 2026 16:30:01 EDT news697122781 Researchers at the University of Oregon have developed an artificial intelligence tool that can read genetic code the way large language models like ChatGPT read text. Scanning the genome for biological mutation patterns, the computer model traces pairs of genes back in time to their last common ancestor. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-dna-ai-reconstructs-ancestry-minutes.html Biotechnology Mon, 04 May 2026 16:20:06 EDT news697124401 A problem for researchers has been a lack of an agreed-upon standard gas diffusion electrode reactor to enable robust comparison of catalytic reactions. Instead, the common practice is to compare the performance of a new catalyst for a particular reaction against that of a "standard" or benchmark catalyst, within the same reactor. This practice reveals a further problem when no standard catalyst exists for a reaction, which typically applies to most reactions. In other words, researchers lack a platform to compare reaction processes. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-source-3d-platform-enables-standardized.html Analytical Chemistry Mon, 04 May 2026 16:20:02 EDT news697120021 A solar storm like the one that caused a nine-hour blackout across Quebec in 1989 could have even more dramatic effects if it struck the eastern United States today. Now, scientists have developed new tools to detect these storms before they strike by mapping the hidden electrical structure beneath our feet, revealing how the ground itself could influence the impact on our power grid. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-electrical-pathways-reveal-clues-earth.html Earth Sciences Mon, 04 May 2026 16:00:03 EDT news697123211 A popular device for restricting cell phone use in middle and high schools is effective at achieving that aim, leading to short-term disruption but ultimately positive effects on student well-being, new research finds. The U.S. study conducted by a University of Michigan researcher and co-authors further reveals the restriction—lockable phone pouches—shows no impact on test scores, attendance, classroom attention or online bullying. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-lockable-pouches-schools-student-scores.html Education Mon, 04 May 2026 16:00:01 EDT news697118701 To capture a crisp image of a hummingbird in flight, which can flap its wings up to 200 times per second, a photographer needs a camera with an extremely fast shutter speed. But what if your target is smaller than a single chromosome and can travel at velocities approaching lightspeed? Conventional cameras, no matter how advanced, are limited by the nature of light. You would need a special device and an innovative method to film such a tiny, speedy subject. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-chemists-capture-hybrid-particles-distances.html Nanophysics Mon, 04 May 2026 15:40:09 EDT news697119482 The number of students in higher education who don't come straight from high school is rapidly increasing across the country. Yet little research has addressed how the characteristics of post-traditional students affect key academic outcomes. New findings from the University of Kansas show there are some advantages to students who are older and working while studying. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-benefits-older-college-student.html Economics & Business Mon, 04 May 2026 15:40:06 EDT news697116782 A major river restoration project in Cumbria has shown that reconnecting rivers to their floodplains can slow the movement of water and improve habitats. Research led by Newcastle University and the National Trust found that restoring a straightened, engineered channel to a more natural form significantly delayed the movement of flood waters downstream. On average, flood waves took 25 minutes longer to travel through the 1.5 km long restored reach compared to pre-restoration conditions, with a maximum time of 90 minutes. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-meandered-rivers-widening-wildlife-habitat.html Plants & Animals Mon, 04 May 2026 15:20:09 EDT news697116721 Eucalyptus bark, usually stripped from logs and treated as waste, could be repurposed to help clean polluted water, filter dirty air and capture carbon dioxide, according to new research from RMIT University. Researchers at RMIT have shown the bark can be converted into a highly porous form of carbon that traps pollutants as water or air flows through it. The findings point to a practical way of turning a common forestry by-product into a useful environmental material using a relatively simple processing method. The work is published in the journal Biomass and Bioenergy. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-eucalyptus-bark-cleaner-air.html Environment Mon, 04 May 2026 15:20:08 EDT news697118642 Legumes like soybeans, alfalfa, peas, beans, peanuts and many more have a remarkable ability: They can partner with soil bacteria called rhizobia to capture nitrogen from the air in a biological process called nitrogen fixation. It is a mutualistic relationship—both the plant and bacteria benefit—that provides nitrogen in an accessible form that is essential for plant growth and sustainable agriculture. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-genes-bacterial-evolution-legume-bond.html Molecular & Computational biology Mon, 04 May 2026 15:00:10 EDT news697115642 Not all earthquake faults behave the same. Some stick and snap, causing earthquakes. Others move slowly over time. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-quiet-alaska-fault-fluids-scientists.html Earth Sciences Mon, 04 May 2026 15:00:02 EDT news697118281 Using various telescopes, an international team of astronomers has performed multi-wavelength observations of a recently identified gamma-ray burst source designated GRB 250416C. Results of the observational campaign, published April 23 on the v pre-print server, could help us better understand the nature of GRB 250416C and gamma-ray bursts in general. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-optically-dark-gamma-ray-reveals.html Astronomy Mon, 04 May 2026 14:40:09 EDT news697112740 About 1 in 4 elementary students in the United States reports being bullied at least once during a given school year. Children who are frequently bullied are more likely to struggle in school, experience poorer physical health and face higher risks of depression, anxiety and substance use as they age. These effects can persist into adulthood, contributing to unemployment and financial instability. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-bullying-common-elementary-school-classrooms.html Social Sciences Mon, 04 May 2026 14:40:05 EDT news697115341 From smartphone charging to hydrogen production, the fundamental principles of energy technology have been revealed. Korean researchers have, for the first time, identified how molecular structures change within the ultra-small space called the "electric double layer." The study, published in the journal Nature Communications, opens a new path to simultaneously improve efficiency and performance in battery, hydrogen, and carbon-neutral technologies by reducing energy loss and selectively inducing desired reactions. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-electric-layer-molecular-battery-hydrogen.html Nanophysics Mon, 04 May 2026 14:20:05 EDT news697117502 Much has been written about Denmark's consistently high scores in global happiness rankings, so it might not come as a surprise that Denmark is also rated the best place to raise children, according to U.S. News and World Report. The small Scandinavian nation also scores near the top for child well-being, a measure of physical health, mental health, education and social relationships. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-denmark-handsoff-approach-parenting-blueprint.html Social Sciences Mon, 04 May 2026 14:20:01 EDT news697115222 Drug discovery still too often relies on expensive trial and error. Researchers from ICTER show there is another way—building molecules step by step and observing their behavior at atomic resolution. This approach could significantly speed up the development of new therapies while reducing side effects. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-guesswork-drug-atomic-resolution-method.html Biochemistry Mon, 04 May 2026 14:00:05 EDT news697117321 The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated and brought into focus the ongoing disproportionate burden on mothers when it comes to household logistics, child care and financial inequity. It also revealed just how deeply embedded and structurally reinforced that burden is. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-covid19-pandemic-exposed-mothers-burden.html Social Sciences Mon, 04 May 2026 14:00:03 EDT news697115102