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Science News

Latest science news, discoveries and scientific developments.

Optical skyrmions can control the motion of magnetic skyrmions
Science News

Optical skyrmions can control the motion of magnetic skyrmions

Magnetic skyrmions (MSks) are swirling patterns of magnetization that form inside certain magnetic materials. They can behave like actual particles in many ways, exhibiting a stable internal structure and distinct boundaries. Because they are extremely small and can be pushed around with relatively little energy, MSks are regarded as promising information carriers in emerging technologies, including low-power memories and logic circuits. However, a major goal in the field has been to find practical ways to control their motion with high precision.

📅 2026-10-13 22:40:11    •    Phys.org
Patterned X-rays map 3D chemical structures faster with fewer measurements
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Patterned X-rays map 3D chemical structures faster with fewer measurements

Seeing inside an object is one thing; seeing exactly what it is made of, in three dimensions, is far more difficult. Now, researchers at Bar-Ilan University and collaborating institutions have developed a new X-ray imaging technique that can map the three-dimensional chemical composition of an object 43 times faster than conventional approaches, while using more than 97% less measurement data.

📅 2026-10-13 22:40:07    •    Phys.org
Computational model guides lighting design to improve color discrimination in aging eyes
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Computational model guides lighting design to improve color discrimination in aging eyes

Researchers have developed a new computational model that accounts for the effects of aging on our eyes' ability to discriminate color. It could help guide lighting designs that make it easier for older adults to perceive colors while preserving the expected appearance for people with typical color vision.

📅 2026-10-13 22:20:13    •    Phys.org
How eye-catching social media feeds steer attention toward misinformation
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How eye-catching social media feeds steer attention toward misinformation

A research team led by Jiyoung Lee, a professor in the Department of Media and Communication, has worked with international researchers to uncover how visual contrast across social media feeds influences how quickly users spot visual misinformation.

📅 2026-10-13 22:20:09    •    Phys.org
Hawaiian coral tests reveal heat tolerance varies by species and location
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Hawaiian coral tests reveal heat tolerance varies by species and location

As ocean temperatures rise, corals' ability to withstand and adapt to heat stress is critical for the future of coral reefs. Many reef-building corals already live near their upper thermal limits, making them vulnerable to bleaching and, with prolonged stress, mortality.

📅 2026-10-13 22:00:12    •    Phys.org
The politics of city rats: What urban rodents tell us about housing and sanitation
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The politics of city rats: What urban rodents tell us about housing and sanitation

Rats are on the ballot in Canadian municipal elections this fall, with several political parties promising to tackle city rat problems. While rats may seem like a niche election issue, they can point to broader societal concerns about housing, public services and civic engagement.

📅 2026-10-13 22:00:01    •    Phys.org
Thwaites Glacier could contribute twice as much sea-level rise as previously projected
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Thwaites Glacier could contribute twice as much sea-level rise as previously projected

A new ice sheet model developed by glaciologists at the University of California, Irvine and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory projects that the melting of Thwaites Glacier in West Antarctica will contribute up to 30 millimeters (1.2 inches) of sea level rise by 2100—twice previous estimates—even without additional climate warming.

📅 2026-10-13 21:50:01    •    Phys.org
Could meditation reveal an SU(3) symmetry shared by the observer and the universe?
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Could meditation reveal an SU(3) symmetry shared by the observer and the universe?

You sit down to meditate. A conversation returns, then thoughts. You bring your attention back to the breath. Sometimes, after many such returns, the effort eases. Thoughts lose their urgency, while awareness remains clear. Less occupies the mind, yet the moment still feels whole.

📅 2026-10-13 21:40:08    •    Phys.org
'Carpet' growth method yields long-sought 2D quantum material
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'Carpet' growth method yields long-sought 2D quantum material

For decades, physicists have sought a practical two-dimensional topological insulator: an ultrathin material whose interior blocks electricity but whose edges conduct it. In ordinary wires, electrons constantly bounce off imperfections, losing energy. But along the edges of a 2D topological insulator, electrons with opposite spins travel in opposite directions, like cars in one-way lanes, so they rarely scatter and lose energy.

📅 2026-10-13 21:30:02    •    Phys.org
Liquid metal dealloying creates nanoporous silicon carbide at just 800°C
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Liquid metal dealloying creates nanoporous silicon carbide at just 800°C

Silicon carbide (SiC) is a ceramic known for its excellent heat resistance and chemical stability, which makes it attractive for a wide range of applications like electronics, catalysts and energy-related materials. However, SiC generally requires high-temperature processing, and simultaneously forming and controlling porous structures at the nanometer scale remains challenging.

📅 2026-10-13 21:20:07    •    Phys.org
Faster molecular simulations identify promising diamond defects for quantum computers and sensors
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Faster molecular simulations identify promising diamond defects for quantum computers and sensors

A faster way of finding the best diamond-based materials for quantum computers has been developed by a researcher at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL). The new approach has already identified promising materials for practical quantum sensors and computers that could one day transform scientific research as a whole. The research was recently published in the journal ACS Central Science and has already garnered attention from other experts in the field.

📅 2026-10-13 21:20:01    •    Phys.org
2,000-year-old burial found in Russia near a human sacrifice and a cup to ward off magical threats
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2,000-year-old burial found in Russia near a human sacrifice and a cup to ward off magical threats

The warrior was buried with the remains of his weapons and his horse near the center of the ancient necropolis in the Kuban region near the Russian city of Krasnodar. (Image credit: Abramzon et al. 2015)Archaeologists in southern Russia have unearthed the 2,000-year-old grave of an elite warrior who was buried with his weapons, horse — and a human sacrifice. The grave and sacrifices were found with other lavish goods, including two gold coins featuring Alexander the Great.A team found the elite grave in Russia's Kuban region east of the Crimean Peninsula, in a necropolis of more than 150 ancient graves arranged around it. This central placement indicates the man had been a member of the soci...

📅 2026-10-13 21:10:41    •    Live Science
DNA 'flight recorder' traces embryonic development cell by cell
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DNA 'flight recorder' traces embryonic development cell by cell

For decades, scientists have been able to look at individual moments in the development of an embryo: a snapshot of a developing brain, a picture of how the heart takes shape or a glimpse of cells beginning to form the nervous system.

📅 2026-10-13 21:00:06    •    Phys.org
New method helps researchers study proteins involved in plant health, disease
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New method helps researchers study proteins involved in plant health, disease

Plants—like people—come in all shapes and sizes. And just like scientists want to understand the components of the human body to treat disease and improve our lives, they also want to understand how plants thrive, develop disease, succumb or survive.

📅 2026-10-13 21:00:01    •    Phys.org
Humans and songbirds hear the same sounds, but organize them differently
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Humans and songbirds hear the same sounds, but organize them differently

Researchers from the University of Amsterdam and Leiden University have discovered that humans and songbirds use markedly different strategies to recognize sequences of complex sounds. The findings shed new light on how biology and experience shape the way we perceive complex sounds, with implications for music and speech.

📅 2026-10-13 20:50:02    •    Phys.org
'I won't trust AI': Readers share mixed reaction to AI tools that calculate people's biological ages
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'I won't trust AI': Readers share mixed reaction to AI tools that calculate people's biological ages

Scientists are harnessing the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to measure people's biological ages. Unlike chronological age, or the number of years a person has been living, biological age should reflect how well a person's bodily systems are working. Someone with a higher biological age has a higher risk for age-related diseases, such as cancer or dementia, than a person with a younger biological age. While some AI clocks look at epigenetic markers, others focus on other features, like the pitch and pace of people's voices, to calculate a biological age. We recently asked our readers if they would trust such AI tools to measure their biological age. Over 170 people responded, with 44%...

📅 2026-10-13 20:40:36    •    Live Science
Sequence changes help modified mRNA avoid protein-making errors to improve vaccine design
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Sequence changes help modified mRNA avoid protein-making errors to improve vaccine design

When the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 turned our world upside down, mRNA vaccines against COVID-19 brought a breakthrough. Their success established modified mRNA as a powerful foundation for vaccines and opened the way for new mRNA-based technologies, with potential applications ranging from vaccines against other infectious diseases to cancer immunotherapy.

📅 2026-10-13 20:40:07    •    Phys.org