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Chemistry & Physics

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 21-Jun-2026 13:16 ET (21-Jun-2026 17:16 GMT/UTC)

Better understanding of the unknown leads to more accurate collision simulations

The Henryk Niewodniczanski Institute of Nuclear Physics Polish Academy of Sciences
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Estimating things that exist is generally easy, but when it comes to estimating things that do not exist, it’s more difficult. This is something physicists from Poland and the UK are well aware of. To improve current simulations of high-energy particle collisions, they have developed a more accurate method for estimating the impact of calculations that are... not performed.

Journal: Physical Review D
Funder: National Science Foundation, Simons Foundation, Marie Skłodowska- Curie postdoctoral fellowship

Modified biochar helps compost retain nitrogen and build richer soil organic matter

Biochar Editorial Office, Shenyang Agricultural University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A new study reports that specially engineered biochar can significantly improve compost quality by reducing nitrogen loss and accelerating the formation of stable humic substances. The findings offer a promising strategy for transforming organic waste into more effective fertilizers while lowering environmental emissions.

Journal: Biochar

Trapping light on thermal photodetectors shatters speed records

Duke University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Electrical engineers at Duke University have demonstrated the fastest pyroelectric photodetector to date that works by absorbing heat generated by incoming light.

Journal: Advanced Functional Materials
Funder: Air Force Office of Scientific Research, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation

Tibet ASγ experiment sheds new light on cosmic rays acceleration and propagation in Milky Way

Chinese Academy of Sciences Headquarters
Peer-Reviewed Publication

The Tibet ASγ Experiment has successfully, for the first time, measured magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence on scales below one parsec (approximately 3.3 light-years) within the gamma-ray halo surrounding the Geminga pulsar wind nebula (PWN). This observation extends to the highest energies, above 100 tera-electron volts (TeV), providing new insights into the behavior of cosmic rays and magnetic fields within the Milky Way.

Journal: Science Advances

Liquid origami: Scientists create microscopic six-pointed stars from tiny droplets

Bar-Ilan University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

In a discovery that reshapes how scientists understand liquids, researchers have shown that microscopic oil droplets suspended in water can fold themselves into precise, six-pointed star shapes while remaining liquid inside.

Machine learning reveals Raman signatures of liquid-like ion conduction in solid electrolytes

AI for Science
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A team of researchers at the Technical University of Munich and ́Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne has developed an innovative computational approach combining machine learning and Raman spectroscopy to accelerate the discovery of solid electrolytes capable of supporting fast ionic conduction. This method provides a predictive and data-efficient pathway for discovering next-generation materials for all-solid-state batteries.

Thunderstorms don’t just appear out of thin air - scientists' key finding to improve forecasting

UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
Peer-Reviewed Publication

People may be frustrated by the lack of detail when weather forecasters say “there will be thunderstorms popping up, but we don’t know where”. Now a key finding in a study by the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH), published in the journal Nature, is set to improve the certainty about the location of upcoming storms on hot days.

Journal: Nature
Funder: Natural Environment Research Council, Met Office, UK

New UNC Charlotte study reveals how just three molecules can launch gene-silencing condensates, organizing the epigenome and controlling stem cell differentiation

University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A new study has uncovered how an exceptionally scarce protein can orchestrate the assembly of large‑scale gene-silencing structures inside cells, and what happens when that process breaks down. The findings, published today in Molecular Cell, identify a self-clustering mechanism in the Polycomb protein CBX2 that is essential for initiating the formation of gene-repressive condensates and guiding stem cells toward their proper fates.

Journal: Molecular Cell

Dangerous thunderstorms: Better models through soil-moisture data

Vienna University of Technology
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Some thunderstorms suddenly grow very strong, while others simply fizzle out. Predicting where this will happen has long been extremely difficult. Now researchers present a physical explanation for why thunderstorms intensify at certain locations, based on an analysis of 2.2 million storm events in Africa. The key lies in the interaction between soil moisture patterns and wind conditions in the atmosphere.

Journal: Nature