All News
Phys.org / Not just stomata: Hidden water regulation mechanism could help crops survive drought
Cornell researchers have discovered a previously unknown way plants regulate water that is so fundamental it may change plant biology textbooks—and open the door to breeding more drought-tolerant crops.
Tech Xplore / The cost of thinking: Reasoning models share aspects of information processing with human brains
Large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT can write an essay or plan a menu almost instantly. But until recently, it was also easy to stump them. The models, which rely on language patterns to respond to users' queries, often ...
Phys.org / Hidden process behind 2025 Santorini earthquakes uncovered
A mysterious swarm of earthquakes that occurred near the Greek island of Santorini in early 2025 was caused by rebounding sheets of magma slicing through Earth's crust, according to a new study by an international team involving ...
Phys.org / From light to logic: First complete logic gate achieved in soft material using light alone
Researchers from McMaster University and the University of Pittsburgh have created the first functionally complete logic gate—a NAND gate (short for "NOT AND")—in a soft material using only beams of visible light. The ...
Medical Xpress / RNA editing study finds many ways for neurons to diversify
All starting from the same DNA, neurons ultimately take on individual characteristics in the brain and body. Differences in which genes they transcribe into RNA help determine which type of neuron they become, and from there, ...
Phys.org / Cellular crowding in fruit fly embryos triggers a critical DNA reorganization, biologists find
After fertilization, embryos race through rapid cell divisions before slowing down to build specialized cells that will carry out distinct functions in the developing body—but the signals that trigger this shift have remained ...
Phys.org / Extinct rocket frog species identified from single 62-year-old museum specimen
Anyone walking through the Tarumã neighborhood in Curitiba (the capital of the state of Paraná, Brazil) today may find it difficult to imagine the area as it was in the past. Between the buildings, racetrack, and the city's ...
Phys.org / Smart toilets in Cambodia fall short due to improper use
A smart toilet design introduced in rural Cambodia was supposed to change lives—keeping families safe and protecting the environment. However, while households reported that they liked the new system, a crucial piece was ...
Medical Xpress / Microglia modulate the reactivity of astrocytes in Alzheimer's disease, study finds
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a highly debilitating neurodegenerative disease characterized by the progressive loss of memory and decline of mental functions. Earlier research has uncovered some of the neural and biological ...
Phys.org / Looking inside a well-preserved Neanderthal nose to solve a mystery about our ancestors' faces
A long-standing debate in paleontology about whether the distinctive Neanderthal nose evolved purely for the cold weather may have finally been solved, and it's all thanks to an ancient, exceptionally preserved nasal cavity.
Phys.org / Understanding bacteria's role in transforming steroids to pharmaceuticals
For decades, pharmaceutical companies have been using bacteria found in soil and water to chemically convert steroids into effective treatments for human diseases. One example is cortisol, which is used to treat asthma and ...
Tech Xplore / Nature-inspired hydrogel offers power-free thermal management
The poplar (Populus alba) has a unique survival strategy: when exposed to hot and dry conditions, it curls its leaves to expose the ventral surface, reflecting sunlight, and at night, the moisture condensed on the leaf surface ...
