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Phys.org / Why you can't tie knots in four dimensions

We all know we live in three-dimensional space. But what does it mean when people talk about four dimensions? Is it just a bigger kind of space? Is it "space-time," the popular idea which emerged from Einstein's theory of ...

Feb 26, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Plants stay neatly patterned as they grow, and PLETHORA proteins may explain why

How do plants achieve their remarkably regular arrangement of leaves and flowers? And why does this pattern remain so stable, even as plants grow and respond to their environment? Researchers at Wageningen University & Research ...

Feb 25, 2026 in Biology
Medical Xpress / Chondrocytes' behavior reveals novel targets for bone growth disorders

Achondroplasia, also known as short-limb dwarfism, is associated with neurological symptoms and complications due to narrowing of the skeletal structures surrounding the spinal cord. Despite achondroplasia being the most ...

Feb 26, 2026 in Genetics
Phys.org / Farming on the moon or Mars? How recycled sewage could turn regolith into crop soil

Dining on the moon or Mars might seem like a fantasy reserved for science fiction, but researchers are investigating how it could become a reality. Their efforts to recycle plant and human waste into a fertilizer material—turning ...

Feb 25, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Medical Xpress / Congenital aniridia causes a progressive loss of corneal sensitivity, clinical study reveals

Congenital aniridia is a rare disease caused, in most cases, by mutations in the PAX6 gene, which is essential for the development of ocular structures. Although the most visible feature is the total or partial absence of ...

Feb 27, 2026 in Ophthalmology
Medical Xpress / Largest study of vegetarian diets and cancer shows lower risk of five cancers

The largest ever study of non-meat diets and cancer risk has found that vegetarian diets are associated with lower risks of several cancers—breast, prostate, kidney and pancreatic cancers, and multiple myeloma—but a higher ...

Feb 26, 2026 in Oncology & Cancer
Phys.org / Cosmologists collaborate to sharpen measurements of the Hubble constant

Drawing together leading experts from across the field, an international collaboration of cosmologists has created a unified approach for measuring the value of the Hubble constant. Published in Astronomy & Astrophysics, ...

Feb 21, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / 'Lock-and-key' chemistry keeps cancer drugs inactive until they reach tumor sites

Many therapeutic molecules used in cancer treatments are highly toxic, often harming healthy tissues and causing significant side effects. This creates a critical need for strategies that localize their toxic activity to ...

Feb 25, 2026 in Chemistry
Phys.org / How a 3D-printed synthetic sea lion pelvis enhances veterinary capabilities to counter ongoing beaching

Scores of sea lions continue to beach themselves along the Southern California coastline, stricken with sickness. Toxic algae blooms are to blame, though a mechanical engineering innovation could shift the tide in favor of ...

Feb 25, 2026 in Biology
Medical Xpress / Frequently distracted? Your brain rhythms may be to blame

Scientists may have new answers to why pop-ups or notifications grab our attention. Turns out our attention is on a cycle, shifting seven to 10 times per second. This rhythmic occurrence may be crucial for survival, as it ...

Feb 25, 2026 in Neuroscience
Phys.org / Land plants began reshaping Earth 455 million years ago, scientists discover

Pinpointing when early land plants colonized terrestrial environments and began influencing Earth's systems is a core question in the evolution of the Earth system. A research team led by Prof. Zhao Mingyu at the Institute ...

Feb 25, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / The physics of sneaker squeaks: High-speed imaging shows how they arise from supersonic detachment pulses

Basketball shoes on a gym floor, bicycle brakes in need of a tune-up, or the squeal of tires are everyday examples of squeaking sounds. Such sounds have long been attributed to stick-slip friction, or a cycle of intermittent ...

Feb 25, 2026 in Physics