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Phys.org / Catalyst selectivity as a balancing act: Co₃O₄ 'trapped' in transition shows peak activity

In a study appearing in Nature Catalysis, researchers from the Inorganic Chemistry Department of the Fritz Haber Institute reveal how structural changes on the surface and in the bulk region of the cobalt oxide catalyst Co3O4 ...

Jan 19, 2026 in Chemistry
Phys.org / A twitch in time? Quantum collapse models hint at tiny time fluctuations

Quantum mechanics is rich with paradoxes and contradictions. It describes a microscopic world in which particles exist in a superposition of states—being in multiple places and configurations all at once, defined mathematically ...

Jan 20, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Vibrational spectroscopy technique enables nanoscale mapping of molecular orientation at surfaces

Sum-frequency generation (SFG) is a powerful vibrational spectroscopy that can selectively probe molecular structures at surfaces and interfaces, but its spatial resolution has been limited to the micrometer scale by the ...

Jan 19, 2026 in Nanotechnology
Medical Xpress / CAR T cells with boosted BACH2 protein can fight cancer more effectively

UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers have discovered that increasing the levels of a protein called BACH2 makes engineered cancer-fighting immune cells behave more like stem cells, improving their therapeutic effectiveness. ...

Jan 23, 2026 in Oncology & Cancer
Phys.org / Human penis size influences female attraction and male assessment of rivals, study suggests

Men assess potential rivals that have a larger penis as more of a threat, both physically and sexually, according to a study by Upama Aich at the University of Western Australia and colleagues, published in PLOS Biology.

Jan 22, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / New nanoparticle technology offers hope for hard-to-treat diseases

A newly published Perspective article in Nature Nanotechnology details groundbreaking nanoparticle technology to eliminate harmful, disease-causing proteins in the body. The technology marks a transformative leap in the potential ...

Jan 24, 2026 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / Rule-breaking supermassive black hole discovered in the early universe

An international research team led by scientists at Waseda University and Tohoku University has discovered an extraordinary quasar in the early universe that hosts one of the fastest-growing supermassive black holes known ...

Jan 22, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Nanoscopic raft dynamics on cell membranes successfully visualized for first time

A collaborative team of four professors and several graduate students from the Departments of Chemistry and Biochemical Science and Technology at National Taiwan University, together with the Department of Applied Chemistry ...

Jan 19, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Bird retinas function without oxygen—solving a centuries-old biological mystery

Neural tissue normally dies quickly without oxygen. Yet bird retinas—among the most energy-demanding tissues in the animal kingdom—function permanently without it. This may be relevant in future treatment of stroke patients.

Jan 21, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Scientists discover a hidden RNA 'aging clock' in human sperm

Increasing paternal age has been linked to elevated health risks for the next generation, including higher risks of obesity and stillbirth. But what drives this increased risk remains unknown.

Jan 20, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Rethinking where life could exist beyond Earth

Astronomers have long searched for life within a rather narrow ring around a star, the "habitable zone," where a planet should be neither too hot nor too cold for liquid water. A new study argues that this ring is too strict: ...

Jan 22, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Sourdough starters reveal a recipe for predicting microbial species survival

People have long said that "bread is life." Now, researchers at Tufts University are using the bubbling mixtures of flour and water known as sourdough starters to explore what shapes life at the microscopic level. Their findings, ...

Jan 22, 2026 in Biology