Phys.org news

Phys.org / Stale bread and bacteria could power a new era in green chemicals

Scientists have found a way to use common bacteria as tiny, green chemical factories to replace a process that currently relies on fossil fuels. In industrial hydrogenation, the hydrogen added to molecules to create products ...

7 minutes ago in Biology
Phys.org / Saturday Citations: T. Rex on tiptoe; subduing unruly proteins; opinionated birds

This week, astronomers reported that one of the biggest observed stars in the universe could soon explode. A study compared long-term COVID-19 brain effects to the flu. And a new eco-friendly battery could theoretically last ...

37 minutes ago in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Greenland's largest glacier could soon reach a tipping point, scientists say

Greenland's largest glacier, Jakobshavn Glacier, may be edging closer to a critical threshold as meltwater runoff from the Greenland Ice Sheet accelerates in ways not seen in over a century, according to new research published ...

22 hours ago in Earth
Phys.org / Metasurface-based SLM could enhance AR, VR and LiDAR performance

Many cutting-edge technologies, ranging from augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) to LiDAR (light detection and ranging) systems, rely on components that enable the precise control of light. These components include ...

21 hours ago in Physics
Phys.org / A new scientific discipline to ensure humanity's deep future

Will humanity extend into the far future? It's likely many of us think it should. The problem is that each of us, individually and collectively, act otherwise—we are destroying the environment and climate at every turn. ...

18 hours ago in Other Sciences
Phys.org / How a common fungus outsmarts drugs and our immune system

Our bodies are home to millions of fungi that, for the most part, are completely harmless. However, they can sometimes change from peaceful residents into dangerous invaders. One such is Candida parapsilosis, which normally ...

15 hours ago in Biology
Phys.org / Could Mars soil block Earth microbes? 'Water bears' offer a clue

Tardigrades, commonly known as water bears, may be better suited by a new name: Tardiguardians of the Galaxy. Unlike the fictional ragtag team of unenthusiastic heroes, the microscopic animals are providing real insight into ...

21 hours ago in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Size-shifting nanoparticles successfully deliver mRNA medicine to the pancreas

In recent years, mRNA in lipid nanoparticles (mRNA–LNPs) has emerged as a promising strategy for treating numerous conditions, including COVID-19, various cancers and chronic genetic disorders. To date, this technology ...

18 hours ago in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / Dynamical freezing can protect quantum information for near-cosmic timescales

Preserving quantum information is key to developing useful quantum computing systems. But interacting quantum systems are chaotic and follow laws of thermodynamics, eventually leading to information loss. Physicists have ...

13 hours ago in Physics
Phys.org / InN thin films show transient Pauli blocking for broadband ultrafast optical switching

Recent decades have witnessed rapid advancements in high-intensity laser technology. The combination of laser irradiation and novel materials is opening exciting avenues for the design of functional materials and devices. ...

14 hours ago in Physics
Phys.org / Luminescence dating confirms Roman-era gold mines in the Eastern Pyrenees

A study by the UAB and the University of A Coruña has succeeded in demonstrating the existence of Roman-era alluvial gold mines in the Eastern Pyrenees. The discovery was made possible by dating two samples from the infill ...

15 hours ago in Other Sciences
Phys.org / How immune cells spot viral RNA fast: LGP2 helps MDA5 respond to short dsRNA

A study reveals how two proteins cooperate in a key early step of antiviral detection, as reported by researchers at Science Tokyo. Using cryo-electron microscopy and high-speed atomic force microscopy, they found that LGP2 ...

13 hours ago in Biology