Phys.org news
Phys.org / Cellular maintenance crew may miss as much as half of certain misfolded proteins
As proteins are made in a cell, they are folded into the 3D structure that allows them to work, but sometimes this process can go wrong. When it does, the misfolded proteins lose some or all of their function and usually ...
Phys.org / Tracing the legal history of the kiss—from property and contracts to consent
Is a kiss just a kiss? Or is it a sign of love, affection, a biological urge, a contract or even an assault? Law, history, evolution and anthropology show that it can be all those things.
Phys.org / AI automates the creation of custom functional materials atom by atom
Imagine a construction site where the bricks are individual molecules and the "cranes" are microscopic needles so sharp they can feel a single atom. For decades, building at this scale was a laborious, time-consuming task ...
Phys.org / Young sunlike system reveals comets may carry water toward forming planets
Astronomers at Lund University in Sweden have found evidence of exocomets—comets in other solar systems—orbiting a young star similar to our sun. The observations point to a possible mechanism for how water might be transported ...
Phys.org / Global road map tracks four years of infrastructure change using AI
The United Nations considers well-developed and safe roads an important part of infrastructure in its Sustainable Development Goals. Until now, however, there has been no benchmark for the condition and state of road networks ...
Phys.org / Blue Origin's New Glenn explosion shows infrasound can detect rocket accidents from up to 1,700 kilometers away
When Blue Origin's New Glenn launch vehicle accidentally exploded during a static test fire in May 2026, the explosion generated low frequency soundwaves below the range of human hearing.
Phys.org / NASA rocket takes first multi-point look inside radio-disrupting clouds
High above Earth, thin veils of metallic haze drift through the edge of space. Known as sporadic E layers, these high-altitude "clouds" form from the vaporized dust of burned-up meteors, earning their name from the unpredictable ...
Phys.org / Fish dads offer new insight into behavioral effects of receiving paternal care
The plot of "Finding Nemo," a film that features an overprotective single father fish taking on dangers at sea to care for his son, may be more reflective of actual fish dad behavior than was previously known. A new study ...
Phys.org / Harnessing gold nanorods and light for targeted cancer therapy
One of the major challenges in the quest to beat cancer is developing treatments that can selectively destroy cancer cells while leaving healthy cells unharmed. With this in mind, researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology ...
Phys.org / Quick action needed as the world is set to get hotter than we hoped
Global temperature rise is set to cross 1.5°C, likely within the next few years, pushing climate risks and impacts to increasingly dangerous heights. But it is still possible to bring temperatures down and achieve the global ...
Phys.org / A new layer of the human genome: Embedded RNA marks may reshape DNA twisting
A new study led by Francesca Storici, a professor in the School of Biological Sciences and faculty member of the Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, has uncovered an unexpected feature of human DNA ...
Phys.org / US politics is not the world's template for polarization, experts warn
Common global narratives about political polarization are skewed because of an overreliance on literature about the U.S., leaving governments unprepared to tackle the problem at home. In new research led by King's College ...