Phys.org news

Phys.org / Glowing amino acid sensors track cellular changes as they happen

Researchers at Rice University have engineered living cells to use a 21st amino acid that illuminates protein changes in real time, providing a new method for observing changes within cells. The technique is effective in ...

Oct 23, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / A platform of gold adds color to nature's fundamental forces

When dust sticks to a surface or a lizard sits on a ceiling, it is due to "nature's invisible glue." Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, have now discovered a quick and easy way to study the hidden forces ...

Oct 23, 2025 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / 'Molecular dam' stops energy leaks in nanocrystals to boost efficiency of light-driven reactions

A team of scientists has found a way to slow energy leaks that have impeded the use of tiny nanocrystals in light-driven chemical and energy applications.

Oct 23, 2025 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / Plastic pollution could linger at ocean surfaces for over a century, new research finds

Scientists from the Department of Geography and Environmental Science at Queen Mary University of London have developed a simple model to show how buoyant plastic can settle through the water column and they predict it could ...

Oct 23, 2025 in Earth
Phys.org / The key to civet coffee is in the chemistry

Coffee beans harvested from the feces of the Asian palm civet (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus) may have higher levels of fats and other key flavor-enhancing compounds than traditionally harvested beans. The results, published ...

Oct 23, 2025 in Chemistry
Phys.org / Global study reveals tempo of invasive species' impacts

A new study shows for the first time that biological invasions don't change ecosystems in a single, uniform way. Some impacts, most notably losses of native plant diversity caused by invasive plant species, are persistent ...

Oct 23, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Origins of urban human-biting mosquito shed light on uptick in West Nile virus spillover from birds to humans

Evolutionary biologists have long believed that the human-biting mosquito, Culex pipiens form molestus, evolved from the bird-biting form, Culex pipiens form pipiens, in subways and cellars in northern Europe over the past ...

Oct 23, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Ancient antelope teeth offer surprise insights into how early humans lived

Understanding what the environment looked like millions of years ago is essential for piecing together how our earliest ancestors lived and survived. Habitat shapes everything, from what food was available, to where water ...

Oct 23, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Guinea baboons share meat according to fixed social rules that parallel hunter-gatherer societies

The quality of relationships and the social organization of a society, influence the transfer of valuable resources not only in humans but also in other primates. Researchers at the German Primate Center (DPZ)—Leibniz Institute ...

Oct 23, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Nanoparticle blueprints reveal path to smarter medicines

Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) are the delivery vehicles of modern medicine, carrying cancer drugs, gene therapies and vaccines into cells. Until recently, many scientists assumed that all LNPs followed more or less the same ...

Oct 23, 2025 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / Warmer Nordic springs double the incidence of avian malaria, long-term study finds

A unique long-term study, in which biological samples were collected from the same population of blue tits over a 30-year period, shows that rising spring temperatures have doubled the incidence of avian malaria in southern ...

Oct 23, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / 3D models preserve threatened Buddhist temples in Western Himalayas

Using 3D technology and interdisciplinary expertise, a research team has explored Buddhist temples in the remote Dolpo region of Nepal and digitized them for posterity.

Oct 23, 2025 in Other Sciences