Phys.org news

Phys.org / How tides and river water combine to amplify floods

Ocean tides push upstream along coastal rivers, in some cases reaching hundreds of kilometers (hundreds of miles) inland. These inland stretches are known as tidal rivers, and they're the scene of complex interactions between ...

Jul 14, 2026
Phys.org / Research brings the era of microbial cell factories one step closer

The era of "biomanufacturing," in which microbes, not petroleum, produce chemical products, is one step closer. A KAIST research team has analyzed the key challenges limiting the commercialization of biomanufacturing and ...

Jul 14, 2026
Phys.org / Heavy-element exotic dust may solve a neutron star merger mystery

When neutron stars merge, they create a powerful explosion called a kilonova that flings out neutron-rich material, some of which decays into heavy elements through a process called the r-process. Recent observations of kilonovae ...

Jul 14, 2026
Phys.org / Space cargo costs could fall more than 90% by 2040, study suggests

The expense of launching cargo into space will plummet over the next few years, with the cost of reaching orbit forecast to more than halve between now and the end of the decade, and fall by around 93% by 2040, according ...

Jul 14, 2026
Phys.org / First-of-its-kind computer model tackles antibiotic resistance

Faster and more effective ways to treat Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a bacterium identified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as one of the most life-threatening pathogens, could be possible thanks to a first-of-its-kind ...

Jul 14, 2026
Phys.org / Researchers develop harder, longer-lasting silver plating

A research team led by Seil Kim of the Korea Institute of Materials Science (KIMS) Energy & Environmental Materials Research Division has developed an Ag–PTFE composite plating technology that produces silver coatings with ...

Jul 14, 2026
Phys.org / Bio-metal: Exploring the metallic mystery of an ancient maw

When playing the classic game "20 Questions," one may begin with the common opener: "Animal, vegetable, or mineral?"

Jul 14, 2026
Phys.org / Onion-like chemical halos may surround phytoplankton that power half of global photosynthesis

The interactions between microscopic algal cells and bacteria in the oceans play a pivotal role in the global carbon cycle. Researchers at ETH Zurich have now taken an important step toward deciphering the chemical language ...

Jul 14, 2026
Phys.org / Evolutionary history shapes plant carbon storage strategies worldwide

Two types of carbohydrates are important to plants—structural carbohydrates (which form cell walls) and nonstructural carbohydrates (NSCs). The latter group represents plants' stored energy reserves, which can be used to ...

Jul 14, 2026
Phys.org / AI helps scientists improve prediction of which DNA sequences bind to each other

Researchers have demonstrated a novel AI model that can predict which DNA molecules bind with other DNA molecules. A more thorough understanding of these hypercomplex binding relationships has utility in applications ranging ...

Jul 14, 2026
Dialog / How the built environment can help protect mental health in a changing climate

When people think about climate change, they often picture melting glaciers, stronger storms, rising temperatures, or prolonged droughts. These visible consequences dominate headlines and shape public discussions. Yet another ...

Jul 14, 2026
Phys.org / Data-driven tool can find mineral biosignatures on other worlds

A technique for judging whether a common mineral formed through biological activity could aid the search for ancient life on Earth and Mars. Apatite is a ubiquitous phosphate mineral found in terrestrial and extraterrestrial ...

Jul 14, 2026