Phys.org news
Phys.org / Scientists improve nearly every aspect of prime editing, moving it closer to treating more genetic diseases
Prime editing can potentially repair the vast majority of known disease-causing human mutations, but the technology, first developed in 2019, has not yet been widely used in the body, or in vivo, to treat genetic disease. ...
Phys.org / Wind patterns play surprising role in tropical rainfall trends
Changes in wind patterns play the leading role in influencing often devastating tropical rainfall changes, rather than simply the warming atmosphere holding more moisture, according to new research.
Phys.org / Redefined conformity model beats averaging in five real-world tests of opinion dynamics
Imagine you poll your friends on how many minutes per pound to roast a turkey. Five respond with 15 minutes; one answers 33 minutes. The most popular model of conformity, the French-Harary-DeGroot model (or more commonly, ...
Phys.org / PACE satellite tracks fall colors with near-daily global coverage
Researchers have developed a new approach using data from NASA's Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) satellite to observe the timing and progression of fall colors across landscapes.
Phys.org / Some bees cannot escape rising heat, and their tiny homes make crisis even harder
Bee species that nest in plant stems appear to be at the greatest short-term risk from increasing temperatures due to climate change, while those that nest in the ground are better able to evade extreme heat, according to ...
Phys.org / Listening to political opponents who share common values can ease polarization
Listening to someone who disagrees with you on a controversial topic, but shares basic values, might not change your mind—but it could moderate an extreme position, reducing polarization, new Cornell economics research finds.
Phys.org / Is 'gender gating' the secret to success in online dating?
Digital matching platforms—from professional networking to ride-sharing and accommodation services—add value by bringing supply and demand into balance. But deep-seated asymmetries can prove difficult to expunge, causing ...
Phys.org / Rare 500-year-old freeze-dried potatoes unearthed at Inca coastal site
Archaeologists digging at an Inca site on the arid coast of southern Peru have unearthed two rare, roughly 500-year-old freeze-dried potatoes. The potatoes are among the only ones found in more than a century and would have ...
Phys.org / Burned as waste for years, this overlooked plant material is poised to reshape how nylon gets made
Most people have seen nylon listed as a material on their clothing tags, but nylon is used in an array of other products, too, including automotive parts, wire insulation and medical supplies. Unfortunately, one of the building ...
Phys.org / Plant diversity may explain why some caterpillars are fussy about their food
Many insects will eat almost anything in their sight, such as certain beetles, grasshoppers and locusts, while others are remarkably picky eaters. For example, numerous insect herbivores will feed only on a single plant family ...
Phys.org / Devoted dads and citizen science: The evolution of parental care in harvestmen spiders is uncovered
Citizen science data from the popular platform iNaturalist has helped uncover the evolution of parental guarding behavior in harvestmen spiders, as shown in research published in the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society.
Dialog / When less is more: Scaling law explains why ultrathin materials get stronger as they get thinner
One of the most fascinating aspects of physics is that nature often behaves in ways that seem completely counterintuitive. A good example comes from ultrathin materials. If I take a sheet of material and make it thinner ...