Phys.org news
Phys.org / Roaming black holes may tell the hidden history of galaxies
If you want to understand the origins of black holes, Yale astronomers say, you need to look beyond the centers of galaxies and start searching in the nooks and crannies. That's where you'll find the "wanderers"—black holes ...
Phys.org / Silicon solar cells could cut satellite power costs by up to 90%
Switching to modern silicon solar cells could cut the cost of powering satellites by as much as 90% based on beginning-of-life (BOL) performance, according to a review led by the University of Surrey. The switch to silicon ...
Phys.org / Currents in an Arctic sea accelerate the sinking of carbon-carrying phytoplankton
Tiny plantlike organisms called phytoplankton that form the base of marine food webs topped by orcas, whales and sharks usually get eaten or slowly sink to the seafloor, carrying carbon as they go. Across most of the ocean, ...
Phys.org / Variations in virus tails may help predict which phages kill more bacterial strains
Bacteriophages—or phages, for short—are viruses that kill bacteria, and scientists have been studying them for decades as a possible solution to antibiotic-resistant infections. But phages are notoriously picky eaters—a phage ...
Phys.org / Can this biotech innovation halt the destructive march of a cereal killer?
A UK-led research collaboration has taken a significant step in the global effort to protect cereal crops from the devastating blast fungus. Researchers at the John Innes Centre explored a recently discovered class of plant ...
Phys.org / Uncovering gravity's impact on the human genome
The Human Genome Project was launched in 1990, preceded by decades of breakthroughs in genetics. It eventually gave us a sequence of the human genome. Yet, while the physical rules behind the genome's organization remain ...
Phys.org / Study reveals how biological echo chambers form—and what can break them
Tropical army ants are known to form devastating armadas that march through forests eating other insects and small creatures. As they march, they deposit chemical trails of pheromones that others behind them sense and follow. ...
Phys.org / Snapshots reveal key molecular machine in tropical parasites at near-atomic resolution
A study conducted by the University of Liège and Rockefeller University reveals, with near-atomic precision, the three-dimensional structure and function of a gigantic molecular machine essential to the survival of trypanosomatid ...
Phys.org / Starch-based sensor changes color to indicate moisture in food packaging
Brazilian researchers have developed a biodegradable, starch-based sensor that changes color when moisture enters food packaging. With the addition of cobalt chloride, the sensor changes from blue to pink as moisture levels ...
Phys.org / Natural compound from soil bacteria offers new approach to treating drug-resistant tuberculosis
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 10 million people contract tuberculosis (TB) each year. It is one of the deadliest infectious diseases worldwide. Treatment is lengthy and typically involves a combination ...
Phys.org / Ancient genome function persists despite frequent mutations, centromere study shows
Every time a cell divides, its chromosomes must be distributed correctly between the two daughter cells. Central to this process is the centromere, a specialized region of the chromosome. The centromere serves as the attachment ...
Phys.org / Evolved enzymes build tuberculosis antibiotic ingredient in the desired form, potentially reducing waste
Tuberculosis, or TB, is a contagious bacterial infection that primarily affects the lungs. While curative treatments exist, more than 80% of cases occur in low- and middle-income nations, where drug-resistant strains are ...
