Phys.org news
Phys.org / Overlooked microbial network may drive methane production in the seafloor
Deep below the surface in coastal sediments, microorganisms use conductive particles as tiny natural "wires" to exchange electrons. This enables them to convert organic carbon into methane in a way not previously documented. ...
Phys.org / New lipid nanoparticle design improves precision of mRNA vaccine delivery
Penn Engineers have redesigned a key component of lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), the delivery vehicles behind mRNA vaccines, to steer the particles toward lymph nodes while reducing off-target delivery to the liver. The advance ...
Phys.org / Satellite-driven model provides 'more realistic and reliable' predictions of sand and dust storm emissions
The technology used to predict sand and dust storm (SDS) severity has for decades systematically overestimated when and where sediment is transported across Earth's surface, a new study shows. Existing models, which draw ...
Phys.org / GNSS stations reveal fourfold turbulence during Antarctica's Ross Ice Shelf melt
Global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), which include GPS, are traditionally used for positioning, timing, and mapping information. In an open-access study published Feb. 27 in Geophysical Research Letters, MIT Haystack ...
Phys.org / Special forces study points to emotional intelligence training as a way to boost performance under stress
Emotional Intelligence (EI) training can improve employee well-being and prevent burn-out in high-stress environments, University of Queensland research has found. Dr. Jemma King from UQ's School of Psychology said EI training ...
Phys.org / Snow flies produce bursts of heat and proteins to avoid freezing, new study finds
In a new study, Northwestern University scientists explored how snow flies—small, wingless insects that crawl across snow to find mates and lay eggs—survive in freezing cold temperatures. They discovered this snow-dwelling ...
Phys.org / Preparing for the next pandemic: Scientists discover a new class of influenza antivirals
Researchers from Leiden University, University of York, University of Barcelona/IQTCUB/ICREA and The Francis Crick Institute report a new class of experimental compounds that powerfully block influenza viruses. The findings ...
Phys.org / A tiny protein tweak, finally traceable: How light-based tagging targets pyroglutamate
Amino acids are like Lego blocks—they can be linked together to form complex structures called proteins. Unlike Legos, however, there are only 20 different types of amino acids available to build a protein. Proteins depend ...
Phys.org / New NMR method allows the observation of chalcogen bonds
Toward the right side of the periodic table below oxygen, are the chalcogens, or "ore-forming" elements. The chalcogens that occur naturally, including sulfur, selenium and tellurium, are all somehow involved in biological ...
Phys.org / The truth of timekeeping lies within: Key developments in understanding circadian rhythms
Almost all living things have an internal 24-hour clock that remains accurate regardless of temperature or other environmental changes. This clock is a highly sophisticated yet simple timekeeping mechanism that is critically ...
Phys.org / A complicated future for a methane-cleansing molecule
Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas that is second only to carbon dioxide in driving up global temperatures. But it doesn't linger in the atmosphere for long thanks to molecules called hydroxyl radicals, which are known ...
Phys.org / Magnetic microbots steer quantum sensors inside living cells
Cells are squishy and soft. Tiny nanometer-sized particles such as quantum sensors cannot move freely inside them due to viscous drag, which makes sensing challenging. Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) ...