Phys.org news

Phys.org / Missing transporter protein found: How rice distributes iron to young leaves

Iron (Fe) is an essential micronutrient for the healthy growth of plants, including many staple crops like rice. Its deficiency remains a common agricultural problem that slashes crop yields, as it leads to impaired photosynthesis, ...

Dec 3, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Nursery web spider uses legs to 'sniff out' its partners

Male nursery web spiders (Pisaura mirabilis) use the sense of smell in their legs to find mates. Researchers at the University of Greifswald used an electron microscope to discover "olfactory hairs" on the legs of adult males. ...

Dec 3, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / A new tunable cell-sorting device with potential biomedical applications

Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) hydrogel undergoes significant but precise changes in size between 20°C and 40°C, making it an excellent candidate for use in variable-size deterministic lateral displacement (DLD) array ...

Dec 3, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Alaknanda: JWST discovers massive grand-design spiral galaxy from the universe's infancy

A spiral galaxy, shaped much like our Milky Way, has been found in an era when astronomers believed such well-formed galaxies could not yet exist. Two astronomers from India have identified a remarkably mature galaxy just ...

Dec 2, 2025 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Cats adjust their communication strategy by meowing more when greeting men

As many cat owners will testify, their pets are often mysterious creatures, independent, cunning and sometimes aloof. And now it appears that when it comes to communication, they might be playing favorites. A new study published ...

Dec 2, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Geodesic approach links quantum physics and gravitation

It is something like the "Holy Grail" of physics: unifying particle physics and gravitation. The world of tiny particles is described extremely well by quantum theory, while the world of gravitation is captured by Einstein's ...

Dec 2, 2025 in Physics
Phys.org / Dynamic duo of bacteria could change Mars dust into versatile building material for first human colonists

Since humanity's first steps on the moon, the aspiration to extend human civilization beyond Earth has been a central objective of international space agencies, targeting long-term extraterrestrial habitation. Among the celestial ...

Dec 2, 2025 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Sugars, 'gum,' stardust found in NASA's asteroid Bennu samples

The asteroid Bennu continues to provide new clues to scientists' biggest questions about the formation of the early solar system and the origins of life. As part of the ongoing study of pristine samples delivered to Earth ...

Dec 2, 2025 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Ancient stalagmite provides insights into how climate affected early communities in cradle of civilization

The Fertile Crescent, a boomerang-shaped region spanning modern-day Middle Eastern countries, is considered the cradle of civilization and where farming first emerged. But little is known about how climate change influenced ...

Dec 2, 2025 in Earth
Phys.org / Astronomers confirm low-luminosity active galactic nucleus in nearby galaxy NGC 3221

Using ESA's XMM-Newton satellite, astronomers from Stanford University and elsewhere have conducted deep X-ray observations of a nearby galaxy known as NGC 3221. The new observational campaign detected a faint active galactic ...

Dec 2, 2025 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Chesapeake Bay's storm surge tides can be 47% higher than the open ocean

When hurricanes or strong storms sweep up the United States' East Coast and meet the shores of the country's largest estuary, Chesapeake Bay, the familiar pattern of storm activity gets a little more complicated. A new study, ...

Dec 2, 2025 in Earth
Phys.org / New palladium-gold alloy catalyst boosts methane-to-ethylene conversion with solar power

Researchers just hit two benefits with one catalyst. They converted methane (CH4), a potent greenhouse gas, into ethylene (C2H4), a highly demanded raw material in industrial sectors, using sunlight and a newly designed palladium–gold ...

Dec 2, 2025 in Chemistry