Phys.org news

Phys.org / Trees and microbes team up to improve nitrogen nutrient processes in higher CO₂ conditions

Forest trees growing in air containing higher levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) radically change the way they "cycle" nitrogen, a key plant nutrient, with implications for forests as a nature-based climate solution.

Jul 29, 2026
Phys.org / In seconds, fiber optic cables detect earthquake size

Scientists have discovered a new way to determine how big an earthquake may become just seconds after it begins. In a new study published in Nature Communications, researchers from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and Cal ...

Jul 29, 2026
Phys.org / Mosquitoes are rapidly activating enzymes against common insecticide, researchers warn

Traditionally, public health programs have relied on chemicals for mosquito management, which may be why combating mosquitoes is becoming more difficult. Over time, insecticides trigger biochemical and genetic variations ...

Jul 29, 2026
Phys.org / Stable DNA building blocks enable faster oligonucleotide synthesis without oxidation

The chemical synthesis of oligonucleotides (ONs) is central to modern molecular biology, diagnostics and nucleic acid therapeutics. While demand for high-quality ONs is increasing, the conventional synthetic method has long-standing ...

Jul 29, 2026
Phys.org / Global warming threatens rice harvests more than crop models predict, study warns

A new study on how rising temperatures will affect rice production in Science Advances compares 214 observations from field-warming experiments with seven crop models, revealing modeled estimates for yield reductions from ...

Jul 29, 2026
Phys.org / Two antibody gene systems may help explain vesper bats' unusual viral tolerance

It is a mystery that has puzzled scientists for years. How can the world's only winged mammals carry viruses that cause severe disease while rarely becoming seriously ill themselves?

Jul 29, 2026
Phys.org / Gold-MXene catalyst converts nitrate to ammonia using sunlight and 1.5 volts

Plants need nitrogen fertilizers, which are usually ammonia-based. Ammonia is therefore one of the most important chemical products. However, its production is currently extremely energy-intensive. An international team from ...

Jul 29, 2026
Phys.org / Gene discovery could shave years off avocado breeding

Scientists have found a genetic switch that could shave years off avocado breeding by allowing researchers to identify one of a young tree's most important traits long before it flowers.

Jul 29, 2026
Phys.org / Finding order in the inner chaos of our cells: Shape-shifting proteins get a design tool

The vast majority of proteins in our bodies contain regions that are in a constant state of wiggling, shape-shifting every few nanoseconds to completely change how they look. Information on how these shape-shifting proteins ...

Jul 29, 2026
Phys.org / Oil beetle larvae smell like flowers to manipulate bees and sneak into their nests

For the first time, a research team from the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology and Friedrich Schiller University in Jena, Germany, has demonstrated that insects can mimic floral scents to manipulate pollinators.

Jul 29, 2026
Phys.org / Like a molecular shrink ray, AI tool redesigns proteins without sacrificing function

Researchers at Duke University School of Medicine have developed an artificial intelligence framework that can redesign proteins on a scale previously seen only in natural evolution. The tool can create shorter, longer and ...

Jul 29, 2026
Phys.org / Captured carbon dioxide could yield strong, flexible plastics designed for recycling

Researchers at Colorado State University have developed a process to transform naturally occurring, highly stable carbon dioxide into recyclable, high-performance materials that could replace today's plastics in many situations. ...

Jul 29, 2026