Phys.org news
Phys.org / Polymer 'bristles' could help repel proteins—and germs—from surfaces in medical settings
A non-toxic coating developed by researchers at University of Toronto Engineering prevents proteins from sticking to surfaces—potentially offering a new tool in the fight against hospital-acquired infections.
Phys.org / Tiny insect brain discovery offers a blueprint for faster and more efficient AI and robots
The secret behind insects' lightning-fast reactions could offer a blueprint for more energy-efficient robots and self-driving cars, according to a new study challenging our understanding of how brains process information. ...
Phys.org / Water and 13 hallmarks of complexity trace path from molecules to life
Many properties of molecules cannot be predicted from the properties of the atoms they consist of. These properties only emerge when they are combined—a phenomenon known in science as "emergence." A publication by Goethe ...
Phys.org / Where was Baltica 616 million years ago? Paleomagnetic data offer revised answer
About 600 million years ago, the continents wandered Earth, yet to settle into their current positions. Their locations during the Ediacaran (as this time is called) have been tough for scientists to pin down. Earth's magnetic ...
Phys.org / Cryo-EM imaging reveals how the body stops bleeding
For the first time, scientists at University of Leeds reveal a complex mechanism behind blood clotting. The findings, published in Science Advances, visualize a key component of blood clotting—platelet myosin—and how it is ...
Phys.org / Chemistry-aware AI can generate millions of plausible new molecules
Finding and developing new molecules is one of the great research endeavors of modern chemistry. From the development of new drugs to the creation of more sustainable materials, everything depends on finding new combinations ...
Phys.org / Dairy farms in California may transmit H5N1 virus through multiple sources
The H5N1 strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 has been detected in over 700 herds of dairy cows in California, the largest dairy-producing state in the U.S. A study published in PLOS Biology led by Seema S. Lakdawala ...
Phys.org / Digitizing microscope slides can uncover billions of fossils for natural history
Approximately 145 million: That's the number of specimens—including plants, animals, minerals, and human artifacts—curators estimate are held in the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. However, these estimates ...
Phys.org / Microplastics pass through earthworms without accumulating in body tissues, study shows
As much as 40 million metric tons of microplastics are released into the environment globally every year. These tiny pieces of plastic come from larger plastic items that break down or are shed by products such as clothing, ...
Phys.org / Decades of deep sea mining research show threat to seafloor creatures
There's increasing interest in deep-sea mining, but the impacts that this will have on the animals that live in the depths isn't fully understood. A new review led by our scientists is giving us our first insight into how ...
Phys.org / Super transformer aims to bring order to biology's data under one AI model
Modern biology is awash in data. Scientists can sequence DNA, track gene activity cell-by-cell, map proteins in space, and image tissues at microscopic resolution. However, it is a struggle to put all that information together ...
Phys.org / Watermelon super-pangenome paves the way for precision breeding
Watermelon is a quintessential summertime fruit, evoking images of warm, sunny afternoons and cookouts with friends and family. You can easily picture its striped, green rind and pink flesh, imagine the delicate crunch as ...
