Phys.org news

Phys.org / Novel AI platform accelerates discovery of chemical catalysts for industry

CatDRX is a generative AI framework developed at Institute of Science Tokyo, which enables the design of new chemical catalysts based on the specific chemical reactions in which they are used. The model learns from large ...

Dec 17, 2025 in Chemistry
Phys.org / 3D analysis of wrist ligaments reveals locomotion clues in human ancestors

When studying how fossil hominids moved, researchers usually analyze the morphology of bones—which is crucial for understanding the evolution of bipedalism—focusing mainly on muscle insertion sites. However, the potential ...

Dec 17, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Could police crackdowns actually help criminal networks?

Criminal networks are known for their ability to reorganize and continue operating even after major law enforcement crackdowns. New research from the University of Amsterdam's Informatics Institute and Institute for Advanced ...

Dec 17, 2025 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Engineered proteins enable smartphone-based detection of specific DNA sequences

Imagine a container of tomatoes arriving at the container terminal in Aarhus. The papers state that the tomatoes are from Spain, but in reality, we have no way of knowing if that is true.

Dec 17, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Drone-mounted lab monitors fertilizer runoff in real time

What if, instead of taking a water or soil sample to the lab, you could take the lab to the sample? That's what a team of researchers reporting in ACS Sensors did with a new nitrate-monitoring "lab-on-a-drone" system. The ...

Dec 17, 2025 in Earth
Phys.org / Young shark species more vulnerable to extinction, fossil record reveals

Whether a species has just freshly emerged, or it has been around for millions of years does not dictate its vulnerability. This has been the assumption of an old debate on whether species' age plays a role in extinction ...

Dec 17, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Detailed cell map unlocks secrets of how reproductive organs form

New research has mapped the cell types that specialize to form reproductive organs in both sexes, identifying key genes and signals that drive this process. The findings offer important insights into conditions affecting ...

Dec 17, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Spot the males: New gene-editing method could transform mosquito control

Researchers have developed a new "color-coded" genetic method that makes it easy to distinguish male and female mosquitoes. This innovation can help solve a major bottleneck in mosquito control strategies that rely on releasing ...

Dec 17, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Enzyme disables bacterial toxin by cleaving key chemical ring structure

A research team at Leibniz-HKI has described a new enzyme that renders the highly toxic molecule malleicyprol harmless. Malleicyprol is considered an important virulence factor of Burkholderia bacteria, which causes, among ...

Dec 17, 2025 in Chemistry
Phys.org / Data bias reduces reliability of AI models predicting antimicrobial resistance

Experts are increasingly turning to machine learning to predict antibiotic resistance in pathogens. With its help, resistance mechanisms can be identified based on a pathogen's genetics. However, the results should be viewed ...

Dec 17, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Chemists develop unique tool for studying RNA in live cells

An innovative three-color method for capturing images of mRNA inside live mammalian cells has been developed by UMass Amherst chemists. Because RNA is both incredibly important to human life and health and poorly understood, ...

Dec 17, 2025 in Chemistry
Phys.org / Low-temperature greenhouse gas conversion: Direct current reveals charge-driven mechanism

Catalytic dry reforming of methane (DRM) offers a promising strategy for the sustainable utilization of greenhouse gases, CH4 and CO2. However, its practical application has long been hampered by severe catalyst deactivation ...

Dec 17, 2025 in Chemistry