Phys.org news

Phys.org / Embryo epigenome follows universal physical rules, reshaping views of early cell fate

The development of an embryo is one of the most fundamental processes in biology. Early in this process, it is determined which cells will give rise to which tissues—controlled by epigenetic marks such as DNA methylation. ...

Apr 29, 2026
Phys.org / Revolving doors and efficient engines: How proteins escape a molecular tangle

Trying to untangle a knot in a mess of strings can be frustrating and time-consuming. But not so for molecular machines—molecules that convert chemical energy into mechanical work and motion. Machines from the AAA+ family, ...

Apr 29, 2026
Phys.org / Mini-antibodies reactivate the 'guardian of the genome'

Each year, 20 million people are diagnosed with cancer. Various organs can be affected, and cancer types sometimes differ greatly at the cellular and molecular level. In about half of all cases, however, the protein p53 is ...

Apr 29, 2026
Phys.org / Microbes sense neighbors and change jobs to reduce competition, offering clue to coexistence

New research from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, published in Nature Microbiology, reveals that when microbes live together, they can sense one another and actively reduce competition by shifting toward different roles ...

Apr 29, 2026
Phys.org / Spintronics at BESSY II: Real-time analysis of magnetic bilayer systems

Spintronic devices enable data processing with significantly lower energy consumption. They are based on the interaction between ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic layers. Now, a team from Freie Universität Berlin, HZB and ...

Apr 29, 2026
Phys.org / Antibodies need a strong core—not just grip—to fight SARS-CoV-2

An international research team has identified a previously overlooked factor that influences how antibodies neutralize SARS-CoV-2: their mechanical stability under force. Antibodies are key components of the immune system ...

Apr 29, 2026
Phys.org / AI drug target platform pairs prediction with benchmarking to improve early discovery

Insilico Medicine, a clinical-stage biotechnology company powered by generative artificial intelligence (AI), today announced advancements to its unified AI framework for drug target discovery, integrating its previously ...

Apr 29, 2026
Phys.org / AI speeds chemists' search for better disinfectants

Chemists and computer scientists tapped AI to find new disinfectants to combat the growing threat of dangerous "superbugs." Their computational-experimental framework for developing quaternary ammonium compounds, or QACs, ...

Apr 29, 2026
Phys.org / Just a few species can drive a plant community's response to warming temperatures

A new analysis of experimental data led by the University of Michigan has unveiled insights into why and how plant communities are changing their makeup to survive in warmer temperatures. Thanks to field studies of plant ...

Apr 29, 2026
Phys.org / Light-responsive hydrogels enable fast and precise control of soft materials

Researchers at Tampere University have recently demonstrated that light can be used to precisely reshape soft materials without mechanical contact. They have developed light-responsive hydrogel thin films that enable programmable ...

Apr 29, 2026
Phys.org / Environmental DNA in NYC's East River reveals clues about nearby human and animal residents

Sequencing environmental DNA—or eDNA—from the East River in New York City can effectively monitor human diets and local wildlife, as well as the river's fish populations, report Mark Stoeckle and Jesse Ausubel of The Rockefeller ...

Apr 29, 2026
Phys.org / Molecular quantum nanosensors reveal temperature and radical signals inside living cells

Researchers at the National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology (QST), Japan, and The University of Tokyo, Japan, in collaboration with Kyushu University, Japan, have developed a new class of biocompatible molecular ...

Apr 29, 2026