Phys.org news
Phys.org / Botany's answer to Darwin's finches shows evolution in real time
A new study reveals how a remarkable group of plants on the Galápagos Islands developed their diverse leaf shapes—offering unique insight into evolution at the genetic level. A large international team of researchers has ...
Phys.org / Better volcano eruption predictions on Earth—and Venus—thanks to Mauna Loa study
When Mauna Loa erupted in 2022, the largest lava flow headed on a path headed directly toward Daniel K. Inouye State Highway 200, also known as Saddle Road, a critical route that carries many residents from their homes on ...
Phys.org / Light-based scans reveal how cells can be stable yet adaptable
Our cells adjust to ever-changing conditions while preserving internal states necessary for survival, but exactly how they achieve both adaptability and stability remains unclear. For the first time, researchers have used ...
Phys.org / Why dolphins swim so fast: The secrets of hidden whirlpools
Dolphins are famous for their speed and agility in the water, but what exactly allows them to swim so effectively? Scientists have been asking this question for years, hoping to learn how to optimize propulsion in fluids ...
Phys.org / DNA molecular computer combines memory and computing at scales below 2 nm
Until now, molecular-level DNA circuits have mainly been used for simple tasks, such as detecting the presence of cancer-related substances. However, these systems have faced a key limitation: once a reaction occurs, the ...
Phys.org / Synchrotron safety monitoring sheds light on dark photons
A scientist from Tokyo Metropolitan University has proposed using safety monitoring at synchrotron facilities to study the properties of dark photons, hypothetical particles proposed to explain dark matter. Calculations show ...
Phys.org / Machine learning offers faster, more reliable analysis of Fermi surfaces in search of spintronic materials
The search for next-generation electronic materials often starts with studying the Fermi surface, which serves as a map of a material's electronic structure. Its shape varies with crystal structure, composition, and electronic ...
Phys.org / Time-evolving polymer recreates nature's signature twist
Science has long taken inspiration from the natural world, and few natural designs are as iconic as the helical shape that makes life possible. The best-known example of such a molecule is DNA, a double helix that carries ...
Phys.org / Location, location, location: How the Nile helped an ancient Sudanese city thrive for centuries
The ancient city of Napata, located in what is now Sudan, was a major urban and cultural center of Kush, an ancient empire in Nubia. University of Michigan archaeologists and earth scientists examined the land underlying ...
Phys.org / Detailed DNA repair snapshots reveal how BRCA-linked cancer cells may survive
Scientists have captured the most detailed structural images to date of a specific type of protein's DNA repair process, a finding that could reveal ways to inhibit the effects of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations that heighten the ...
Phys.org / CRISPR untangles five-gene protein that helps plants grow in early stages
For most of their lives, plants get their energy from photosynthesis. But during the seed to seedling stage, when they can't absorb light just yet, they rely on other sources, like fatty acids. To process the fatty acids, ...
Phys.org / Small differences in cell structures called microtubules determine how well cancer drug performs
A research team from the School of Biomedical Sciences at the LKS Faculty of Medicine, the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed), has uncovered the mechanism underlying how cancer patients respond to a widely used cancer drug, ...
