Phys.org news
Phys.org / Rare earth elements: Of peptides and the origins of life
The group of rare earth elements (REEs) comprises a total of 17 elements, all of which possess similar chemical properties. In addition to the two lightest elements, scandium and yttrium, the group also includes lanthanum, ...
Phys.org / A new natural sunscreen: Novel compound discovered in thermophilic cyanobacteria
Natural sunscreens shield the skin from harmful radiation, without triggering allergic reactions. In a recently published study, a group of researchers has discovered a novel compound, β-glucose-bound hydroxy mycosporine-sarcosine, ...
Phys.org / Tiny viral 'switch' offers hope against drug-resistant bacteria
As antibiotic-resistant infections rise and are projected to cause up to 10 million deaths per year by 2050, scientists are looking to bacteriophages, viruses that infect bacteria, as an alternative.
Phys.org / Flat-band ultrastrong coupling between phonons and plasmons observed for first time
Researchers from CIC nanoGUNE, in collaboration with the Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC) and the Center for Materials Physics (CFM), have experimentally observed and theoretically verified flat-band ultrastrong ...
Phys.org / Spray-on antibacterial coating offers new protection for plants against disease and drought
Engineers at the University of California San Diego have developed a spray-on polymer coating that could help plants resist harmful bacterial infections and survive drought. The advance, published in ACS Materials Letters, ...
Phys.org / PFAS detection in 15 minutes: A sensor system for rapid on-site analysis
PFAS are forever chemicals that do not degrade in the environment. They enter soil and water, accumulate in plants, animals and humans, and can be harmful to health. The problem: Until now, detecting them has been complicated, ...
Phys.org / Common virus 'rewires' intracellular mechanisms to promote infection
Investigators from the laboratory of Derek Walsh, Ph.D., professor of Microbiology-Immunology, have discovered how human cytomegalovirus rewires intracellular mechanisms to control the movement of the cell nucleus, promoting ...
Phys.org / New machine-learning models capture the rapid evolution of antimicrobial resistance
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an increasingly dangerous problem affecting global health. In 2019 alone, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) accounted for more than 100,000 global deaths attributable to ...
Phys.org / Bacterium hijacks fruit ripening program in citrus plants to steal sugars, research reveals
The bacterial pathogen Xanthomonas citri, which causes canker disease in citrus trees, activates selected parts of the fruit ripening program inside infected leaves. Normally, this program makes citrus fruits soften and sweeten ...
Phys.org / 'Speed scanner' can test thousands of plant gene switches at once
Agriculture, from the outset, has been made possible by humans tweaking the genes of plants to make them grow faster, produce more of what we want, and survive drought, pests, and infection. For millennia, we did it with ...
Phys.org / Light-controlled cholesterol 'look-alikes' point toward smarter drug delivery
High levels of cholesterol are linked to heart disease, stroke, and many other health problems. However, this complex and vital fatty, water insoluble molecule—a lipid—is found in every cell of the body and is not all ...
Phys.org / Enzyme shape-shifting captured in real time during catalysis
Researchers have captured real-time "molecular movies" showing how an enzyme changes shape during catalysis. The study was published in Nature Communications.
