Phys.org news

Phys.org / Blue light breaks long-standing chemistry rule, unlocking 3D drug building blocks

For more than a century, pharmaceutical companies have relied on flat structures called aromatic rings, which can help drugs bind to target sites in the body. They include benzene rings and other flat, nitrogen-containing ...

Sep 11, 2026
Phys.org / Low-cost phone lessons keep children learning during emergency school closures across five countries

The COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns forced people to find ways to get things done remotely. Companies developed systems that made working from home run smoothly. Educators also had to shift to mobile phones and group video calls ...

Sep 11, 2026
Phys.org / Giant volcanic blanket reveals hidden 'Pompeii' of Andean landscapes

A vast sheet of volcanic rock in the Andes has preserved clues to a buried landscape that existed 22 million years ago, according to a new study led by UCL (University College London) researchers.

Sep 11, 2026
Phys.org / Dogs and cats carry antibiotic-resistant bacteria also found in people, study finds

Dogs and cats may carry strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae, a potentially serious bacterium that can cause infections and is also found in humans, according to new research from Bournemouth University published in the journal ...

Sep 11, 2026
Phys.org / Healthy checkout policy shows promise for reducing soda sales and increasing healthy snack purchases

In March 2021, Berkeley, Calif., became the first city in the world to ban the display of sugary beverages and snacks in store checkout lanes, where candy, chocolate and soda are commonly placed to encourage impulse buying ...

Sep 11, 2026
Phys.org / AI extracts interpretable constitutive laws directly from solid-mechanics data

Researchers at the Eastern Institute of Technology (EIT), Ningbo, have developed a graph-based approach that directly extracts concise, accurate constitutive equations from solid-material experimental data. The study, published ...

Sep 11, 2026
Phys.org / First Antarctic-wide map of grounded icebergs reveals 'picket fence effect' holding sea ice in place

For the first time, important features of the Antarctic coastal zone have been mapped at high resolution around the continent by training an artificial intelligence tool to accurately recognize grounded icebergs in satellite ...

Sep 11, 2026
Phys.org / How one RNA nucleotide switch activates fluorescent dyes

RhoBAST is a tiny RNA molecule that activates fluorescent dyes, enabling researchers to track RNA molecules in living cells with super-resolution. An international collaboration, which includes Ronald Micura and his team ...

Sep 11, 2026
Phys.org / New genome study rewrites the early history of grasses, the world's most important plant family

An international team of scientists, including Donald Danforth Plant Science Center member emerita Elizabeth "Toby" Kellogg, Ph.D., has produced a chromosome-level genome assembly that offers a new view of the earliest evolution ...

Sep 11, 2026
Phys.org / Compost microbe yields enzyme that tackles polyurethane foam and nylon

Researchers from Aarhus University and the Danish Technological Institute have taken a new approach in the search for enzymes capable of breaking down some of the most difficult types of plastic to recycle. They collected ...

Sep 11, 2026
Phys.org / Electrical pulses convert PFAS waste into valuable silver fluoride

Fluorinated waste, like that found in firefighting aqueous film-forming foam, can act as a significant environmental pollutant. Recently, James Tour's lab at Rice University developed a method to capture fluoride from these ...

Sep 11, 2026
Phys.org / Fertilizers and extreme heat are damaging coral reefs in the Gulf of Mexico, isotope analyses reveal

Who isn't familiar with the colorful coral reefs from movies like "Finding Nemo" or "The Little Mermaid"? Unfortunately, the reality is often quite different, as these vital ecosystems are under pressure worldwide. Climate ...

Sep 11, 2026