Phys.org news
Phys.org / Subway systems are uncomfortably hot—and worsening, study finds
For millions of commuters, the workday doesn't just begin with a train ride. It also begins with a blast of heat. In one of the largest studies ever conducted on thermal comfort in metro systems, Northwestern University scientists ...
Phys.org / Probiotic sugar compound blocks norovirus from attaching to cells
Stopping viruses before they strike is a key challenge in public health. A research team led by Associate Professor Li Dan from the Department of Food Science and Technology at National University of Singapore's Faculty of ...
Phys.org / How does snow gather on a roof? Simulation considers turbulence alongside snowflake size
No two snowflakes may be the same, but models that fail to take these variations into consideration often fall short when calculating the way snow accumulates on roofs. In Physics of Fluids, researchers from Harbin Institute ...
Phys.org / Subglacial weathering may have slowed planet's escape from snowball Earth
A new study led by researchers at the Earth-Life Science Institute (ELSI) at Institute of Science Tokyo challenges a long-standing assumption about Earth's most extreme ice ages. Using numerical geochemical models, the team ...
Phys.org / Moisture-powered polymers could make cleaning CO₂ from air more efficient
Over the past century, the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has increased dramatically. This rise has contributed to global warming and led to many harmful effects, including shifting weather patterns and more frequent ...
Phys.org / Bacteria have a secret engineering trick to keep themselves in shape
Blow up a long balloon and two things happen: it gets longer and it gets wider. Now imagine a living cell that inflates itself under enormous pressure and yet only grows longer, never adding width. That is exactly what rod-shaped ...
Phys.org / Why averages fail for bacteria in the open ocean
How can bacteria that forage on organic particles survive in vast ocean regions where such particles are extremely sparse? A new study by researchers from ETH Zurich and Queen Mary University of London shows that variability ...
Phys.org / How boron helps to produce key proteins for new cancer therapies
Chemists from ETH Zurich have found a way to produce poorly soluble proteins by caging a uniquely reactive boron compound. This method opens up new possibilities for the synthesis of tailored protein therapeutics, including ...
Phys.org / Understanding how wind moves pollen can guide urban planning decisions about green spaces
Due to climate change, plants' pollination season has been growing longer and longer. As a result, people are exposed to allergens for extended periods each year, raising a major public health concern. Researchers from Embry‑Riddle ...
Phys.org / In search of a room-temperature superconductor, scientists present a research agenda
The search for materials that can conduct electricity at room temperature without losing energy is one of the greatest and most consequential challenges of modern physics: loss-free power transmission, more efficient motors ...
Phys.org / How a shift in the Gulf Stream could signal the collapse of a major ocean current system
Changes in the Gulf Stream, a strong ocean current in the Atlantic, could serve as an early warning of the imminent collapse of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). The AMOC is a massive system of ocean ...
Phys.org / Why simulating an entire cell cycle took years, multiple GPUs and six days per run
By simulating the life cycle of a minimal bacterial cell—from DNA replication to protein translation to metabolism and cell division—scientists have opened a new frontier of computer vision into the essential processes ...
