Phys.org news

Phys.org / More eyes on the skies can help planes reduce climate-warming contrails

Aviation's climate impact is partly due to contrails—condensation that a plane streaks across the sky when it flies through icy and humid layers of the atmosphere. Contrails trap heat that radiates from the planet's surface, ...

Dec 22, 2025 in Earth
Phys.org / The way our cells respond to estrogen depends on how DNA is 'supercoiled'

Although it also performs some functions in men, estrogen, the main female sex hormone, is involved in a myriad of processes, which is why the body changes so much during menopause. This is because estrogens regulate hundreds ...

Dec 22, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / ALMA observations reveal multiscale fragmentation in massive star formation

Researchers from Yunnan University, the Shanghai Astronomical Observatory (SHAO) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan have unveiled new insights into the fragmentation mechanisms ...

Dec 22, 2025 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Reversible spin splitting effect achieved in altermagnetic RuO₂ thin films

A research team affiliated with UNIST has made a advancement in controlling spin-based signals within a new magnetic material, paving the way for next-generation electronic devices. Their work demonstrates a method to reversibly ...

Dec 22, 2025 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / NAC protein complex slows early synthesis to optimize cellular protein production

Proteins are among the most important molecular building blocks of life. They are chains of amino acids assembled in our cells by ribosomes, the molecular "protein factories" of our bodies. The genetic code of our genome ...

Dec 22, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / AI mimics human-like intuition to explore and analyze chemical reactions

Chemical reactions are the breaking and forming of chemical bonds, which are fundamental to the creation of new technologies. Inevitably, discovering and developing new chemical reactions is a time-intensive process of trial ...

Dec 22, 2025 in Chemistry
Phys.org / The sound of droplets striking water: How cowbirds control two sound sources in the syrinx to create 'liquid notes'

Cowbirds are special among songbirds for the "watery" timbre of their singing, which resembles the sound of falling droplets striking water, a quick burst followed by a fading ripple.

Dec 22, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / An ecosystem never forgets: Extreme heat and drought responses linked to hydrological memory

The low-latitude highlands region of southwestern China experienced two major climate events in recent years: a severe drought in 2009–2010 and an extreme heat wave in 2019. Though both sprang from similar large-scale atmospheric ...

Dec 22, 2025 in Earth
Phys.org / Mixing incentives and penalties found key to cutting carbon emissions long term

A study from a team of researchers that includes faculty from the University of California San Diego and Princeton University shows how a mix of subsidies for clean energy and taxes on pollution can significantly reduce greenhouse ...

Dec 22, 2025 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / How soil and human antibiotic resistance are connected

A study led by researchers at the Department of Civil Engineering at The University of Hong Kong (HKU) has uncovered alarming evidence that soil worldwide is emerging as a significant reservoir and amplifier of high-risk ...

Dec 22, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Some mammals can hit pause on a pregnancy—understanding how that happens could help us treat cancer

Seals give birth only when conditions are right. After mating, a female seal can delay implantation of the embryo in the uterine wall—pausing pregnancy until she senses that her fat reserves are aligned with the season. ...

Dec 22, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Structural findings reveal how distinct GPCR ligands create different levels of activation

G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) are proteins triggered by ligands (protein-binding chemicals) from outside cells to transmit signals inside the cell. These signals are transmitted primarily through the activation of G ...

Dec 22, 2025 in Biology