Phys.org news
Phys.org / Light-triggered nanoscale heating can control communication between nerve cells
Researchers at the Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University, report the successful creation of artificial synaptic vesicles that can be remotely controlled by near-infrared (NIR) light. By embedding ...
Phys.org / First fertilizer: A chemical process that may have sparked life on Earth
University of Alberta geochemists have discovered a missing piece to one of the great mysteries of science—the origin of life on Earth.
Phys.org / Rapid weather shifts govern how plants influence climate and air quality, study finds
A new study shows that during drought, it's not how hot or how dry it is that determines gas emissions from plants—but how quickly conditions change. This discovery reshapes our understanding of the relationship between ...
Phys.org / Southern Annular Mode in most positive state in 1,000 years, review finds
A new review has revealed that the Southern Annular Mode (SAM), the Southern Hemisphere's most influential climate driver, is now in its most positive state in more than 1,000 years. If greenhouse gas emissions continue to ...
Phys.org / X-ray laser offers new look at protein movement inside cells
At European XFEL, researchers have observed in detail how the vital iron protein ferritin makes its way in highly dense environments—with implications for medicine and nanotechnology.
Phys.org / Urban sprawl could deny 220 million people access to clean water by 2050
A new study analyzing more than 100 cities across Asia, Africa, and Latin America has quantified the stark consequences of urban sprawl on water and sanitation access, finding that how cities grow might determine whether ...
Phys.org / Newly discovered viral enzymes act like molecular scissors to disable immune alarm signals
Viruses and their hosts—whether bacteria, animals, or humans—are locked in a constant evolutionary arms race. Cells evolve defenses against viral infection, viruses evolve ways around those defenses, and the cycle continues.
Phys.org / Adjustable DNA 'shield' can control timing and rate at which mRNA produces proteins in vivo
mRNA, widely known from the COVID-19 vaccine, is not actually a "therapeutic agent," but a technology that delivers the blueprint for functional proteins in the body and induces therapeutic effects. Recently, its application ...
Phys.org / Ocean microplastics can drift for years or sink rapidly: Analysis reveals two distinct pathways
Publishing in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, researchers at Kyushu University report that they have developed a new method to more accurately analyze the distribution of small microplastics in the ocean at ...
Phys.org / Studies reevaluate reverse weathering process, shifting understanding of global climate
Two new publications remap the understanding of reverse weathering in the scientific community. The Dauphin Island Sea Lab's Senior Marine Scientist, Dr. Jeffrey Krause, played a key role in both projects, which include several ...
Phys.org / Define your dating goals: Study shows clarity is key to dating satisfaction
Single people who date without a clear understanding of what they are looking for in a relationship experience more loneliness and decreased life satisfaction, McGill researchers have found.
Phys.org / Sun-watcher SOHO celebrates 30 years
On 2 December 1995, the ESA/NASA Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) blasted into space—on what was supposed to be a two-year mission.
