Phys.org news

Phys.org / AI helps scientists improve prediction of which DNA sequences bind to each other

Researchers have demonstrated a novel AI model that can predict which DNA molecules bind with other DNA molecules. A more thorough understanding of these hypercomplex binding relationships has utility in applications ranging ...

Jul 14, 2026
Phys.org / Data-driven tool can find mineral biosignatures on other worlds

A technique for judging whether a common mineral formed through biological activity could aid the search for ancient life on Earth and Mars. Apatite is a ubiquitous phosphate mineral found in terrestrial and extraterrestrial ...

Jul 14, 2026
Phys.org / Twisted ultrathin magnet retains magnetization after field changes, study finds

The properties of ultrathin magnets can be specifically altered by a slight twist between two atomic monolayers. This is the conclusion reached by an international research team led by TU Darmstadt in a study published in ...

Jul 14, 2026
Phys.org / New mechanism shows how plants rapidly adapt to intense sunlight

Plants do not wait hours to respond to intense sunlight—they react within minutes. Researchers at Bielefeld University and the Australian National University have discovered a new signaling pathway that enables plants to ...

Jul 14, 2026
Phys.org / Statistical test helps judge the value of personalization

From precision medicine to personalized job training, customizing interventions for individuals is often assumed to produce better outcomes than a one-size-fits-all approach. But personalization also comes with costs: it ...

Jul 14, 2026
Phys.org / Six years of drought reshape soil microbiomes in tallgrass prairie, study finds

A new study tracking soil microbial communities across six years of experimental drought in a tallgrass prairie finds that prolonged water stress diminishes biodiversity, pushing communities toward less predictable, harder-to-reverse ...

Jul 14, 2026
Phys.org / Disturbance has a greater effect on giant kelp productivity than resource availability

Marine scientists at UC Santa Barbara have found that disturbances to giant kelp forests have a major influence on their net primary productivity (NPP)—an indicator of an ecosystem's health and its ability to support its ...

Jul 14, 2026
Phys.org / What one of Emperor Hadrian's latrines is telling us about the durability of Roman concrete

One of the many marvels of the Roman world is that some of its buildings are still with us. But why have they lasted for so long when some relatively modern structures are in a state of decay after a few decades?

Jul 13, 2026
Phys.org / Study reports the first detection of a sugar in interstellar space

Sugars are key biomolecules in living organisms, as they form the backbone of DNA and RNA and play a fundamental role in metabolic processes. In theories of the origin of life, sugars are also essential for the synthesis ...

Jul 13, 2026
Phys.org / Quantum-gravitational mechanism could explain the universe's homogeneity

Our universe is known to be remarkably homogeneous and isotropic. This essentially means that matter is distributed evenly throughout the universe and that it looks almost the same in all directions.

Jul 13, 2026
Phys.org / Firefly brightness holds a cautionary tale about accepting older measurements

For over a century, the accepted value for a firefly's brightness has mostly stood, tracing its origins to experiments carried out in 1912. Through rigorous new analysis published in the American Journal of Physics, David ...

Jul 13, 2026
Phys.org / Six massive landslides discovered on icy Pluto

Scientists have detected evidence of landslides on Pluto for the first time. A paper published in the journal Icarus reports that images taken by the New Horizons spacecraft during a flyby revealed six large landslides in ...

Jul 13, 2026