Phys.org news

Phys.org / Exploring why societies around the world no longer bury their dead at home

There are countless cultures and societies around the world, spanning thousands of years. One thing they all have in common is that death is a part of everybody's life. Examining how different societies commemorate their ...

Jul 27, 2026
Phys.org / Burning soil and peat drove most emissions in Canada's record 2023 wildfire season, study finds

Most of the carbon released during Canada's record-breaking 2023 wildfire season came from burning soil and peat, rather than trees, according to new research from McMaster University.

Jul 27, 2026
Phys.org / Biodegradable implant can deliver targeted cancer immunotherapy while protecting healthy tissue

Scientists at Houston Methodist Research Institute have developed a biodegradable implant designed to deliver cancer-fighting immunotherapy drugs directly into tumors over an extended period, a strategy that could improve ...

Jul 27, 2026
Phys.org / Light reveals transient electronic step behind a hidden state in metal-organic framework

A fleeting photoinduced electronic state and the subsequent formation of a photoinduced hidden state in a metal–organic framework were captured in just 30 femtoseconds by researchers at Science Tokyo, Tohoku University and ...

Jul 27, 2026
Phys.org / Hidden DNA copying may give bacteria a faster route to antibiotic resistance

The dangers of antibiotic overuse have become increasingly clear in recent decades. Excessive use accelerates the evolution of bacterial resistance to antibiotics, raising the alarming prospect of infections that no longer ...

Jul 27, 2026
Phys.org / First 3D views explain how primate cone pigments distinguish red from green

Human color vision depends on three types of cone cells in the retina. Although all three contain the same light-absorbing molecule, 11-cis-retinal, differences in the surrounding protein determine sensitivity to red, green ...

Jul 27, 2026
Phys.org / Virtual reality fish platform offers insights into the impact of artificial light on aquatic life

A virtual reality (VR) platform has given researchers new insights into how artificial light at night alters the way coral reef fish respond to predators. The study brings together, for the first time, the metabolic expertise ...

Jul 27, 2026
Phys.org / Plants know when to grow—and when to hold back, study finds

Researchers have uncovered a surprising mechanism that allows plants to carefully coordinate the formation and growth of new leaf parts. The study shows that the hormone auxin regulates different phases in organ formation ...

Jul 27, 2026
Phys.org / Biomolecular condensates reveal surprising activity as catalysts

Biomolecular condensates are ubiquitous in living cells, including bacteria, viruses, plants and mammalian systems. These membraneless bodies, or molecular communities made up of DNA, RNA and proteins, are where molecules ...

Jul 27, 2026
Phys.org / New snail species bolster case for protecting Montenegro's biodiversity

The descriptions of the two new additions to the European snail fauna, named Cochlostoma komarnica and Cochlostoma dobrido, have been published in the open-access Biodiversity Data Journal.

Jul 27, 2026
Phys.org / Moth wings reveal an unexpected ability to smell plant chemicals

Insect wings are bristling with senses, feeling the wind blowing and even tasting potential mates, but little was known about whether moth wings are equipped with a sense of smell. Sonja Bisch-Knaden and Bill Hansson from ...

Jul 27, 2026
Phys.org / AI and robotics accelerate search for better gut microbiome therapies

Biomedical engineers at Duke University have demonstrated a method for systematically developing novel, complex combinations of probiotics and prebiotics to more effectively maintain gut health and treat various gastrointestinal ...

Jul 27, 2026