Phys.org news

Phys.org / Researchers develop harder, longer-lasting silver plating

A research team led by Seil Kim of the Korea Institute of Materials Science (KIMS) Energy & Environmental Materials Research Division has developed an Ag–PTFE composite plating technology that produces silver coatings with ...

Jul 14, 2026
Phys.org / Onion-like chemical halos may surround phytoplankton that power half of global photosynthesis

The interactions between microscopic algal cells and bacteria in the oceans play a pivotal role in the global carbon cycle. Researchers at ETH Zurich have now taken an important step toward deciphering the chemical language ...

Jul 14, 2026
Phys.org / New cell imaging method shines a light on blind spots

Cells are crowded, dynamic places where thousands of molecules interact in tight quarters. Until now, scientists lacked a reliable way to see many of these molecular interactions as they happen. Researchers at the University ...

Jul 14, 2026
Phys.org / Highly filled liquid epoxy for smaller, more reliable chip packaging

As computer chips become more powerful and compact, the materials that protect them must perform better than ever. In advanced chip packaging, liquid epoxy is widely used because it can flow into tiny spaces before curing ...

Jul 14, 2026
Phys.org / First-of-its-kind computer model tackles antibiotic resistance

Faster and more effective ways to treat Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a bacterium identified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as one of the most life-threatening pathogens, could be possible thanks to a first-of-its-kind ...

Jul 14, 2026
Phys.org / Evolutionary history shapes plant carbon storage strategies worldwide

Two types of carbohydrates are important to plants—structural carbohydrates (which form cell walls) and nonstructural carbohydrates (NSCs). The latter group represents plants' stored energy reserves, which can be used to ...

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 / How tides and river water combine to amplify floods

Ocean tides push upstream along coastal rivers, in some cases reaching hundreds of kilometers (hundreds of miles) inland. These inland stretches are known as tidal rivers, and they're the scene of complex interactions between ...

Jul 14, 2026
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 / 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 / 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 / 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