Phys.org news

Phys.org / Antarctic ice melt may fuel eruptions of hidden volcanoes

A slow climate feedback loop may be bubbling beneath Antarctica's vast ice sheet. The continent, divided east to west by the Transantarctic Mountains, includes volcanic giants such as Mount Erebus and its iconic lava lake. ...

Jan 6, 2025 in Earth
Phys.org / Past climate shifts altered Southern Ocean currents and carbon exchange: Study warns it may be happening again

Human-induced climate change is causing shifts in the world's largest ocean current and westerly wind systems also seen during periods of ice age and warmer intervals in Earth's history, researchers claim.

Jan 6, 2025 in Earth
Phys.org / Scientists create vast library of compounds to target disease proteins

Over the past two decades, large genetic studies have linked tens of thousands of DNA variants to thousands of human traits and diseases. Yet, correcting the effects of those variants to treat disease has been hampered in ...

Jan 6, 2025 in Chemistry
Phys.org / Hidden 'shapes' within plasma beams may boost next-generation space rockets

Go faster, farther, more efficiently. That's the goal driving spacecraft propulsion engineers like Chen Cui, a new assistant professor at the University of Virginia School of Engineering and Applied Science. Cui is exploring ...

Jan 6, 2025 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Newly discovered mechanism triggers immune response in cells with damaged DNA

A research team from the University of California, Irvine has revealed a previously unknown mechanism that triggers an inflammatory immune response in cells when their DNA is damaged. This discovery deepens the understanding ...

Jan 6, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Virtual chemistry synthesizes 25 variations of a plant compound that could treat brain diseases

Among the hundreds of thousands of chemical compounds produced by plants, some may hold the key to treating human ailments and diseases. But recreating these complex, naturally occurring molecules in the lab often requires ...

Jan 6, 2025 in Chemistry
Phys.org / Scientists reveal CO₂'s fundamental role in ancient climate shifts

Researchers from the University of St Andrews have shed new light on the fundamental role played by carbon dioxide (CO2) in Earth's geological warming and cooling.

Jan 6, 2025 in Earth
Phys.org / Zinc deprivation reveals vulnerability in resistant bacteria, reviving old antibiotics

Researchers at McMaster University have discovered a critical vulnerability in drug-resistant bacteria: zinc—or a lack thereof.

Jan 6, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Newly discovered 'kiss and capture' mechanism explains the formation of Pluto and its largest moon

Billions of years ago, in the frigid outer reaches of our solar system, two icy worlds collided. Rather than destroying each other in a cosmic catastrophe, they spun together like a celestial snowman, finally separating while ...

Jan 6, 2025 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Hornwort genomes provide clues on how plants conquered the land

Over 450 million years ago, plants began the epic transition from water to dry land. Among the first pioneers were the ancestors of humble hornworts, a group of small, unassuming plants that have persisted to this day. New ...

Jan 6, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Laser technique uncovers how titanium's electron behavior influences its physical properties

A research team at Yokohama National University has developed a way to study how the orientation and behavior of electrons in titanium influence its physical characteristics. Their findings, published in Communications Physics ...

Jan 6, 2025 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / Electron microscopy captures enzyme step in antibiotic production

Nonribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) enzymes are essential in creating important medications, such as penicillin and cyclosporine. This is done through a multi-step process where the enzymes activate amino acid building ...

Jan 6, 2025 in Chemistry