Phys.org news

Phys.org / First comprehensive characterization of the extraordinary thermoelectric properties of cadmium arsenide thin films

If there's one thing we humans are good at, it's producing heat: significant amounts, and in many cases most of the energy we generate and put into our systems we lose as heat, whether it be our appliances, our transportation, ...

Jun 27, 2024 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / Gold nanoparticles kill cancer—but not as thought

Gold particles of the size of billionths of a meter are lethal to cancer cells. This fact has been known for a long time, as has a simple correlation: The smaller the nanoparticles used to fight the cancer cells, the faster ...

Jun 27, 2024 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / We date and marry people who are attractive as we are, new analysis finds

In good news for our egos, both men and women were pretty accurate at rating their own physical attractiveness, according to a new study. Couples also tended to be well-matched on their attractiveness, suggesting that we ...

Jun 27, 2024 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Scientists use computational modeling to guide a difficult chemical synthesis

Researchers from MIT and the University of Michigan have discovered a new way to drive chemical reactions that could generate a wide variety of compounds with desirable pharmaceutical properties.

Jun 27, 2024 in Chemistry
Phys.org / Simulating blood flow dynamics for improved nanoparticle drug delivery

Despite gaining a bad rap in mainstream media in recent years, nanoparticles have been successfully used for decades in targeted drug delivery systems. Drug molecules can be encapsulated within biodegradable nanoparticles ...

Jun 27, 2024 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / Under pressure: How comb jellies have adapted to life at the bottom of the ocean

The bottom of the ocean is not hospitable. There is no light; the temperature is freezing cold; and the pressure of all the water above will literally crush you. The animals that live at this depth have developed biophysical ...

Jun 27, 2024 in Biology
Phys.org / Alphabet soup: NASA's GOLD mission finds surprising C, X shapes in atmosphere

Who knew Earth's upper atmosphere was like alphabet soup? NASA's Global-scale Observations of the Limb and Disk (GOLD) mission has revealed unexpected C- and X-shaped formations in an electrified layer of gas high above our ...

Jun 27, 2024 in Earth
Phys.org / The worm has turned: DIY lab platform evaluates new molecules in minutes

Plants are powerhouses of molecular manufacturing. Over the eons, they have evolved to produce a plethora of small molecules—some are beneficial and valuable to humans, while others can be deadly. For years, a good way ...

Jun 27, 2024 in Biology
Phys.org / Researchers propose a new, holistic way to teach synthetic biology

The field of synthetic biology, the science of manipulating biology, has a lot of "cooks in the kitchen," which has both helped it flourish and made it unusually difficult to create a cohesive, consistent curriculum for students ...

Jun 27, 2024 in Biology
Phys.org / Clean Water Act leaves about 55% of water flowing out of rivers vulnerable to pollution, study suggests

The Supreme Court ruled in 2023 that rivers that only flow in response to weather events—called ephemeral streams—do not fall under the protection of the Clean Water Act. Research published in the journal Science, led ...

Jun 27, 2024 in Earth
Phys.org / Predicting chronic wasting disease in counties could prevent spread

Wildlife experts have developed a regional computer model—and user-friendly app—that predicts counties in 16 states where wildlife managers should target their surveillance of chronic wasting disease in deer, helping ...

Jun 27, 2024 in Biology
Phys.org / Research team develops surfaces designed to discourage spread of resistant bacteria

Antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections are becoming a major societal challenge. To solve this problem, researchers are working on new drugs that kill bacteria without promoting resistance, and on new materials that prevent ...

Jun 27, 2024 in Biology