Phys.org news
Phys.org / Limits of protein evolution could reshape ideas about early life
The number of known proteins is infinitely small in comparison to the universe of possible proteins, which could in theory be realized. Yet these known proteins are the only major training ground for future protein design. ...
Phys.org / Cells under stress: How a chemotherapy drug damages RNA
The integrity of DNA and RNA is essential for every cell. DNA contains the genetic information for proteins, while RNA serves as a working copy of individual genes and is required for the synthesis of proteins. Unlike DNA ...
Phys.org / Copper-loaded starch nanoparticles can target bacteria in microbial communities
Bacteria are a major cause of infections and death in hospital settings, due—in part—to the rising incidence of antibiotic resistance. In the United States, antibiotic-resistant bacteria are involved in more than 2 million ...
Phys.org / Location matters: How one fat molecule can help trigger both cell limbo and cell death
When cells experience enough chronic stress, they can stop dividing permanently. In this state of cellular limbo, known as replicative senescence, cells remain alive but no longer proliferate. Pinpointing the stressors that ...
Phys.org / No dyes, less cell stress: How mid-infrared ultrasound imaging tracks lipids live
A team at Helmholtz Munich and the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has developed a new microscopy technique that can distinguish lipid species in living cells—in particular cholesterol and sphingomyelin—and map them ...
Phys.org / A universal scheme can verify any quantum state
Quantum technologies, devices that can process, store, or detect information leveraging quantum mechanical effects, could outperform classical devices in some tasks or scenarios. Despite their potential, verifying that these ...
Phys.org / Embryo-like fossils from Southern China offer new clues about ancient life
Some of the most ancient fossils collected to date were traced back to the Ediacaran period. This is the time interval ranging from around 635 to 541 million years ago, shortly before the time when scientists predict that ...
Phys.org / Novel protocol reconstructs quantum states in large-scale experiments up to 96 qubits
Quantum computers, systems that process information leveraging quantum mechanical effects, could outperform classical computers on some computationally demanding tasks. Despite their potential, as the size of quantum computers ...
Phys.org / TESS discovers an Earth-sized planet orbiting nearby M-dwarf star
Using NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), an international team of astronomers has discovered an extrasolar planet orbiting TOI-4616—a nearby M-dwarf star. The newfound alien world, which received designation ...
Phys.org / Ancient Neanderthal genome reveals isolated, distinct populations
Neanderthals split into distinct regional groups that developed genetic differences far sooner than modern human populations typically did, according to a study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. ...
Phys.org / ZTF discovers a new mass-transferring brown dwarf binary system
Astronomers from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and elsewhere report the discovery of a binary system consisting of two brown dwarfs undergoing stable mass transfer. The detection of the system, designated ...
Phys.org / How graphene oxide kills bacteria while sparing human cells
Hygiene in everyday items that touch the body—such as clothing, masks, and toothbrushes—is critically important. The underlying principle of how graphene selectively eliminates only bacteria has now been revealed. In Advanced ...
