Phys.org news

Phys.org / A painting signed 'L daVinci': Analysis reveals Renaissance pigments and later alterations

Researchers at Uppsala University have analyzed the color pigments in a historical painting signed "L daVinci." Most of the pigments are consistent with materials used during the Renaissance, while a more recent pigment appears ...

Sep 14, 2026
Phys.org / Radiation-tolerant rotifers rebuild broken chromosomes over successive generations

DNA repair mechanisms are essential for maintaining the integrity of our genome. When they malfunction, they can cause disease or contribute to the development of cancer. Nature, however, offers remarkable examples of organisms ...

Sep 14, 2026
Phys.org / Peptide position determines whether gold nanoparticles branch or stay spherical

The position of biomineralization peptides within liposomes can influence how gold nanoparticles grow, reports a research team from the Institute of Science Tokyo. Peptides localized at the membrane interface promote branched ...

Sep 14, 2026
Phys.org / Cancer-linked protein binds to chromosome in unexpected way, study finds

A new 3D structure of a cancer-linked protein bound to its cellular partner reveals details of how the protein binds to chromosomes and could offer insights for future disease treatments. The protein—BRD4—plays a critical ...

Sep 14, 2026
Phys.org / Chocolate's new climate threat: Too much rain

Cocoa farmers in West Africa cannot stop intense downpours from damaging their crops. But they may be able to anticipate the risk and prepare, protecting both their livelihoods and their plants, the source of one of the world's ...

Sep 14, 2026
Phys.org / Anger, hope and compassion do little to spur more climate donations

Emotional mechanisms are frequently used to inspire good environmental behavior. But how effective are they at inspiring actual sustainable change? Perhaps not as much as previously believed, according to a new study that ...

Sep 14, 2026
Phys.org / Structural study explains how cells stabilize protective membrane pockets

Our cells' membranes have many functions. They not only provide mechanical protection but also precisely control which substances enter or leave cells. If they fail to perform these tasks, disease can result. Their structure ...

Sep 14, 2026
Phys.org / How can countries prevent shocks and disasters from turning into food crises? Analysis points to resilience measures

Floods, wildfires, conflicts, earthquakes, economic shocks, hurricanes or epidemics: These unexpected and often dramatic events affect people's lives and jobs, destroy crops, wipe out livestock and stored food, contaminate ...

Sep 14, 2026
Phys.org / Evolutionary home advantage: Field experiment reveals adaptation to be surprisingly local

A research team from the University of Bern has shown in a large-scale field experiment that populations of the same fish species can be much more fine-tuned to their local environments than previously thought. Habitats that ...

Sep 14, 2026
Phys.org / Pollinators keep a later calendar in human-modified landscapes, study finds

Human development may be changing more than where pollinators live—it may also be changing when they are active. University of Florida researchers at the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) have found that ...

Sep 14, 2026
Phys.org / Mosquito 'toilet' detects West Nile and first Hedwig-like virus found in the Americas

When public health researchers want to know whether diseases such as COVID-19 or polio are circulating in a community, they can look for genetic evidence in wastewater.

Sep 14, 2026
Phys.org / Common wastewater pollutant turns male minnows into poorer parents and fiercer rivals

A team of researchers has found that a common wastewater pollutant turned male fathead minnows into worse fathers and fiercer rivals, revealing ecological impacts that laboratory studies missed.

Sep 14, 2026