Phys.org news
Phys.org / AI gets water right: How a hydration shield helps proteins keep their shape
A study published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society reports that artificial intelligence can enhance protein stability in an unexpected way—by engineering the water around a protein, not just the protein itself. ...
Phys.org / Scientists discover 10 new species of Hawaiian moths
University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa researchers identified 10 new species and seven new groups (genera) of Hawaiian leaf-roller moths. While new species are frequently discovered, the description of a new genus of insects is ...
Phys.org / Tropical flowers are blooming weeks later than they used to through climate change
Climate change has caused some tropical plants to flower earlier or later than they used to; in some cases by a matter of weeks or even months, according to a study of 8,000 flowers across more than two centuries, published ...
Phys.org / E-waste chemicals are appearing in dolphins and porpoises
Liquid crystal monomers (LCMs) are critical components of laptop, television, and smartphone screens. Given their ubiquity in the environment, these compounds are considered persistent pollutants, posing threats to marine ...
Phys.org / Worming out the molecular secrets behind collective behavior
Studying social behavior is crucial for understanding how certain neuromodulatory pathways—like the serotonin pathway, which influences mood and social interactions—are regulated. Kavita Babu, Professor at the Centre ...
Phys.org / This mysterious protein punctures our cells—now researchers know how
The human body is a dynamic place. Blood pumps, spinal fluid flows, oxygen comes in and carbon dioxide goes out. Deeper still, charged molecules pass through cell walls, quietly keeping the body's systems in balance. A new ...
Phys.org / Bacterial pathogens build antibiotic-resistant 'bunkers' using filament scaffolds
Researchers have discovered and characterized at the atomic level a mechanism that enables bacterial pathogens—including hospital bacteria Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa—to assemble antibiotic-resistant ...
Phys.org / Viruses reveal shared way to kill bacteria by jamming small transporter MurJ
Biochemists at Caltech have identified how viruses have converged on a method for killing bacteria. The researchers have homed in on an underexplored small transporter called MurJ that is a vital part of the pathway bacteria ...
Phys.org / Celebrity dolphin of Venice doesn't need special protection—except from humans
Bottlenose dolphins usually live in small to medium-sized groups in coastal and open-sea waters, but every once in a while, a dolphin might leave its pod behind, flock to coastal areas and approach human settlements. While ...
Phys.org / Combination of wildfires and seismic lines may limit spread of non-native plants in Canada's boreal forest
A pair of disturbances common in Western Canada's boreal forests, when combined, may have an unexpected benefit of limiting the spread of non-native plant species, a University of Alberta study shows. The research gauged ...
Phys.org / Climate change could fragment habitat for monarch butterflies, disrupting mass migration
Suitable habitat for migrating monarch butterflies will shift southwards because of climate change, according to a study published in PLOS Climate by Francisco Botello and Carolina Ureta at the National Autonomous University ...
Phys.org / Thunderstorms conjure ghostly coronae in treetops, observed outdoors for the first time
For the first time, researchers have observed and measured weak electrical discharges, known as coronae, on trees during thunderstorms. A new study describes the near-invisible sparkles appearing similarly on branches of ...