Phys.org news

Phys.org / The evolutionary secret of the California poppy's alkaloids

Characteristic features of plants, such as their active ingredients or flower color, may have developed through very different evolutionary histories. This is shown by an international study on the orange-flowering California ...

Mar 23, 2026
Phys.org / New findings on the first steps in protein synthesis

In the earliest phase of creating human proteins, the protein complex NAC performs an essential task by starting the first steps toward folding proteins into their correct three-dimensional structures. An international research ...

Mar 23, 2026
Phys.org / Hubble revisits Crab Nebula to track 25 years of expansion

Nearly a millennium ago, astronomers witnessed a brilliant new star blazing in the sky—a supernova so bright it was visible in daylight for weeks. Today, its expanding remnant, the Crab Nebula, continues to evolve 6,500 light-years ...

Mar 23, 2026
Phys.org / Astronomers discover 87 stellar stream candidates in the Milky Way

Stellar streams are trails of stars that astronomers can study to solve mysteries about the history of our Milky Way galaxy and, potentially, the dark matter that helps shape the cosmos despite eluding direct observation. ...

Mar 23, 2026
Phys.org / Shift in key cosmic inflation measurement could be a statistical artifact

For the last few decades, researchers have been studying what the universe looked like in its first seconds. It is generally accepted that the universe expanded exponentially in the first fraction of a second after the Big ...

Mar 23, 2026
Phys.org / The 'silent takeover': Invasive bees are reshaping Chile's unique pollination networks

Biological invasions are a major driver of biodiversity loss and invasive pollinators can reshape native plant-pollinator networks. A new study published in the journal NeoBiota reveals that invasive pollinators are fundamentally ...

Mar 23, 2026
Phys.org / Unlocking longevity insights from ancient bristlecone pine

What can the world's longest living individual teach us about longevity? A team of scientists coordinated by the University of California, Davis, sequenced the Great Basin bristlecone pine genome, which could help unlock ...

Mar 23, 2026
Phys.org / 'Space archaeology' reveals first dynamic history of a giant spiral galaxy

A team of astronomers led by the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard and Smithsonian have for the first time used galactic archaeology, the study of detailed chemical fingerprints in deep space, to trace the history of a galaxy ...

Mar 23, 2026
Phys.org / Gran Dolina site at Atapuerca reveals almost exclusive use of local chert 400,000 years ago

A paper published in the journal Quaternary International reveals a distinctive technological behavior at level TD10.2-BB of Gran Dolina (Atapuerca, Burgos), characterized by the almost exclusive use of local chert and linked ...

Mar 23, 2026
Phys.org / Electric current stabilizes spins at unstable points for new types of computing

A research team has discovered a new way to control tiny magnetic properties inside materials using electric current, which could possibly pave the way for new types of computing technologies. The work is based on spintronics, ...

Mar 23, 2026
Phys.org / First quantum oscillations observed in gallium nitride holes

Gallium nitride, a semiconductor that can operate at high voltages, temperatures, and frequencies, has enabled technologies from LED lighting to high-power electronics. Now Cornell researchers have observed a quantum property ...

Mar 23, 2026
Phys.org / Wildflower folk remedy shows modern potential for tackling antibiotic resistance

Scientists have proven that a wildflower steeped in folklore for its medicinal powers has genuine healing qualities—and the potential to help combat antibiotic resistance. Tormentil, a yellow wildflower found in heath and ...

Mar 23, 2026