Phys.org news

Phys.org / New self-assembling polymers proven to be effective at gene delivery

A collaboration of scientists at the University of Manchester and the University of Birmingham has explored a more effective and less toxic way of delivering genetic material into cells, a challenge central to areas such ...

Apr 27, 2026
Phys.org / More than two species? Scientists challenge taxonomy of two-toed sloths in Amazonia

A new study by scientists from the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (Leibniz-IZW) has revealed significant cryptic diversity within two-toed sloths (Choloepus) in Amazonia, challenging the long-established ...

Apr 27, 2026
Phys.org / Improving animal welfare in the lab: AI helps better detect pain

At first glance, the white plastic box with a bright orange floor looks like something for storing children's toys. However, the box isn't used to store Lego bricks; it contains real mice—with the aim of minimizing their ...

Apr 27, 2026
Phys.org / How bacteria circumvent plants' immune system

How are bacterial pathogens able to effectively overcome plants' defense mechanisms? Researchers working with Professor Şuayb Üstün at Ruhr University Bochum, Germany, have found a surprising answer to this question: The ...

Apr 27, 2026
Phys.org / Rare ribosome tweak in E. coli reveals possible antibiotic target

Storing genetic material as DNA or RNA is all well and good for life on Earth, but it would be entirely pointless if we couldn't do anything with it. To use our genetic blueprints, all organisms need to translate the message ...

Apr 27, 2026
Phys.org / Universal patterns emerge across 22 languages, mapping how vocabularies evolve

Human languages are known to have grown and changed considerably over the course of history, often reflecting technological, cultural, and societal shifts. Studying the evolution of languages can thus offer valuable insight ...

Apr 26, 2026
Phys.org / Deep under Antarctic ice, a long-predicted cosmic whisper finally breaks through in 13 strange bursts

A detector buried deep in Antarctic ice has captured the first experimental evidence of a predicted but never-before-seen phenomenon: radio pulses generated when high-energy cosmic rays slam into the ice sheet and trigger ...

Apr 26, 2026
Phys.org / Why did Clovis toolmakers choose difficult quartz crystal? New study offers clues

Quartz crystals are difficult to knap due to size, hardness, and crystalline structure, making them a "low-quality" raw material. However, the Clovis people of North America sometimes made points and other tools from this ...

Apr 26, 2026
Phys.org / Two blazing quasars caught waltzing into a merger

Astronomers, using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), have confirmed the existence of a close quasar pair housed in a pair of merging galaxies seen when the universe was less than a billion years old, ...

Apr 26, 2026
Phys.org / Can warning videos blunt misinformation? What a 12-country test found

The internet and social media platforms have given rise to a rising wave of misinformation, with many users now posting fake news, AI-generated photos or videos and other types of misleading content online. Over the past ...

Apr 26, 2026
Phys.org / This new tool makes AI's role in student writing visible

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) has transformed college writing. As paper drafts are increasingly co-written with AI, professors are left wondering not whether students are using AI, but how. A 2025 AI in Education ...

Apr 26, 2026
Phys.org / AI-enhanced microscopy produces crisp, real-time video inside live cells

Using artificial intelligence, engineers at the University of California San Diego have developed a new way to watch the inner workings of living cells in real time. The process both captures images that are twice as sharp ...

Apr 26, 2026