Phys.org news

Phys.org / Single-molecule method rapidly screens custom enzymes from vast mutant libraries

Enzymes are proteins that catalyze chemical reactions in living organisms. They are widely applied in industries such as food production, detergents, pharmaceuticals, and chemicals. However, for commercial use, natural enzymes ...

Apr 29, 2026
Phys.org / Molecular quantum nanosensors reveal temperature and radical signals inside living cells

Researchers at the National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology (QST), Japan, and The University of Tokyo, Japan, in collaboration with Kyushu University, Japan, have developed a new class of biocompatible molecular ...

Apr 29, 2026
Phys.org / Molecular probe upgrade could make off-target drug effects easier to measure

A UCLA-led international research collaboration has unveiled a new technology that may help scientists better understand how small molecules, including many drugs, bind to proteins. The invention works with an existing lab ...

Apr 29, 2026
Phys.org / Ancient farming clues may finally expose where humanity's most important wheat first emerged

The exact origin of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) is still a mystery, but researchers believe they are edging closer to the source of one of the most important food staples worldwide. Using genetic studies and ancient plant ...

Apr 28, 2026
Phys.org / Invisible fertility crisis: Chemicals and climate change threaten reproduction across species

The rise in infertility is not limited to humans, as environmental stressors are quietly undermining the reproductive potential of different forms of life. A recent review published in npj Emerging Contaminants investigated ...

Apr 28, 2026
Phys.org / ALMA reveals giant molecular clouds across Needle galaxy's full disk

An international team of astronomers has employed the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) to perform high-resolution observations of the Needle galaxy. Results of the new observational campaign, presented ...

Apr 28, 2026
Phys.org / AI slashes the time needed to design better heat-harvesting devices

From wearable technology to industrial heat recovery, thermoelectric generators which convert waste heat into electricity have an enormous range of potential applications. So far, however, designing high-performing versions ...

Apr 28, 2026
Phys.org / For decades, this bias test looked inside minds—now its biggest blind spot is coming into focus

People are known to implicitly create connections between different things or ideas in their mind, some of which can influence how they perceive others, themselves and the world at large. These implicit biases have been widely ...

Apr 28, 2026
Phys.org / Soil fertilization with Amazonian dark earth increases tree diameter by up to 88%

A study conducted in the Brazilian state of Amazonas has demonstrated that small amounts of Amazonian dark earth (ADE)—an anthropogenic soil created by ancient Amazonian populations—can increase the height and diameter of ...

Apr 28, 2026
Phys.org / Atlantic Forest's top predator faces a hidden collapse, and protected areas are no longer enough

In addition to habitat loss and illegal hunting, the jaguar (Panthera onca) faces another threat that increases its risk of extinction in the South American Atlantic Forest: food scarcity. A study by Brazilian researchers ...

Apr 28, 2026
Phys.org / Astronomers release massive set of 'virtual universes' for global research

Understanding the universe as a whole requires simulations on cosmic scales. An international team of astrophysicists, with a leading role for researchers at Leiden University, Netherlands, has now released one of the largest ...

Apr 28, 2026
Phys.org / How hard-surface feeding unlocked a burst of reef fish evolution 50 million years ago

Why are there so many species of coral reef fish? According to a new study, it's because about 50 million years ago, some fish figured out how to bite food from hard surfaces.

Apr 28, 2026