Phys.org news
Phys.org / Epigenetic changes can be inherited without changing DNA in animals
Typically, the information encoded in DNA allows organisms to develop, function, and pass traits across generations. Yet DNA alone does not explain how genes are switched on and off in different cells and environments. This ...
Phys.org / Lunar orbiter concept could reveal five key elements across moon in two years
Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have used simulations to show that a newly developed, compact X-ray telescope could be used to map the chemical composition of the entire lunar surface, a vital breakthrough ...
Phys.org / How gene swapping helped build the planet's decomposers
Decomposers are crucial for keeping Earth habitable, breaking down dead biomass and returning key nutrients, such as carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus, to the ecosystem. Most decomposers, including fungi, survive through osmotrophy—a ...
Phys.org / Terahertz biophotonics: Understanding the path towards practical applications for biological imaging
Biophotonics is a multidisciplinary field that involves the development and application of light-based technologies to study, monitor and treat biological systems. The ability to directly image cells and molecules has led ...
Phys.org / Machine learning uncovers 1,750 quakes tracing 250-kilometer edge of Alaska microplate
Thousands of small earthquakes, detected for the first time by a machine-learning process, reveal the distinct, razor-sharp edge of the Yakutat microplate as it subducts beneath the North American plate.
Phys.org / Continuous stirring made early life-like RNA systems more extinction-prone, experiment shows
Recent research showed that an artificially constructed self-replicating RNA system modeling primitive life at the origin of life evolved to become more prone to extinction under certain experimental conditions.
Phys.org / 'Flawless on the outside, flipped within': Detecting hidden defects in 2D dielectrics with light
A material may appear flawless on the surface yet fail to function properly. The cause lies in structural defects hidden within two-dimensional thin films, which are considered key materials for next-generation semiconductor ...
Phys.org / Hidden protein switch controls photosynthesis as light conditions change
Scientists have discovered a previously unknown regulatory mechanism in plant photosynthesis in the unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. It helps plants adapt to changes in light conditions. The results, published ...
Phys.org / Infrastructure for African mines destroying forests at 34 times the rate of the mines themselves
Industrial-scale mining in Africa to support global supply chains is leading to unprecedented deforestation across the continent, with 34 hectares of forest removed for every single hectare of active mine site.
Phys.org / Predictive surrogates could cut quantum computing measurement overhead by more than 99.97%
Quantum computers, systems that process information leveraging quantum mechanical effects, have the potential of outperforming classical computers on some tasks. Despite their potential, the use of these systems remains very ...
Phys.org / Volcanic eruptions linked to rising famine risk across China's history
Large volcanic eruptions may have played a bigger role in triggering historical famines across China than previously understood, according to a new study that traced links between eruptions, climate disruption, and food shortages ...
Phys.org / MUSE maps spiral galaxy W2246f, uncovering old core and ongoing star formation across disk
Astronomers have employed the Multi-Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE) on the Very Large Telescope (VLT) to perform deep spectroscopic observations of a peculiar spiral galaxy known as W2246f. Results of the observational ...
