Phys.org news
Phys.org / One gene makes the difference: Breeding winter-hardy faba beans
An international research team involving the IPK Leibniz Institute has discovered a small yet significant genetic difference in faba beans. Whether a plant survives the winter or can only be grown in spring hinges on a single ...
Phys.org / A new model defines an upper limit to planetary radiation belt intensity
We all know that stars radiate light and much more. But radiation belts can also surround many other celestial bodies, such as planets. These belts do not generate particles themselves—the belts receive them from nearby ...
Phys.org / Gnaw-y by nature: Researchers discover neural circuit that rewards gnawing behavior in rodents
Researchers at the University of Michigan have discovered that the constant gnawing of rodents isn't just a reflex or a consequence of a tough diet. It also triggers a release of dopamine in the brain—which acts as a biochemical ...
Phys.org / First absolute dating of Paleolithic paintings in the Dordogne
A research team led by a CNRS researcher has for the first time accurately determined the age of the cave paintings at Font-de-Gaume (Les Eyzies) in Dordogne (southwestern France), according to a study published on March ...
Phys.org / AI-enabled quantum refinement cracks the code of difficult-to-map proteins
Using a tool to solve a protein's structure, for most researchers in the world of structural biology and computational chemistry, is not unlike using the Rosetta Stone to unlock the secrets of ancient Egyptian texts. Once ...
Phys.org / Where wells run deep, biodiversity runs thin
As the United States continues to lead global oil and gas production—accounting for roughly 20% of worldwide output in 2024—understanding how different extraction methods affect ecosystems has never been more urgent. ...
Phys.org / Could ultrasound help save hedgehogs?
Researchers at the University of Oxford have suggested that ultrasound-repellers could help reduce hedgehog deaths caused by cars. The proposal is based on new findings, published in Biology Letters, which demonstrate for ...
Phys.org / Student serves up fresh solutions to the pancake problem
David Cutler is in the spotlight for his work on a tasty-sounding mathematics problem. In January, the New York Times featured a research paper authored by Cutler and Neil Sloane, the founder of The On-line Encyclopedia of ...
Phys.org / Bacteria have a secret engineering trick to keep themselves in shape
Blow up a long balloon and two things happen: it gets longer and it gets wider. Now imagine a living cell that inflates itself under enormous pressure and yet only grows longer, never adding width. That is exactly what rod-shaped ...
Phys.org / Why lethal mutations persist: Fruit fly study points to newly transferred jumping genes, not small DNA errors
Most lethal mutations in wild fruit flies are driven by newly transferred jumping genes, not small DNA errors, according to a new study from Duke University. The findings, published in PLOS Biology, challenge decades of assumptions ...
Phys.org / Ancient stone jars shows how tree cover shapes freshwater ecosystems over millennia
Researchers at McGill University used 2,000-year-old stone jars in Laos to observe long-term ecological processes, enhancing understanding of how strongly tree cover shapes small freshwater ecosystems. Their findings stand ...
Phys.org / Ultrafast computing: Light-driven logic tops 10 terahertz in WS₂
The future for our computers will literally be at the speed of light. Extremely short light pulses can perform ultrafast logical operations: these are the findings of a study recently published in the journal Nature Photonics. ...
