Phys.org news

Phys.org / First direct view tracks planet-forming disk spinning around AB Aurigae

The rotation of a protoplanetary disk (a disk where planets are being formed) has been observed directly for the very first time by mapping the emissions from the dust grains within it. The disk in question surrounds the ...

17 hours ago
Phys.org / RNA 'cut-and-patch' tool repairs faulty messages without altering DNA

A research team from the School of Biomedical Sciences at the LKS Faculty of Medicine, the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed), has achieved a significant advance in biotechnology that could revolutionize treatment strategies ...

12 hours ago
Phys.org / Low-cost method uncovers conical intersections that steer light-driven molecular reactions

Conical intersections are crucial molecular switching points in light-driven reactions, but accurately predicting them usually requires computations. A researcher from Shibaura Institute of Technology has developed a new ...

11 hours ago
Phys.org / Matter may entangle with light far more easily near quantum critical points

Quantum entanglement is a state in which particles are entwined with each other. In this entwined state, the properties of one particle influence the other, even when they aren't physically close to each other. This phenomenon ...

14 hours ago
Phys.org / Eight metabolic niches reveal how ocean microbes recycle carbon worldwide

The ocean is full of invisible workers. Trillions of microbes quietly break down carbon-containing organic matter, which helps to regulate Earth's climate. But scientists have long struggled to understand how different microbes ...

13 hours ago
Phys.org / The Y chromosome is home to surprising jumping genes

The humble Y chromosome may be the smallest chromosome in the mammalian genome (and getting even smaller), but it is mighty: Genes on the Y chromosome are critical for fertility in males. In a new study in the journal Current ...

12 hours ago
Dialog / Bridged or not? Scientists uncover a key step in hydrogenase assembly

How does nature build one of the most sophisticated catalytic metal centers found in biology? An international team of researchers has now resolved a long-standing debate surrounding the assembly of the active site of [FeFe]-hydrogenases—enzymes ...

12 hours ago
Phys.org / Fast-moving droplets synthesize key drug compounds at room temperature, no catalysts needed

Chemical reactions are the backbone to nearly all biological processes, including those used to make new medicines. However, these reactions can often take considerable time and require harsh conditions or materials—potentially ...

12 hours ago
Phys.org / Living brain gene activity revealed noninvasively through programmable blood test

Cell function is determined by how DNA is expressed into proteins. That process includes two main steps—transcription, when messenger RNA (mRNA) makes copies of active genes; and translation, when mRNA guides protein assembly.

12 hours ago
Phys.org / Understanding how things connect helps people invent, 1,200-player experiment suggests

Our capacity for innovation, rather than being the work of random variation, is based on an intrinsic understanding of how the world works, claim Karolinska Institutet and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam researchers in a new ...

13 hours ago
Phys.org / From hybrids to 'virgin birth,' stick insects reveal stepwise loss of sex

The evolution of sex remains one of biology's greatest puzzles. While sexual reproduction dominates across the animal kingdom, scientists still debate why it persists despite its high costs. Even more mysterious is the loss ...

14 hours ago
Phys.org / Microbes turn biodiesel byproduct into three nylon building blocks, opening greener route

Nylon is a representative plastic material used throughout our daily lives, from clothing to automobiles. However, most of its raw materials have been produced through petrochemical processes, resulting in large carbon emissions. ...

13 hours ago