Phys.org news

Phys.org / Quantum-level effects in biology: Weak magnetic fields and isotopes can alter cell protein structures

A novel method to manipulate the inner structure of cells connects several scientific fields and could represent a significant step in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. ...

8 hours ago in Biology
Phys.org / Homes in the fire zone: Why wildland-urban blazes create significantly more air pollution

A research team led by the U.S. National Science Foundation National Center for Atmospheric Research (NSF NCAR) has published a foundational inventory of emissions produced by structures destroyed by fires in the wildland-urban ...

6 hours ago in Earth
Phys.org / Hubble identifies a near-invisible galaxy that may be 99% dark matter

In the vast tapestry of the universe, most galaxies shine brightly across cosmic time and space. Yet a rare class of galaxies remains nearly invisible—low-surface-brightness galaxies dominated by dark matter and containing ...

8 hours ago in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Simplifying quantum simulations—symmetry can cut computational effort by several orders of magnitude

Quantum computer research is advancing at a rapid pace. Today's devices, however, still have significant limitations: For example, the length of a quantum computation is severely limited—that is, the number of possible ...

7 hours ago in Physics
Phys.org / Ultrasound-jiggled nanobubbles can crack cancer's collagen 'fortress'

Researchers at Case Western Reserve University have discovered a way to breach one of cancer's most stubborn defenses: the impenetrable fortress that solid tumors build around themselves.

7 hours ago in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / Turtles' brains shed light on evolutionary developments dating back hundreds of millions of years

A new study from the School of Neurobiology, Biochemistry, and Biophysics reveals a surprising insight into the operation of the ancestral brain: the visual cortex of turtles is capable of detecting unexpected visual stimuli ...

8 hours ago in Biology
Phys.org / Mantle plume vs. plate tectonics: Basalt cores reshape the North Atlantic breakup debate

About 56 million years ago, Europe and North America began pulling apart to form what became the ever-expanding North Atlantic Ocean. Vast amounts of molten rock from Earth's mantle reached the ocean floor as the crust stretched ...

9 hours ago in Earth
Phys.org / Simulations map how single-crystal battery materials could boost cycle life

The performance of rechargeable batteries is governed by processes deep within their components. A fundamental understanding of electrochemistry, structure–property–performance relationships and the effects of processing ...

8 hours ago in Chemistry
Phys.org / New study identifies sequence of critical thresholds for Antarctic ice basins

The Antarctic ice sheet does not behave as one single tipping element, but as a set of interacting basins with different critical thresholds. This is the finding of a new study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact ...

9 hours ago in Earth
Phys.org / Trapping a single protein in a molecular cage: A new path to drug discovery for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Proteins often function in pairs or groups, concealing their internal connection points and making it difficult for scientists to study their individual units without altering their natural structure. In a study published ...

9 hours ago in Chemistry
Phys.org / Rewriting our understanding of early hominin dispersal from Africa to Eurasia

What if Homo erectus (H. erectus), the direct ancestor of modern humans, arrived in China much earlier than we thought? Research published in Science Advances may rewrite our understanding of early human dispersal in that ...

9 hours ago in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Chiral myosin steers actin into stable rotating rings without a template, study finds

Living cells are highly organized, yet they are not assembled using rigid blueprints or by following a predetermined plan. Instead, order emerges on its own from countless interactions between molecules that are constantly ...

8 hours ago in Biology