Phys.org news

Phys.org / New 'cloaking device' concept shields electronics from disruptive magnetic fields

University of Leicester engineers have unveiled a concept for a device designed to magnetically "cloak" sensitive components, making them invisible to detection.

Dec 19, 2025 in Physics
Phys.org / A molecular gatekeeper that controls protein synthesis

Researchers at ETH Zurich recently explained the role of a molecular complex that orchestrates the production of proteins in our cells. They now show that this complex also controls the processing of proteins that compact ...

Dec 19, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Ant societies rose by trading individual protection for collective power—the evolution of 'squishability'

Would you rather fight a horse-sized duck or 100 duck-sized horses? The famous question, though implausible, reflects a ubiquitous tradeoff between quantity and quality. Now, a study shows that this dilemma operates in biology ...

Dec 19, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Eifel volcanoes mapped in detail: Surprising new insights from Germany's largest seismological experiment

Several hundred volcanoes lie dormant beneath the Eifel in western Germany. They are typical examples of what is known as distributed volcanic fields. To better understand their formation and activity, researchers from the ...

Dec 19, 2025 in Earth
Phys.org / How ancient viral DNA shapes early embryonic development

A new study from the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences (LMS) in London, UK reveals how ancient viral DNA once written off as "junk" plays a crucial role in the earliest moments of life. The research, published in Science ...

Dec 19, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / A jolt to the system: Biophysicists uncover new electrical transmission in cells

Many biological processes are regulated by electricity—from nerve impulses to heartbeats to the movement of molecules in and out of cells.

Dec 19, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Why quantum computers have memory problems over time

A team of Australian and international scientists has, for the first time, created a full picture of how errors unfold over time inside a quantum computer—a breakthrough that could help make future quantum machines far ...

Dec 19, 2025 in Physics
Phys.org / Pressing pause: A small genetic stop may have helped complex life evolve

Humans have it. So does Drosophila. But not yeast. That "it" is a small pause at the start of gene activity—a brief molecular halt that may have helped life evolve from simple cells to complex animals.

Dec 19, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Westerly jet stream emerges as key driver of mid-latitude hydroclimatic extremes

In recent years, the global climate has become increasingly extreme, with intensifying alternations of droughts and floods—particularly in ecologically vulnerable mid-latitude regions. But what is driving this hydroclimatic ...

Dec 19, 2025 in Earth
Phys.org / The levers for a sustainable food system to combat global warming

A large-scale model study now shows how the global food system can contribute to the fight against global warming. It identifies 23 levers, calculates their effectiveness and concludes: a decisive transformation of this sector ...

Dec 19, 2025 in Earth
Phys.org / Exploring the connection between gene expression and aging

Northwestern Medicine scientists have discovered how molecular "traffic controllers" in cells influence aging and cellular senescence—a state where cells stop dividing but remain metabolically active. The study, published ...

Dec 19, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / How mountain building and climate change have shaped alpine biodiversity over 30 million years

In a study published in Science Advances on December 19, researchers from Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (XTBG) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, along with collaborators from international institutions, explored ...

Dec 19, 2025 in Biology