Phys.org news
Phys.org / Light flips bacterial signaling enzyme between two shapes, unlocking how signals travel
Researchers at the University of Bayreuth and Forschungszentrum Jülich have demonstrated that specific light-sensitive enzymes—so-called sensor histidine kinases (SHKs)—transmit their signal through a light-controlled change ...
Phys.org / Plant DNA harbors virus 'fossils' that reflect 300 million years of evolution
Is it possible to study the history of viruses that emerged several hundred million years ago? An international team of INRAE and CIRAD researchers answered this question by exploring plant genomes to find the molecular fossils ...
Phys.org / Hunting behavior drives the evolution of spider eye arrangements, study finds
Vision shapes how many animals find food, avoid danger and navigate their world. In animals with two eyes, eye placement is often linked to lifestyle: predators such as lions tend to have forward-facing eyes that help them ...
Phys.org / A holoparasitic plant replaces its own genes with host DNA to survive
All living organisms are known to inherit genes, DNA sequences that contain instructions for producing specific proteins and performing biological functions, from their parents. In some cases, however, genes can also shift ...
Phys.org / Microtubules in ovarian cell bridges may be key to fertility
Female fertility depends on the successful growth and maturation of eggs (oocytes) within ovarian follicles. Within these follicles, the oocyte is surrounded by granulosa cells that supply nutrients, signaling molecules and ...
Phys.org / Scientists uncover why Antarctica became engulfed by ice millions of years before the Arctic
Scientists have uncovered why Antarctica became engulfed by ice millions of years before the Arctic. The international research, published in Science, helps solve one of climate science's longest-standing puzzles: how a vast ...
Phys.org / Quantum properties of multimode light observed despite extreme losses
Quantum properties of light are extremely delicate. When researchers attempt to measure them, even small losses on the way to a detector can make them invisible, limiting their use outside carefully controlled environments. ...
Phys.org / Dynamic black holes may obey Hawking-style thermodynamics with an alternative entropy measure
Of the known things in the universe, black holes are among the most extreme. They pack huge amounts of mass densely into a small area, producing gravity that is so strong that even light cannot escape. To describe their properties, ...
Phys.org / How giant tropical trees transport water 70 meters to stay as drought-resilient as smaller trees
The giant trees of tropical forests are important allies in the fight against climate change because of their ability to store carbon, yet they are still poorly understood by science. However, a study published in the journal ...
Phys.org / A WRAP for biology's greasiest problem
Embedded in the boundary between the inside and outside of each cell are membrane proteins. They act as first responders by sensing signals, regulating which molecules enter and leave the cell, and enabling cells to quickly ...
Phys.org / Swimming crab trapped in plastic bottle survives two months at sea
How did a large crab end up trapped inside a plastic bottle with an opening smaller than its body? Hiroshima University researchers investigated this unusual marine mystery, revealing a lesser-known impact of marine plastic ...
Phys.org / MOF thin films reveal hidden dense packing, challenging decades of porous assumptions
Due to their high porosity, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are regarded as promising materials for innovative applications, which is why the Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded in 2025 for their discovery. They are used, ...
