Phys.org news

Phys.org / AI‑designed gene‑editing enzymes expand the CRISPR toolbox

Scientists have made many advances using traditional CRISPR technology, especially in medicine, but they are now seeking ways to create genuinely new gene-editing enzymes with properties that have not already evolved naturally. ...

Jul 17, 2026
Phys.org / River bacteria consume methane but fall short as global warming boosts emissions

Alberto Borges, oceanographer at the University of Liège, has conducted a comparative study in Belgium and Africa on the microbial oxidation of methane in rivers, a natural process in which certain bacteria consume this powerful ...

Jul 17, 2026
Phys.org / Tooth enamel reveals the origins of African slaves buried on St Helena

In the mid-19th century, the remote island of St. Helena, located about 1,200 miles (1,900 kilometers) off the southwestern coast of Africa, became a receiving point for thousands of enslaved Africans rescued from illegal ...

Jul 17, 2026
Phys.org / A scheme to verify gates of a quantum computer without examining devices

Quantum computers, systems that process information using the principles of quantum mechanics, could solve some problems that cannot be tackled by the classical computers currently used worldwide. Despite their potential, ...

Jul 17, 2026
Phys.org / A source of extremely high-energy particles in the Milky Way identified

Cosmic rays are made primarily of protons with a few electrons sprinkled in, and they can reach energies even higher than what human-made accelerators can produce. Considering human-made accelerators, such as the Large Hadron ...

Jul 17, 2026
Phys.org / Reptile fossil found in Brazil helps shed light on the common origins of dinosaurs and crocodiles

Long before dinosaurs ruled the continents and modern crocodiles first appeared, their ancestors were already going through a decisive phase in their evolutionary history. It was in this ancient world, shortly after the greatest ...

Jul 17, 2026
Phys.org / Underwater oxygen loss threatens earth's stability, researchers warn

A new review in Limnology and Oceanography led by scientists at UC San Diego's Scripps Institution of Oceanography warns that the rapid loss of oxygen from the ocean and other aquatic ecosystems is pushing Earth toward an ...

Jul 17, 2026
Phys.org / New optical chip design controls light speed in real time, simulations suggest

Seoul National University College of Engineering announced that a joint research team led by Professor Namkyoo Park and Professor Sunkyu Yu of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at SNU, in collaboration ...

Jul 17, 2026
Phys.org / Researchers identify class of 'oddball' meteorite that killed the dinosaurs

A rare CO chondrite meteorite was the probable impacter that struck Earth 66 million years ago, wiping out 75% of Earth's species, including nonavian dinosaurs. These findings are published in Science Advances. Researchers ...

Jul 17, 2026
Phys.org / Aboriginal people harvested this native grass for millennia: Scientists find an odd trait in its DNA

Seen from the air, Channel Country resembles a vibrant, vast tapestry, with a network of waterways crisscrossing the land. Spread across more than 280,000 square kilometers (108,000 square miles) in outback Australia, it ...

Jul 17, 2026
Phys.org / Amazon soy pact collapse could add 1.4 million hectares of deforestation by 2036

The collapse of a landmark Amazon soy pact will drive at least 1.4 million hectares (3.5 million acres) of extra deforestation in Brazil over the next decade, releasing carbon emissions equal to Canada's annual output, according ...

Jul 17, 2026
Phys.org / Wild snapdragons paint themselves in subtle shades to attract bees

Just as careful blending of eye shadow can make a difference to our looks, a recent study has shown how flowers go to considerable trouble to fine-tune their shades. In the relentless competition to attract bees, a slight ...

Jul 17, 2026