Phys.org news

Phys.org / Water's enigmatic surface: X-ray snapshots reveal atoms and molecules at work

Water is all around us, yet its surface layer—home to chemical reactions that shape life on Earth—is surprisingly hard to study. Experiments at SLAC's X-ray laser are bringing it into focus.

Dec 12, 2025 in Physics
Phys.org / Feedback loops from oil fields accelerate Arctic warming and other atmospheric changes, study shows

The climate is changing and nowhere is it changing faster than at Earth's poles. Researchers at Penn State have painted a comprehensive picture of the chemical processes taking place in the Arctic and found that there are ...

Dec 12, 2025 in Earth
Phys.org / A healthier sugar substitute: Engineered bacteria yield a sweet solution

From saccharin in the 19th century to stevia and monk fruit in the 21st, researchers and the food industry have long sought a sweetener that delivers the taste of sugar without its drawbacks—excess calories, tooth decay, ...

Dec 12, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Plant hormone allows lifelong control of proteins in living animal for first time

Researchers have found a way to control protein levels inside different tissues of a whole, living animal for the first time. The method lets scientists dial protein levels up or down with great precision during the animal's ...

Dec 12, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Rare-earth europium substitution allows for more control over CO₂-to-fuel conversion

The electrochemical CO2 (carbon dioxide) reduction reaction takes harmful pollutants and transforms them into valuable products like fuel. However, selectively tailoring various processes in this reaction to successfully ...

Dec 12, 2025 in Chemistry
Phys.org / Femtosecond lasers push the limits of nanostructures for thermal engineering

Femtosecond laser-induced periodic surface structures can be used to control thermal conductivity in thin film solids, report researchers from Japan. Their innovative method, which leverages high-speed laser ablation, produces ...

Dec 12, 2025 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / Glycitein biosynthetic pathway sheds light on soybean disease resistance

Researchers from the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) have uncovered the long-elusive biosynthetic pathway of glycitein, a key soybean isoflavonoid. They also reveal ...

Dec 12, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Laughing about science more important than ever: Ig Nobel founder

With science increasingly coming under attack, using humor as a way to get people interested in scientific research is more important than ever, the founder of the satirical Ig Nobel prizes said.

Dec 12, 2025 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Roundworms discovered in Great Salt Lake are new to science

Nematodes discovered in the Great Salt Lake belong to at least one species that is new to science, and possibly two. A University of Utah research team has published a new paper characterizing the tiny roundworm. The team ...

Dec 12, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Genomic study reveals how vascular plants adapt to aquatic environments

Aquatic plants are specialized evolutionary groups adapted to life in water. They play critical roles as food and medicinal supplies (e.g., lotus root and foxnut) and industrial raw materials (e.g., reeds), as well as in ...

Dec 12, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Pinpointing the glow of a single atom to advance quantum emitter engineering

Researchers have discovered how to design and place single-photon sources at the atomic scale inside ultrathin 2D materials, lighting the path for future quantum innovations.

Dec 12, 2025 in Physics
Phys.org / Sea reptile's tooth shows that mosasaurs could live in freshwater

Mosasaurs, giant marine reptiles that existed more than 66 million years ago, lived not only in the sea but also in rivers. This is shown by new research based on analyses of a mosasaur tooth found in North Dakota and believed ...

Dec 12, 2025 in Biology