Phys.org news
Phys.org / AI model predicts chemical effects on gene expression, speeding drug discovery
Inside a diseased cell, the genes are in chaos. Some are receiving signals to overproduce a protein. Others are reducing activity to abnormal levels. Up is down and down is up. The right molecule could restore order, reversing ...
Dialog / What happens to cigarette butts after 10 years in the environment
Cigarette butts are the most common form of litter worldwide. Trillions are discarded every year in cities, parks, beaches, along railway tracks and roadside environments. Despite their small size, these remnants of smoked ...
Phys.org / How humans took over the planet: The role of cultural evolution
Humans really do rule the world. We took over fast and far, more than any other wild vertebrates. We inhabit nearly every corner of the world, and can thrive in deserts, tropical rainforests and even extremely cold climates. ...
Phys.org / Nest-building birds help disperse cotton further than wind, study suggests
Birds play a larger role in the dispersal of wild cotton than previously assumed. This is shown by a study in the journal Oikos, carried out in southern Africa. Researchers discovered that birds actively collect wild cotton ...
Phys.org / Ultrathin BiFeO₃ breaks the 30 nm limit, delivering fourfold stronger piezoelectricity
Piezoelectric materials, which convert mechanical stress into electricity and vice versa, are essential components in sensors, actuators, and energy-harvesting devices. However, the best piezoelectric materials, such as lead ...
Phys.org / Nanoengineered spintronic device can store data in four different ways
Over the past decades, electronics engineers have been trying to develop increasingly smaller devices that can store information reliably, even when they are not powered on. A promising type of non-volatile memory device ...
Phys.org / Proof-of-concept quantum battery shows faster charging as it gets larger
Australian scientists have made a significant leap forward in energy storage technology with the world's first proof-of-concept quantum battery. Similar to conventional batteries, this quantum version charges, stores and ...
Phys.org / Solar energy transforms polystyrene waste into valuable chemicals using sulfur
Turning waste into wealth may no longer be just a marketing slogan, as a team of researchers in China has found an eco-friendly way to do exactly that. The abundant sunlight our planet receives was put to use for transforming ...
Phys.org / Scientists discover new heavy proton-like particle at CERN
Scientists from the University of Manchester have played a leading role in the discovery of a new subatomic particle at CERN's Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The particle, known as the Ξcc⁺ (Xi‑cc‑plus), is a new type ...
Phys.org / Past intensive whaling threatens the future of bowhead whales
A unique collection of prehistoric bowhead whale bones, dating back 11,000 years, reveals a previously untold story of the relative impacts of humans on nature. The time series of ancient fossils show that commercial hunting ...
Phys.org / Bow and arrow arrived about 1,400 years ago across western North America, study finds
A study clarifies the date of an important technological milestone: the adoption of the bow and arrow in western North America. The replacement of older weapons by bows and arrows occurred independently in several prehistoric ...
Phys.org / From dust to planets: Parabolic flight reveal a turbulent path
How does fine dust aggregate into building blocks that ultimately form entire planets like our Earth? A research team led by the University of Bern, with the participation of ETH Zurich, the University of Zurich and the National ...