Phys.org news

Phys.org / Platelet-inspired nanoparticles can boost brain-computer interface electrode performance

Scientists working to enhance brain-computer interface (BCI) technology—which allows people to control devices with their thoughts—have found they can improve the performance of electrodes implanted in the brain by targeted ...

Dec 9, 2025 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / Melatonin wakes up plants, stimulating growth and boosting stress tolerance

In an interesting turn of botanical events, University of Houston engineers report that while melatonin keeps us asleep, it wakes up plants, helping them grow.

Dec 9, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Simplified lab process produces potent nerve-blocking molecules found in shellfish

Chemists have long been fascinated and frustrated by saxitoxin: a molecule that causes temporary paralysis by blocking the electrical signals that nerve cells (neurons) use to activate muscle, and which accumulates in shellfish ...

Dec 9, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Connections between coral reefs boost their health

Coral reefs may seem like paradise, but they are being degraded by a range of global and local factors, including climate change, poor water quality, and overfishing. New research reveals that connections between reefs help ...

Dec 9, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Triturus newts reveal a genetic balancing act

An evolutionary "trap" has haunted crested and marbled newts for 25 million years: Leiden researchers have uncovered a mysterious DNA error that should not be able to arise—yet persists all the same. How is that possible? ...

Dec 9, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Viruses help drive carbon cycling in deep-sea ecosystems, study reveals

A research team led by Prof. Sun Chaomin from the Institute of Oceanology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IOCAS) has unveiled the crucial role of viruses in deep-sea carbon cycling and microbial community structure. Their ...

Dec 9, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Observations link solar flare pulsations to repeated magnetic reconnection

A new study led by Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) links quasi-periodic pulsations (QPPs) in solar flares to dynamic oscillations in magnetic reconnection, a phenomenon that can drive space weather and affect technology ...

Dec 9, 2025 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Trust in science is low among minorities for a reason, research finds

The COVID-19 pandemic prompted a nationwide conversation in the U.S. about how much people trust scientists and trained medical professionals. But for some communities, distrust has been the norm.

Dec 9, 2025 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Microneedle system delivers biofertilizer directly into plants, boosting growth with less waste

Researchers at the National University of Singapore (NUS) have developed dissolving microneedle patches that deliver living "biofertilizer" straight into plant tissue. In greenhouse tests, Choy Sum and Kale grew faster—by ...

Dec 9, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Mosquito vectors of malaria rapidly develop resistance against new generation insecticides, study finds

More than half a million people, the vast majority being children under the age of 5, die annually due to malaria, with Sub-Saharan Africa as the most highly burdened region. Mosquitoes belonging to the genus Anopheles carry ...

Dec 9, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / The twisted nanotubes that tell a story: Geometry-based approach can transmit magnon-based data

In collaboration with scientists in Germany, EPFL researchers have demonstrated that the spiral geometry of tiny, twisted magnetic tubes can be leveraged to transmit data based on quasiparticles called magnons, rather than ...

Dec 9, 2025 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / 2025 on track to tie second hottest year on record: EU monitor

The planet is on track to log its second hottest year on record in 2025, tied with 2023 after a historic high in 2024, Europe's global warming monitor said Tuesday.

Dec 9, 2025 in Earth