Phys.org news
Phys.org / Fungus 'rewires' maize plants, causing tumor-like growths by hijacking root formation process
When a maize plant is attacked by the fungus Ustilago maydis, tumor-like tissue growths occur at the site of infection. How the pathogen causes this response in its host has long been unknown. But a University of Bonn study ...
Phys.org / Warmer world weakens butterfly defenses against parasite infections—which have tripled since 2002
Higher temperatures may make monarch butterflies more vulnerable to parasites, according to new research from the University of Georgia. The work is published in the journal Ecological Entomology.
Phys.org / 'Atmospheric inversion' may help predict when a humid heat wave will break
A long stretch of humid heat followed by intense thunderstorms is a weather pattern historically seen mostly in and around the tropics. But climate change is making humid heat waves and extreme storms more common in traditionally ...
Phys.org / Salmonella rewires mitochondrial metabolite pipeline to disarm oxidative defenses
A National Taiwan University study reveals how intracellular bacteria co-opt mitochondrial transporters to evade immune defenses, suggesting that blocking this pathway could sensitize drug-resistant pathogens to host immunity.
Phys.org / Coral reef fish recovery could boost sustainable seafood servings by up to 50 percent
With a human population of 8.3 billion people worldwide and millions facing malnutrition, food security is something to think about. But imagine if the ocean could help with that.
Phys.org / Filamentous algae blooms alter river ecosystems without disrupting overall function
Algae is a ubiquitous feature in waterways throughout the globe, including western North America. Slippery, green epilithic algae is a familiar sight on river rocks. Toxic blue-green algae—cyanobacteria—is a visually ...
Phys.org / Galactic globular cluster loses stars through tidal stripping, observations reveal
Using the Anglo-Australian Telescope (AAT), astronomers have observed a nearby galactic globular cluster known as NGC 6569. Results of the observational campaign, published December 22 on the arXiv preprint server, indicate ...
Phys.org / A better way to detect off-target genome changes from base editors
Scientists and physicians can better assess precision genome editing technology using a new method made public today by St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Significant amounts of time and resources spent improving CRISPR ...
Phys.org / Astronomers measure both mass and distance of a rogue planet for the first time
While most planets that we are familiar with stick relatively close to their host star in a predictable orbit, some planets seem to have been knocked out of their orbits, floating through space free of any particular gravitational ...
Phys.org / Chess960's random setups still favor white, new study reveals
Chess is a relatively simple game to learn but a very difficult one to master. Because the starting positions of the pieces are fixed, top players have relied on memorizing the "best" opening moves, which can sometimes result ...
Phys.org / Evidence of upright walking found in 7-million-year-old Sahelanthropus fossils
In recent decades, scientists have debated whether a seven-million-year-old fossil was bipedal—a trait that would make it the oldest human ancestor. A new analysis by a team of anthropologists offers powerful evidence that ...
Phys.org / How juvenile lobsters fall into a deadly natural trap in the Florida Keys
In the shallow waters of the Florida Keys, juvenile Caribbean spiny lobsters are unwittingly meeting their doom by stumbling into naturally occurring ecological traps, according to a new study published in the Proceedings ...
