Phys.org news

Phys.org / Resolving the stonefly phylogeny puzzle via mitochondrial genomes

Stoneflies (order Plecoptera) rank among the most ancient lineages of winged insects. Beyond their role as key bioindicators for evaluating freshwater ecosystem health, they carry ecological value and evolutionary significance.

Oct 13, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / A new system can dial expression of synthetic genes up or down

For decades, synthetic biologists have been developing gene circuits that can be transferred into cells for applications such as reprogramming a stem cell into a neuron or generating a protein that could help treat a disease ...

Oct 13, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / How the brain's internal central clock controls rhythmic foraging

Why do animals search for food at specific times of the day? In a study published in Current Biology, a research group led by Prof. Li Yan from the Institute of Biophysics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has uncovered ...

Oct 13, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / DNA repair mechanisms help explain why naked mole-rats live a long life

Naked mole-rats are one of nature's most extraordinary creatures. These burrowing rodents can live for up to 37 years, around ten times longer than relatives of a similar size. But what is the secret to their extreme longevity? ...

Oct 12, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Satellite images reveal ancient hunting traps used by South American social groups

Satellite images have revealed an ancient system of elaborate, funnel-shaped mega traps likely built by hunters and pastoralists to catch prey in the high altitudes of northern Chile.

Oct 12, 2025 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / A new scalable approach to realize a quantum communication network based on ytterbium-171 atoms

Quantum networks, systems consisting of connected quantum computers, quantum sensors or other quantum devices, hold the potential of enabling faster and safer communications. The establishment of these networks relies on ...

Oct 11, 2025 in Physics
Phys.org / Saturday Citations: AI chatbots are insincere; childhood memory recall; a tiny chunk of dark matter

This week, researchers discovered so-called "switchbacks" in Earth's magnetic field similar to observations of switchbacks in the sun's magnetic field. Scientists provided more evidence that ancient Rapa Nui engineers "walked" ...

Oct 11, 2025 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Breakthrough mirror-image nanopores open door to new biomedical applications

For the first time, researchers have successfully fabricated and characterized a fully functional mirror-image nanopore—a molecular gateway built entirely from D-amino acids, the mirror-image forms of the natural building ...

Oct 11, 2025 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / Fundamental engineering principles can help identify disease biomarkers more quickly

People often compare the genome to a computer's program, with the cell using its genetic code to process environmental inputs and produce appropriate responses.

Oct 11, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Event Horizon Telescope images reveal new dark matter detection method

According to a new Physical Review Letters study, black holes could help solve the dark matter mystery. The shadowy regions in black hole images captured by the Event Horizon Telescope can act as ultra-sensitive detectors ...

Oct 10, 2025 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / By removing common biases, study debunks U-shaped happiness curve with age

Many survey-based studies have been conducted to try to understand how happiness changes over a person's lifetime. While there have been a few different outcomes, the most common has been the U-shaped curve. This pattern ...

Oct 10, 2025 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Astronomers discover ultra-luminous infrared galaxy lurking behind quasar

An international team of astronomers has used the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) to observe a well-known quasar known as the Cloverleaf. As part of the observations, they serendipitously discovered a ...

Oct 10, 2025 in Astronomy & Space