Phys.org news

Phys.org / Moisture-powered polymers could make cleaning CO₂ from air more efficient

Over the past century, the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has increased dramatically. This rise has contributed to global warming and led to many harmful effects, including shifting weather patterns and more frequent ...

Mar 10, 2026
Phys.org / AI-enabled quantum refinement cracks the code of difficult-to-map proteins

Using a tool to solve a protein's structure, for most researchers in the world of structural biology and computational chemistry, is not unlike using the Rosetta Stone to unlock the secrets of ancient Egyptian texts. Once ...

Mar 10, 2026
Phys.org / One gene makes the difference: Breeding winter-hardy faba beans

An international research team involving the IPK Leibniz Institute has discovered a small yet significant genetic difference in faba beans. Whether a plant survives the winter or can only be grown in spring hinges on a single ...

Mar 10, 2026
Phys.org / How boron helps to produce key proteins for new cancer therapies

Chemists from ETH Zurich have found a way to produce poorly soluble proteins by caging a uniquely reactive boron compound. This method opens up new possibilities for the synthesis of tailored protein therapeutics, including ...

Mar 10, 2026
Phys.org / Why averages fail for bacteria in the open ocean

How can bacteria that forage on organic particles survive in vast ocean regions where such particles are extremely sparse? A new study by researchers from ETH Zurich and Queen Mary University of London shows that variability ...

Mar 10, 2026
Phys.org / 3D imaging reveals messy-looking supraparticles can be nearly perfect crystals inside

Researchers at Utrecht University have quantitatively mapped the three-dimensional structure of photonic supraparticles for the first time. Supraparticles are microscopic spheres composed of thousands of smaller colloidal ...

Mar 10, 2026
Phys.org / Bacteria have a secret engineering trick to keep themselves in shape

Blow up a long balloon and two things happen: it gets longer and it gets wider. Now imagine a living cell that inflates itself under enormous pressure and yet only grows longer, never adding width. That is exactly what rod-shaped ...

Mar 10, 2026
Phys.org / Understanding how wind moves pollen can guide urban planning decisions about green spaces

Due to climate change, plants' pollination season has been growing longer and longer. As a result, people are exposed to allergens for extended periods each year, raising a major public health concern. Researchers from Embry‑Riddle ...

Mar 10, 2026
Phys.org / How a shift in the Gulf Stream could signal the collapse of a major ocean current system

Changes in the Gulf Stream, a strong ocean current in the Atlantic, could serve as an early warning of the imminent collapse of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). The AMOC is a massive system of ocean ...

Mar 9, 2026
Phys.org / Why simulating an entire cell cycle took years, multiple GPUs and six days per run

By simulating the life cycle of a minimal bacterial cell—from DNA replication to protein translation to metabolism and cell division—scientists have opened a new frontier of computer vision into the essential processes ...

Mar 9, 2026
Phys.org / Camera captures first video of a red fox attacking a wolf pup

We are used to seeing a strict order in nature, with apex predators at the top feeding on those lower down the pecking order. But in video footage from a nature reserve in Italy, we see a red fox turning the tables, attacking ...

Mar 9, 2026
Phys.org / Nearby red dwarf star hosts at least four planets—with one in the habitable zone

In 2020, a study confirmed that two planets orbited the nearby red dwarf, GJ 887. Now, astronomers have confirmed the existence of two additional planets orbiting GJ 887 in a new study published in Astronomy and Astrophysics. ...

Mar 9, 2026