Phys.org news
Phys.org / Ordinary enzyme that evolves into 'control switch' reveals tuberculosis weak spot
Researchers at the University of Surrey have identified a protein that acts as a control switch, preventing Mycobacterium tuberculosis from accessing the energy sources it needs to survive. The discovery points to a specific ...
Phys.org / High-severity fires burn 30 times more acreage than 40 years ago, researchers find
Forest fires now burn 10 times more acreage annually than in 1985, while wildfire severity has gotten even worse. In California, 30 times more acreage burned from high-severity, forest-killing fires, according to new UCLA ...
Phys.org / Molecular 'Velcro' gel removes PFAS from water without fluorinated materials
A new gel-based material developed by University of Florida chemical engineers filters PFAS forever chemicals from water more efficiently than many widely used commercial options. The advance offers a potential new path to ...
Phys.org / Chaotic polymer vibrations may unlock stronger, flexible thermal insulators
University of Massachusetts Amherst researchers have demonstrated a possible new avenue for developing flame-retardant and generally low-conductivity (low-heat-transfer) plastics that retain the benefits of being strong and ...
Phys.org / Human sacrifice in Inca Empire may have been driven by political motives, not religion
Three decades ago, researchers working atop the Llullaillaco volcano, located on the border between Argentina and Chile, discovered exceptionally well-preserved remains. The find included the mummified bodies of three children ...
Phys.org / Well-known planetary nebula's ear-like lobes rewrite its evolutionary timeline
Using the Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE) and the Manchester Echelle Spectrograph (MES), astronomers from Turkey and Mexico have investigated a planetary nebula discovered two centuries ago, known as NGC 6563. Results ...
Phys.org / El Niño is underway, satellite observations show
El Niño, characterized by warmer-than-normal water temperatures in parts of the equatorial Pacific, made its return in June 2026. Observations of sea surface height from the Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellite that month ...
Phys.org / Quantum mechanics theory may work without imaginary numbers, new analysis suggests
Physicists from Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (HHU) have examined a fundamental property of quantum mechanics in collaboration with the German Aerospace Center (DLR). In an article published in the journal Physical ...
Phys.org / Nanoscale CoAl design delivers 6 GPa strength with 15% plastic strain at room temperature
Materials engineers have developed the ability to manipulate structure and matter at the nanoscale for solid-state alloys called intermetallics, making it possible to alter their properties for improved performance.
Phys.org / Arctic marine heat waves surge since 1980s, with record event lasting 480 days
In recent years, marine heat waves have been taking an ever-greater toll on the world's oceans and their ecosystems. Amplified by increasing global warming, these events are occurring more frequently and lasting longer. The ...
Phys.org / Stress gives bees sharper vision and faster reactions, researchers discover
Bumblebees see the world differently under stress, processing visual information more sharply and making quicker decisions, new research from Newcastle University reveals.
Phys.org / Engineered bacterial spores reveal new protein targets for enzymes and vaccines
A remarkable quality of bioengineering is that scientists can take biological processes honed by millions of years of evolution and use them to efficiently create drugs, chemicals and other products to improve our lives. ...
