Phys.org news
Phys.org / 6.5 million Americans face landslide risks—a new database shows where they live
Landslides cause an estimated $3 billion to $6 billion in damage and multiple fatalities annually in the United States. Those numbers could easily increase as housing needs spur development in landslide-prone areas and climate ...
Phys.org / Gene discovery could shave years off avocado breeding
Scientists have found a genetic switch that could shave years off avocado breeding by allowing researchers to identify one of a young tree's most important traits long before it flowers.
Phys.org / Like a molecular shrink ray, AI tool redesigns proteins without sacrificing function
Researchers at Duke University School of Medicine have developed an artificial intelligence framework that can redesign proteins on a scale previously seen only in natural evolution. The tool can create shorter, longer and ...
Phys.org / Oil beetle larvae smell like flowers to manipulate bees and sneak into their nests
For the first time, a research team from the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology and Friedrich Schiller University in Jena, Germany, has demonstrated that insects can mimic floral scents to manipulate pollinators.
Phys.org / Global warming threatens rice harvests more than crop models predict, study warns
A new study on how rising temperatures will affect rice production in Science Advances compares 214 observations from field-warming experiments with seven crop models, revealing modeled estimates for yield reductions from ...
Phys.org / Finding order in the inner chaos of our cells: Shape-shifting proteins get a design tool
The vast majority of proteins in our bodies contain regions that are in a constant state of wiggling, shape-shifting every few nanoseconds to completely change how they look. Information on how these shape-shifting proteins ...
Phys.org / Two antibody gene systems may help explain vesper bats' unusual viral tolerance
It is a mystery that has puzzled scientists for years. How can the world's only winged mammals carry viruses that cause severe disease while rarely becoming seriously ill themselves?
Phys.org / Gold-MXene catalyst converts nitrate to ammonia using sunlight and 1.5 volts
Plants need nitrogen fertilizers, which are usually ammonia-based. Ammonia is therefore one of the most important chemical products. However, its production is currently extremely energy-intensive. An international team from ...
Phys.org / Stable DNA building blocks enable faster oligonucleotide synthesis without oxidation
The chemical synthesis of oligonucleotides (ONs) is central to modern molecular biology, diagnostics and nucleic acid therapeutics. While demand for high-quality ONs is increasing, the conventional synthetic method has long-standing ...
Phys.org / New study explains when some conspiracy beliefs can lead to action
Why do some people who embrace conspiracy theories simply hold those beliefs, while others act on them? A new study published in the British Journal of Social Psychology identifies three characteristics that help determine ...
Phys.org / Why the hepatitis E virus cannot infect mice
Many viruses can infect both humans and animals, including hepatitis E virus. This virus is often transmitted to humans via contaminated meat products, such as by ingesting raw or undercooked pork or wild game. However, mouse ...
Phys.org / Captured carbon dioxide could yield strong, flexible plastics designed for recycling
Researchers at Colorado State University have developed a process to transform naturally occurring, highly stable carbon dioxide into recyclable, high-performance materials that could replace today's plastics in many situations. ...
