Phys.org news
Phys.org / Zinc–redox crosstalk: A new key to cellular protein quality control
Zinc is an essential trace element that controls myriad biological processes. The delicate balance of its concentration in the body is critical; both deficiency and excess are linked to severe pathological states such as ...
Phys.org / Tiny DNA fragments, big agricultural insights: New genomic approach helps improve crop resilience
The genes that could help the world's crops survive drought, heat, and disease probably already exist. But much of this genetic diversity remains hidden within ancient plant varieties and forgotten seed collections, among ...
Phys.org / An interplanetary shortcut can speed up trips to Mars
Whether it's robotic rovers heading to Mars or, one day, a crew of astronauts, a round-trip journey is an incredibly long one. But there may be a way to find a shortcut. A new study published in the journal Acta Astronautica ...
Phys.org / Bacterial defense system builds DNA in unexpected new way to stop viruses
Scientists at Stanford University have discovered that DRT3, a unique defense system found in bacteria, creates DNA to protect against viral infections. DRT3 is made up of two different enzymes called reverse transcriptases, ...
Phys.org / Archaeologists at Pompeii use AI to reconstruct the face of a man killed in the volcano's eruption
Archaeologists and researchers at the ancient Roman site of Pompeii have used artificial intelligence for the first time to digitally reconstruct the face of a man killed in the AD 79 eruption of Mount Vesuvius that smothered ...
Phys.org / Simulations predict ground motion for earthquakes on Bay Area's Hayward fault
The Hayward fault, part of the larger San Andreas fault system, runs 74 miles through the East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area. The fault is overdue for an earthquake that could cause extensive damage to such a dense population ...
Phys.org / This ultracold quantum device turns electricity into something far stranger that could unlock sound-based lasers
Researchers at McGill University have developed a novel device that generates sound-like particles known as phonons at extremely cold temperatures. The technology could be used to create phonon lasers, with possible applications ...
Phys.org / What happened after the fast-food pay raise in California? New data explains
Fast-food workers in California may be earning more money, but their employers are cutting their hours to make up for the cost of higher pay. That's from a new study published in Applied Economic Letters in early March. Northeastern ...
Phys.org / Sewers have been hiding a climate problem in plain sight, and this new tool finally exposes its true scale
Methane is the second-largest greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide. According to the Climate and Clean Air Coalition, anthropogenic methane emissions account for nearly 45% of current net warming, making it an important factor ...
Phys.org / An unprecedented Antarctic heat wave hit in the dead of winter—what it signals for the decades ahead
In the middle of the Antarctic winter, during months of darkness when temperatures often dip below −30°C, the continent warmed dramatically. In July and August 2024, temperatures in parts of East Antarctica rose by up to ...
Phys.org / At just four nanometers thick, this metal starts behaving in a way physicists did not expect
Researchers in the University of Minnesota Twin Cities have discovered a powerful new way to control the electronic behavior of a metal—by manipulating the atomic properties of materials where they meet. The study, published ...
Phys.org / How giants that vanished 10,000 years ago triggered ripple effects that are still felt today
Between 50,000 and 10,000 years ago, many of the world's largest mammals disappeared. Picture creatures like saber-toothed cats with 7-inch fangs and elephant-sized sloths. Woolly mammoths whose curved tusks grew longer than ...
