Phys.org news
Phys.org / Whale song remix: Study shows that humpbacks shift pitch when a neighbor joins in
A humpback whale alters the pitch of its song when joined by a neighboring singer, a finding that opens a new chapter in the ongoing effort to understand whale song, some of the most structurally and acoustically complex ...
Phys.org / Sugar-processing enzyme has a hidden second job—controlling when cells divide
A metabolic enzyme studied for over seven decades has a hidden second function—it can unwind RNA and promote cell cycle progression, an additional function beyond its role in energy production, according to a new study ...
Phys.org / New study offers insight into tissue-specific gene regulation of sheep
Livestock breeders could soon have more tools to improve the health and quality of their animals, thanks to a recent study that sheds new light on regulatory elements in the sheep genome.
Phys.org / Light-controlled hydrogel mimics soft human tissue for more realistic cell studies
For decades, lab-grown cells have been studied in materials that don't reflect the softness and flexibility of human tissue. Now researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder have developed a water-rich, Jell-O-like material ...
Phys.org / Could reduced air pollution from climate mitigation boost crop yields and lower hunger risk?
An international research team used multiple global agroeconomic models and found that climate mitigation consistent with the 1.5 °C target could raise global hunger risk in 2050 by 17% (56 million people) compared with ...
Phys.org / Building a reference manual for how cells connect with each other
Every multicellular organism, from tiny worms to humans, elephants, and whales, needs a way for their cells to connect with each other to form tissues, organs, and organize their overall body plan. Cells have a variety of ...
Phys.org / Structural modeling reveals phage proteins that manipulate bacterial immune signaling
The genomes of phages—viruses that infect bacteria—are largely composed of "dark matter": genes that encode proteins whose functions remain unknown. Less than four years ago, a team led by Prof. Rotem Sorek at the Weizmann ...
Phys.org / Computational model predicts telomere length from routine biopsy slide images
A new computational tool infers changes occurring at the ends of the chromosomes housing our DNA. It does so by detecting structural alterations in cells and tissues captured in images taken of routine medical biopsies, according ...
Phys.org / Single-cell data reveal a cellular 'developmental hourglass' in vertebrate embryos
Scientists have long observed that embryos of different species within a phylum look quite distinct at early and late developmental stages but resemble one another more during mid-embryogenesis, a phenomenon known as developmental ...
Phys.org / Personal change thresholds may explain why popular policies fail to spread
Why do widely supported solutions to major problems, such as climate change, so often struggle to gain real traction? A new study suggests that part of the answer lies in understanding why people resist change, and how the ...
Phys.org / Breathing in nanoparticles could enable a 10-minute pneumonia check at point of care
Diagnosing some diseases could be as easy as breathing into a tube. MIT engineers have developed a test to detect disease-related compounds in a patient's breath. The new test could provide a faster way to diagnose pneumonia ...
Phys.org / Sea turtles, shrinking beaches and rising seas: Study finds nesting sites running out of room
Sandy beaches account for approximately a third of the world's ice-free coastlines. These sandy shorelines are responsible for sediment and water retention, provide a buffer against rising water levels, and offer habitats ...
