Phys.org news
Phys.org / Primed and ready to fight, a nematode pheromone arms plants to battle pathogens
When cold and flu season comes around, we take steps like getting our flu shots and taking immune supplements to strengthen our bodies' defenses against pathogens. Plants face pathogenic threats, too. Plant pathogens can ...
Phys.org / Tomatoes get flavor boost from green bin compost
Commercially farmed tomatoes taste sweeter when food and garden waste compost is added to their soil, a University of Queensland study has found. Researchers in the School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability grew tomatoes ...
Phys.org / Cellular 'glue' helps epithelial tissues engulf dead cells while staying sealed
A protein that sticks cells and tissues together has been found to have a surprising second job: helping cells that are packed into a continuous sealed layer, also known as epithelial cells, engulf nearby dead cells.
Phys.org / Parasitic plants act like genetic engineers by stealing and remodeling useful genes
Many plant species parasitize other plants by latching on and taking the nutrients their hosts need to survive. But sometimes, plants steal more than nutrients; they take genes.
Phys.org / MOF-coated catalyst converts CO₂ to CO nearly five times faster under ultrasonic vibration
Researchers at the University of Osaka have developed a catalyst that uses mechanical vibration to convert carbon dioxide (CO2) into carbon monoxide (CO), an important chemical feedstock. The catalyst consists of barium titanate ...
Phys.org / Boosting soybean protein: Zinc and sulfur essential in sustainable crop production
Soybean is a critical element of the global food supply: Between its use for animal feed and human consumption, it accounts for roughly two-thirds of plant-based protein meal output worldwide. Canada is a global leader in ...
Phys.org / Shear flow in narrow channels sparks amyloid formation, experiments reveal
Many cars and not enough lanes is a recipe for traffic jams. Now, researchers from Japan show that even proteins can get backed up and start behaving poorly when too many try to squeeze too quickly through a small space.
Phys.org / How bacteria develop resistance to programmable antibiotics
Antimicrobial resistance is one of the greatest challenges facing modern medicine. A new class of programmable antibiotics known as asobiotics can be used to treat bacterial infections when classical antibiotics fail. A team ...
Phys.org / The wisdom of the egg cell: Oocyte epigenetic mark may help prevent excessive placental growth after fertilization
The genome—which contains genes encoded in DNA—acts as the fundamental blueprint of life. But what you might not know is that, in addition to this genetic information, we have something akin to an "instruction manual" for ...
Phys.org / Planting fake customer reviews hurts businesses big time, study finds
The capital of any business comes in (at least) two categories. There's the kind that has a price—land, cash holdings, etc.—and a less tangible, priceless kind. Reputational capital falls squarely into the latter category. ...
Phys.org / Using AI to thwart election misinformation
Election rumors, such as unverified accounts of voter fraud, have run rampant in the U.S. in recent years. Powered by the speed of social media and artificial intelligence (AI), it can be hard for people to know what messages ...
Phys.org / 'Like uprooting tree stumps'—pulling nanoscale anchors creates tiny pores that could speed biosensor manufacturing
A new manufacturing method could help move the production of nanoscale sensors from specialized fabrication facilities to conventional semiconductor manufacturing plants.Publishing in Science Advances, researchers from KTH ...
