Phys.org news

Phys.org / Uncovering the evolutionary limits of the COVID-19 virus

A new paper in Genome Biology and Evolution, indicates that while the COVID-19 virus has developed rapidly since 2019, it has done so within limited genetic channels. These genetic limits have remained unchanged. Despite ...

Mar 25, 2026
Phys.org / 'Cool' detectors cut neutrino mass upper limit by an order of magnitude

Their mass is extremely low, but how light are neutrinos really? A collaboration comprising German and international research groups has optimized its experiments to determine the mass of these "ghost particles." In doing ...

Mar 25, 2026
Phys.org / Radio signals at the edge of extreme stars come from far beyond their surfaces

Pulsars are ultra-dense, rapidly spinning, and highly magnetized remnants of dead stars. They act like cosmic lighthouses, sending out regular pulses of radio waves and sometimes gamma rays in beams that sweep across the ...

Mar 25, 2026
Phys.org / The earliest dogs in Europe: 14,200-year-old DNA helps reveal their identity

An international team of researchers led by the Francis Crick Institute, the University of East Anglia and the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology has found that dogs were domesticated more than 14,000 years ...

Mar 25, 2026
Phys.org / RNA-guided CRISPR system activates gene expression

In back-to-back studies published in Nature, researchers from Purdue University and Columbia University report a naturally evolved gene-editing system that can activate genes, offering an advantage over existing CRISPR gene-editing ...

Mar 25, 2026
Phys.org / Laser-modified graphene enables molecule-thick films to grow only where needed

Researchers from the University of Jyväskylä and Aalto University have developed a new method based on laser modification, which allows metal-organic materials to be grown locally one molecule-thick layer at a time. The method ...

Mar 25, 2026
Phys.org / Microtubules discovered to play an active role in correctly distributing chromosomes during cell division

Microtubules, the dynamic filaments that form the cell's internal scaffolding, have long been viewed as mere passive structural supports. But a new study reveals they play a far more active signaling role. The findings, published ...

Mar 25, 2026
Phys.org / Webb and Hubble share the most comprehensive view of Saturn to date

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope and Hubble Space Telescope have teamed up to capture new views of Saturn, revealing the planet in strikingly different ways. Observing in complementary wavelengths of light, the two space ...

Mar 25, 2026
Phys.org / First microlasers capable of detecting individual molecules and ions could one day aid diagnosis

Scientists have created the first microlasers capable of detecting individual molecules and even single atomic ions, a breakthrough that could significantly advance early disease diagnosis and molecular-scale medical testing. ...

Mar 25, 2026
Phys.org / Why no individual is like another when epigenetics come into play

Why do animals behave differently, and what are the consequences of this? A research team from the Collaborative Research Center NC³ at Bielefeld University and the University of Münster now provides a new explanation: epigenetic ...

Mar 25, 2026
Phys.org / Silicon nanospheres boost WS₂ second-harmonic generation 40-fold while preserving polarization

A research team has demonstrated that silicon nanospheres can strongly enhance second-harmonic generation (SHG) from an atomically thin semiconductor while preserving the circular polarization information tied to its valley ...

Mar 25, 2026
Phys.org / Seismic activity in California varies with the seasons

Earthquakes occur when the tectonic plates of the Earth's crust shift, jolting past each other in a release of built-up tension. However, other natural forces can also influence seismic activity: Hydrological dynamics, like ...

Mar 25, 2026