Phys.org news
Phys.org / Replicating bacterial DNA relies on accordion-like folds to separate, researchers discover
When bacteria cells replicate, they do so a little differently than human cells do. They don't undergo mitosis, a splitting that involves construction of spindles to carefully separate the DNA after replication. Instead, ...
Phys.org / 'Plastic-eating' fusion enzyme improves polyester textile recycling
In a new study, scientists from the universities of Portsmouth and Manchester report that a specially engineered enzyme can significantly speed up the breakdown of PET—the plastic used in water bottles, food packaging and ...
Phys.org / Low-cost test dissolves threat of fake drugs
Fake news can be tricky to spot, but spotting fake drugs just got a little easier. Researchers have devised a low-cost way to help distinguish legitimate medications from counterfeit ones.
Phys.org / Two new fungi species uncovered in Australian herbarium using DNA sequencing
Scientists at Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, Australia have described two new species of fungi, Peziza austroechinospora and Peziza meridionalis with the assistance of DNA sequencing, highlighting how modern science is revealing ...
Phys.org / Sea creatures reveal the physics behind animal body shape diversity
Animals come in an extraordinary range of body shapes. A starfish looks nothing like an earthworm, a mouse, or a human. Yet even closely related species can appear radically different: corals, jellyfish, and sea anemones ...
Phys.org / How clonal raider ants update their friend-or-foe recognition
For ants, the ability to instantly distinguish nestmates from outsiders who might hijack the colony is crucial. Now, a new study shows that the system that ants use to determine who belongs in the colony is far more flexible ...
Phys.org / Cells in the mosquito's gut drive its appetite, research shows
Researchers have known for decades that female mosquitoes—the ones responsible for the itchy and irritating bites that can also transmit disease—lose their desire to bite humans for several days after feeding, as they ...
Phys.org / Long-term road surveys reveal widespread declines in South African birds of prey
A comprehensive study has revealed substantial declines in many of South Africa's birds of prey (raptors) over the past 16 years, raising fresh concerns about the conservation status of several iconic and threatened species. ...
Phys.org / Pompeii's battle scars linked to an ancient 'machine gun'
The ancient city of Pompeii is one of those archaeological sites that keeps on giving with one discovery after another. While much of what we know about the Roman settlement comes from the eruption of Vesuvius in AD 79, another ...
Phys.org / The discovery of a buried delta on Mars could boost the search for life
There's more evidence that water once flowed on Mars with the discovery of an ancient river delta deep below the surface. NASA's Perseverance rover found it more than 35 meters beneath Jezero Crater using ground-penetrating ...
Phys.org / The Yamna reused sacred spaces in the north Pontic Steppe, study suggests
According to an article published in Antiquity by Dr. Svitlana Ivanova and her colleagues, the Yamna culture's repurposing of older ritual spaces reflects a deliberate appropriation and continuation of sacred spaces. A case ...
Phys.org / DESI maps C-19, an extremely metal-poor Milky Way stellar stream
Using the Mayall 4-meter telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory, an international team of astronomers has observed C-19—an extremely metal-poor stellar stream in the Milky Way's halo. Results of the observational campaign, ...
