Phys.org news
Phys.org / A new layer of the human genome: Embedded RNA marks may reshape DNA twisting
A new study led by Francesca Storici, a professor in the School of Biological Sciences and faculty member of the Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, has uncovered an unexpected feature of human DNA ...
Phys.org / NASA rocket takes first multi-point look inside radio-disrupting clouds
High above Earth, thin veils of metallic haze drift through the edge of space. Known as sporadic E layers, these high-altitude "clouds" form from the vaporized dust of burned-up meteors, earning their name from the unpredictable ...
Phys.org / AI automates the creation of custom functional materials atom by atom
Imagine a construction site where the bricks are individual molecules and the "cranes" are microscopic needles so sharp they can feel a single atom. For decades, building at this scale was a laborious, time-consuming task ...
Phys.org / More than 120 molecular species found in giant cloud near Milky Way's center
Astronomers have discovered a second interstellar cloud near the center of the Milky Way that is extraordinarily rich in complex molecules, including several molecules associated with prebiotic chemistry. The newly studied ...
Phys.org / Animal-bone records reveal how cattle and sheep fueled medieval England's changing economy
As populations expanded in medieval England, key changes occurred in the uses of cattle and sheep to produce food and materials, according to a study published Sept. 2, 2026, in the journal PLOS One by Matilda Holmes of the ...
Phys.org / New nanostructure makes non-linear light conversion 72,000 times more efficient
Researchers from Graz University of Technology (TU Graz), Harvard and the University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) have developed an innovative method for coupling light non-linearly. This opens up new possibilities for ...
Phys.org / Peacock-like displays outpace antlers and tusks in evolutionary change, model suggests
Many animal species, ranging from peacocks and birds of paradise to some lizards, fish and beetles, display physical features or ornaments that can attract potential mates. These ornaments can include colorful plumage, elaborate ...
Phys.org / New 'devil flower' species discovered in Thai national park
Researchers have described a new species of leafless flowering plant found on the forest floor of a national park in western Thailand, and its otherworldly appearance has earned it a fittingly dramatic name: Thismia daemona, ...
Phys.org / Young sunlike system reveals comets may carry water toward forming planets
Astronomers at Lund University in Sweden have found evidence of exocomets—comets in other solar systems—orbiting a young star similar to our sun. The observations point to a possible mechanism for how water might be transported ...
Phys.org / How cells teach themselves to move together
Scientists have long wondered how cells organized into sheets begin to move together to form organs, especially when the sheets form closed, sphere-like surfaces and tissues with no edges to direct motion. Researchers at ...
Phys.org / Tracking emperor penguins from space
For the first time, geographers from Durham University have used freely available satellite radar images to track emperor penguins through the polar winter—giving a year-round view of their movements. Monitoring the endangered ...
Phys.org / Hawai'i high school students name image of glittering galaxy pair
Nā ʻUhane Māhoe Huki Pū i ke Ola is the Hawaiian name given to NGC 7253—a pair of spiral galaxies caught in each other's gravity. Captured by the Gemini North telescope on Maunakea in Hawai'i, the image created a spectacular ...