Phys.org news
Phys.org / Traditional plastic forks shed harmful microplastics. Plastic created from sugar is an alternative
At a Massachusetts lab, pebble-sized pellets are transformed into forks and films that won't leave persistent microplastics in the environment.
Phys.org / Distant time crystals oscillate in unison, paving the way for spin networks
In January 2024, physicists at TU Dortmund University demonstrated a continuous time crystal in a semiconductor whose oscillations remained stable for hours. In a new study published in Nature Communications, Professor Alex ...
Phys.org / Oak leaves harbor distinct microbial worlds on their opposite surfaces
A single leaf may look like a simple patch of green, but to the microscopic life that inhabits it, it is a vast landscape divided into different worlds.
Dialog / Quantum heat circuits learn electronics' oldest trick: Sharing a power supply
Every electronic and optoelectronic device generates heat, and today that heat is managed almost entirely from the outside. Heatsinks, fans, cold plates and refrigerators are bulky exterior measures bolted onto a chip or ...
Phys.org / DNA repair enzymes favor specific sequences, shaping mutation patterns in the human genome
When a wound does not heal properly, it leaves a scar. Similarly, mutations—which are permanent changes to genetic code—are often the result of damaged DNA that has not been properly repaired. Mutations can impede the function ...
Phys.org / Engineered enzymes forge carbon-carbon and carbon-nitrogen bonds with high selectivity
Researchers from the Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, including Dr. Zachary Birch-Price and professor Anthony Green, have developed a new family of engineered enzymes that can create several different types of chemical ...
Phys.org / Water quality, not just scarcity, may shape future competition for a limited resource
Climate change is largely to blame for water scarcity. The low water levels in European rivers this summer speak volumes in that respect.
Phys.org / Photosynthetic microorganisms achieve long-lasting and renewable chemical production
Photosynthetic microorganisms can use light energy to convert carbon dioxide into useful compounds under mild, environmentally compatible conditions. However, many current photosynthetic production systems rely on cells growing ...
Phys.org / Uncovering how Cryptococcus shifts from silent infection to killer fungus
For most healthy people, Cryptococcus is an unnoticed infection. The immune system walls it off in the lungs and keeps it dormant for life. But in patients undergoing cancer chemotherapy, recovering from an organ transplant, ...
Phys.org / Illegal fishing captures up to 15% of global marine wild catch, analysis finds
Industrial-scale illegal fishing continues to undermine ocean sustainability, coastal livelihoods and global seafood markets—despite decades of regulation and recent advances in surveillance technology, according to new University ...
Phys.org / Fermentation emerges as key pathway for ammonium production beneath the Pearl River Delta
A study led by Professor Jimmy Jiujiu Jiao from the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at The University of Hong Kong (HKU) and Professor Meng Li from Shenzhen University has identified microbial fermentation as the ...
Phys.org / Climate change could mean four extra hours of extreme heat on hot days
Hot days could gain more than four additional hours of extreme heat by the end of the 21st century under a high-emissions scenario, according to a modeling study published in Nature Climate Change. The findings show that ...
