Phys.org news

Phys.org / Sacrifice before the cataclysm: The aromas of Pompeii's household altars

The destruction of Pompeii preserved ash residues on the household altars of its inhabitants. An international research team has scientifically investigated for the first time what was burned in Roman incense burners from ...

22 hours ago
Phys.org / Tasmanian tiger lives on in Arnhem Land rock art

The striped dog-like marsupial we know as the Tasmanian tiger has long been surrounded by mystery, and the subject of scientific curiosity. Now, newly discovered rock art depicting Tasmanian tigers and Tasmanian devils in ...

18 hours ago
Phys.org / Why a potential anti-cancer agent stalled in trials: New enzyme insights may boost yield and purity

Researchers at the University of Bayreuth have, for the first time, deciphered key steps in the biosynthetic mechanism of the potential anti-cancer agent fostriecin. The team led by Prof. Dr. Frank Hahn has succeeded in producing ...

15 hours ago
Phys.org / Quantum researchers engineer extremely precise phonon lasers

When lasers were invented in the 1960s, they opened new avenues for scientific discovery and everyday applications, from scanners at the grocery store to corrective eye surgery. Conventional lasers control photons—individual ...

19 hours ago
Phys.org / Study uncovers internal cell 'trade winds' that drive movement and repair

Scientists at Oregon Health & Science University have uncovered a previously unknown system of internal "trade winds" that help cells rapidly move essential proteins to the front of the cell, reshaping how researchers understand ...

17 hours ago
Phys.org / Copper-loaded starch nanoparticles can target bacteria in microbial communities

Bacteria are a major cause of infections and death in hospital settings, due—in part—to the rising incidence of antibiotic resistance. In the United States, antibiotic-resistant bacteria are involved in more than 2 million ...

16 hours ago
Phys.org / Cells under stress: How a chemotherapy drug damages RNA

The integrity of DNA and RNA is essential for every cell. DNA contains the genetic information for proteins, while RNA serves as a working copy of individual genes and is required for the synthesis of proteins. Unlike DNA ...

17 hours ago
Phys.org / Measuring titanium in Apollo rock to uncover moon's early chemistry

Earth and the moon may look very different today, but they formed under similar conditions in space. In fact, a dominant hypothesis says that the early Earth was hit by a Mars-sized object, and it was this giant impact that ...

18 hours ago
Phys.org / Limits of protein evolution could reshape ideas about early life

The number of known proteins is infinitely small in comparison to the universe of possible proteins, which could in theory be realized. Yet these known proteins are the only major training ground for future protein design. ...

18 hours ago
Phys.org / Wildlife-friendly landscapes dramatically boost biodiversity in fragmented forests, research reveals

A new study has revealed that improving the landscapes surrounding forest remnants can dramatically increase their ability to retain bird species—even when the forest fragments themselves are small or isolated. For decades, ...

18 hours ago
Phys.org / Two organs, one brain area: How fish orient themselves in the water

Using zebrafish, researchers from Osaka Metropolitan University (OMU) have identified the tegmentum region in the fish midbrain as the area where light input from both the fish's eyes and the pineal organ—the "third eye"—is ...

18 hours ago
Phys.org / Soil bacteria break down toxic chemicals in the environment

Many aromatic compounds, such as phenols, cresols and styrenes, are toxic to organisms and harmful to the environment. They can accumulate as a result of industrial processes and harm ecosystems. Soil bacteria can help to ...

19 hours ago