Phys.org news

Phys.org / How a common fungus outsmarts drugs and our immune system

Our bodies are home to millions of fungi that, for the most part, are completely harmless. However, they can sometimes change from peaceful residents into dangerous invaders. One such is Candida parapsilosis, which normally ...

Feb 27, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Size-shifting nanoparticles successfully deliver mRNA medicine to the pancreas

In recent years, mRNA in lipid nanoparticles (mRNA–LNPs) has emerged as a promising strategy for treating numerous conditions, including COVID-19, various cancers and chronic genetic disorders. To date, this technology ...

Feb 27, 2026 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / The screech of peeling sticky tape conceals a rapid train of tiny shockwaves, ultrafast imaging shows

A new experiment has uncovered the mechanism responsible for the screeching sound made by peeling sticky tape. Using a combination of ultrafast imaging and synchronized acoustic recordings, Sigurdur Thoroddsen and colleagues ...

Feb 27, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Luminescence dating confirms Roman-era gold mines in the Eastern Pyrenees

A study by the UAB and the University of A Coruña has succeeded in demonstrating the existence of Roman-era alluvial gold mines in the Eastern Pyrenees. The discovery was made possible by dating two samples from the infill ...

Feb 27, 2026 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Stress-testing the Cascadia Subduction Zone reveals variability that could impact how earthquakes spread

The Cascadia Subduction Zone is unusually quiet for a megathrust fault. Spanning more than 600 miles from Canada to California, the fault marks the convergence of the Juan de Fuca and North American plates. While other subduction ...

Feb 27, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / Cooling without gases: Molecular design brings solid-state cooling closer to reality

Some solid materials can cool down or heat up when pressure is applied or released. This behavior enables cooling and heating technologies that do not rely on climate-damaging refrigerant gases. In practice, however, a major ...

Feb 27, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / InN thin films show transient Pauli blocking for broadband ultrafast optical switching

Recent decades have witnessed rapid advancements in high-intensity laser technology. The combination of laser irradiation and novel materials is opening exciting avenues for the design of functional materials and devices. ...

Feb 27, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Promoters and enhancers: Tool catches gene-controlling DNA sequences doing each other's jobs

Researchers at the Weill Institute for Cell and Molecular Biology have uncovered new evidence that two major types of gene-controlling DNA sequences, promoters and enhancers, operate with a shared logic and often perform ...

Feb 27, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Cellular switch casts light on why humans are active in the day

Early mammalian ancestors were nocturnal, sleeping during the day while the dinosaurs dominated the land. However, some mammalian lineages, including human ancestors, independently transitioned to diurnality (active during ...

Feb 27, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Most lab testing quietly inflates 2D transistor performance, research reveals

For nearly two decades, two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors have been studied as a complement or possible successor to silicon transistors, promising smaller, faster and more energy-efficient processors. To ease their production ...

Feb 27, 2026 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / Older male humpbacks sire more calves as populations recover from whaling

New research from the University of St Andrews published in Current Biology has shown that the role of age in male humpback whale reproduction has changed as populations recover from centuries of exploitation. Whaling drove ...

Feb 27, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Are climate models detecting monsoon changes a decade too early? 'Super-simulations' say yes

Changes in rainfall within global monsoon regions affect the livelihoods of billions. For years, climate models have suggested that the fingerprint of human-caused climate change on monsoons would become visible by a certain ...

Feb 27, 2026 in Earth