Phys.org news
Phys.org / US could exhaust domestic phosphorus within 40 years, but waste offers reserves
The United States could exhaust its domestic phosphorus supply within 40 years. Europe, Latin America and Southeast Asia already depend on imports from China and Morocco to meet their needs. Without phosphorus, crops cannot ...
Phys.org / Cells use a little-known molecule to protect themselves from iron overload
Iron is essential. Our cells need it to produce energy, carry oxygen throughout the body and power countless chemical reactions that sustain life. But this metal has a dark side. When too much of it is left free inside cells, ...
Phys.org / Scientists develop method to deliver sugars directly into cells
Sugars, or glycans, play a crucial role in biology—from cell signaling and recognition to interactions with pathogens. Changes in glycosylation are also associated with diseases including cancer. But studying glycans poses ...
Phys.org / Butterfly-inspired technology could change the way we monitor air
Respiratory infectious diseases and air pollution remain persistent global health challenges. Yet the tools used to monitor airborne threats are often expensive, power-hungry and difficult to deploy outside laboratories.
Phys.org / Tiny DNA rotor lets microscopes track gene transcription one base pair at a time
Scientists often describe life as a series of chemical reactions. Pallav Kosuri, Ph.D., describes life as movement. Chemical reactions are how you drive the movement of atoms, proteins, cells and bodies—without movement, ...
Phys.org / New AI model detects hidden signs of solar eruptions hours before they emerge
Long before dark sunspots appear on the sun's surface, a new active region—where powerful solar eruptions can originate—begins showing subtle signs of its formation. Now, researchers say a new artificial intelligence model ...
Phys.org / Doomscrolling at work wastes time, but the real cost is what happens after
Whether on lunch break or on the clock, many employees scroll through the news and social media during the workday. Researchers found that employees who "doomscroll" at work suffer hidden costs that extend beyond lost productivity.
Phys.org / Arctic balloon samples trace marine sugars from the ocean to cloud-forming heights
Salt and sugar from the sea can rise as far as the free troposphere, thereby influencing both cloud formation and the Arctic climate. This is the finding of balloon measurements carried out by a team of researchers on Spitsbergen ...
Phys.org / Why climate-driven droughts and floods rarely become international news
Three factors—spectacular images, a high death toll and strong personal ties—make it more likely that the media in one country will report on a natural disaster in another, according to a study by the University of Bonn, ...
Phys.org / EU cities plan to compensate for a fifth of their emissions through carbon removal, but few have thought through how
An analysis of 103 European cities' climate-neutral plans for 2030 (including 22 capital cities) shows that municipalities are planning to rely on carbon removal to compensate for about a fifth of their emissions. This would ...
Phys.org / Early hardship may shape how oxytocin influences altruism
While humans are inherently social beings, they can interact and connect with others in very different ways. For instance, while some people tend to be more altruistic, others are less prone to helping their friends, acquaintances ...
Phys.org / TESS discovers a rare brown dwarf orbiting a massive, aging star
For decades, astronomers lumped brown dwarfs into a single category defined by mass alone—too big to be classified as planets but too small to become stars. However, this definition ignores the two very different mechanisms ...
