Phys.org news

Phys.org / Exploring the power of plants to make drugs out of sunlight

Plants are consummate chemists, using the sun's energy and carbon dioxide from the air, to conjure a dazzling array of complex natural products in ways that cannot be replicated synthetically in the lab.

Oct 17, 2025 in Chemistry
Phys.org / New druggable protein discovered in Leishmania parasites

Leishmaniasis belongs to the class of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) that particularly affect people in the poorest tropical regions of the world. NTDs are less studied and therapeutically addressed than other diseases.

Oct 17, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Exchange of genetic diversity between species accelerates evolutionary adaptation in songbirds

Climate change is rapidly altering our environment—and posing major challenges for many animal species. Whether they can adapt depends largely on their genetic diversity. An international study involving researchers from ...

Oct 17, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / In a surprising discovery, scientists find tiny loops in the genomes of dividing cells

Before cells can divide, they first need to replicate all of their chromosomes, so that each of the daughter cells can receive a full set of genetic material. Until now, scientists had believed that as division occurs, the ...

Oct 17, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Chemicals may be hitching a ride on nanoplastics to enter the skin

Plastic is ubiquitous in the modern world, and it's notorious for taking a long time to completely break down in the environment—if it ever does.

Oct 17, 2025 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / Three new species discovered on Australia's northernmost island

A remote island at the very northern tip of Australia has been revealed as a tropical refuge for three species new-to-science—a gecko and two frogs—found nowhere else on Earth.

Oct 17, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Expanding farming capabilities will not close Africa's 'hidden hunger' gaps, assessment finds

"Hidden hunger" in Africa cannot be addressed by expanding domestic farming alone, according to a new study from Cardiff University.

Oct 16, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Quantum radio antenna uses Rydberg states for sensitive, all-optical signal detection

A team from the Faculty of Physics and the Center for Quantum Optical Technologies at the University of Warsaw has developed a new type of all-optical radio receiver based on the fundamental properties of Rydberg atoms. The ...

Oct 16, 2025 in Physics
Phys.org / Twice around to return home: A hidden reset button for spins and qubits

The world is filled with rotating objects—gyroscopes, magnetic spins, and more recently, qubits in quantum computers. For example, the atomic nuclei in our bodies precess at megahertz frequencies inside NMR machines. In ...

Oct 16, 2025 in Physics
Phys.org / Maya salt-making compound found preserved underwater in Belize

In a recent study by Dr. Heather McKillop and Dr. E. Cory Sills, a complete Late Classic Maya residential compound discovered preserved in mangrove peat below the sea floor of the Punta Ycacos Lagoon was analyzed. The work ...

Oct 16, 2025 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / How poisonous glands helped modern toads conquer the world

Modern toads (Bufonidae) are among the most successful amphibians on the planet, a diverse group of more than 600 species that are found on every continent except Antarctica. But just how did they conquer the world? An international ...

Oct 16, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Ultrasensitive sensor maps magnetization textures in rhombohedral graphene

Graphene, which is comprised of a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal lattice, is a widely used material known for its advantageous electrical and mechanical properties. When graphene is stacked in a so-called ...

Oct 16, 2025 in Nanotechnology