Phys.org news

Phys.org / Electricity-driven nitrogen insertion enables sustainable heterocycle synthesis

Researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) have developed an electrochemical reaction manifold that promotes efficient nitrogen atom insertion into saturated carbocycles to access either functionalized quinolines ...

Dec 19, 2025 in Chemistry
Phys.org / Precessing magnetic jet engine model reveals power source of rare 'heartbeat' gamma-ray burst

Prof. An Tao from the Shanghai Astronomical Observatory (SHAO) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has proposed a novel "precessing magnetic jet engine" model to explain the peculiar gamma-ray burst (GRB) 250702B, a rare cosmic ...

Dec 19, 2025 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Measuring how materials hotter than the sun's surface conduct electricity

Warm dense matter is a state of matter that forms at extreme temperatures and pressures, like those found at the center of most stars and many planets, including Earth. It also plays a role in the generation of Earth's magnetic ...

Dec 19, 2025 in Physics
Phys.org / Merging nanopores with nanofluidic devices could transform medicine and diagnostics

When disease begins forming inside the human body, something subtle happens long before symptoms appear. Individual molecules such as DNA, RNA, peptides, or proteins begin shifting in quantity or shape. Detecting these tiny ...

Dec 19, 2025 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / CO₂-driven method rapidly creates complex nanomaterials at room temperature

A team of researchers at UNIST, in collaboration with the University of Cologne and Purdue University, has unveiled a rapid, sustainable method to create complex nanomaterials containing up to 30 different metals in just ...

Dec 19, 2025 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / Real-time social interactions reveal how we balance cooperation and competition

When people reach for the same object, walk through a narrow doorway, forage for food, or work together on a shared task, they continuously negotiate—often without noticing—how much to cooperate or compete. Unlike classical ...

Dec 19, 2025 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Phage-resistant bacteria can still sink carbon to ocean floor

Marine bacteria are key to determining whether carbon is recycled near the ocean surface or transported to deeper waters, but many operate in constant threat of being infected by viruses called phages, and mutate to fend ...

Dec 19, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Unexpected allies: DNA packaging aids gene expression

It's a common storytelling trope: the stubborn foe who is eventually revealed to be a much-needed friend. Biology has its own version. Cornell researchers have discovered that DNA packaging structures called nucleosomes, ...

Dec 19, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Long-standing puzzle of the Sadovskii vortex pair solved after nearly a half-century

A team of researchers affiliated with UNIST has made a significant breakthrough by mathematically proving that a special type of vortex pair, called the Sadovskii vortex patch, can exist within ideal fluid flows. This marks ...

Dec 19, 2025 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Nanoparticle vaccine strategy could protect against Ebola and other deadly filoviruses

Filoviruses get their name from the Latin word "filum," meaning thread—a reference to their long, filamentous shape. This virus family contains some of the most dangerous pathogens known to science, including Ebola, Sudan, ...

Dec 19, 2025 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / Nodding off is dangerous. Some animals have evolved extreme ways to sleep in precarious environments

Every animal with a brain needs sleep—and even a few without a brain do, too. Humans sleep, birds sleep, whales sleep and even jellyfish sleep.

Dec 19, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Kangaroos fix their posture to save energy at high hopping speeds, study shows

Researchers have taken a leap in understanding how kangaroos can increase their hopping speeds without incurring an associated energetic cost.

Dec 19, 2025 in Biology