Phys.org news
Phys.org / Map suggests up to 30% of western bird hotspots face severe wildfire risk
Up to 30% of bird diversity hotspots, places where large numbers of different bird species occur, in the western United States face threats from high-severity wildfires in the future that could eliminate critical forest habitats, ...
Phys.org / Trapping a single protein in a molecular cage: A new path to drug discovery for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Proteins often function in pairs or groups, concealing their internal connection points and making it difficult for scientists to study their individual units without altering their natural structure. In a study published ...
Phys.org / Cracks in snow propagate faster than expected
Since 10 January 2026, the WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research (SLF) has received reports of hundreds of "whumpfs" (i.e., sounds indicating a collapse in the snowpack) and of remote triggering events—unmistakable ...
Phys.org / Simulations map how single-crystal battery materials could boost cycle life
The performance of rechargeable batteries is governed by processes deep within their components. A fundamental understanding of electrochemistry, structure–property–performance relationships and the effects of processing ...
Phys.org / Antibiotic resistance is rising: A membrane protease could be E. coli's weak spot
A University of Alberta research team has identified a new drug target to treat harmful E. coli bacteria—which cause nearly 250,000 deaths a year from urinary tract infections (UTI) and are becoming increasingly resistant ...
Phys.org / New durable hybrid materials enable faster radiation detection
Researchers at the University of Oklahoma have developed new hybrid materials that challenge conventional thinking about how light-emitting compounds work and could advance the field of fast radiation detection. The research, ...
Phys.org / Rising simultaneous wildfire risk compromises international firefighting efforts
The most high-risk conditions for fires are increasingly happening across countries at the same time, making resulting wildfires even more challenging to tackle, new research reveals.
Phys.org / Cultured beef differs from conventional beef in allergy-related hazards, food safety study shows
As cultured meat moves toward commercialization, people want to understand how it impacts health compared to conventional animal meat. So, researchers publishing in theJournal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry conducted ...
Phys.org / Why negativity can motivate founders: Study links doubts to greater persistence
A new study finds entrepreneurs become more committed to their business ventures when they are told they will fail, increasing their efforts to make those businesses successful. "Most entrepreneurs—people who start their ...
Phys.org / Chiral myosin steers actin into stable rotating rings without a template, study finds
Living cells are highly organized, yet they are not assembled using rigid blueprints or by following a predetermined plan. Instead, order emerges on its own from countless interactions between molecules that are constantly ...
Phys.org / A ring to transcribe them: The unique path of poxviruses
A research team at the University of Würzburg has deciphered another aspect of poxviral gene activation. They have revealed a unique viral mechanism: A molecular ring anchors the viral copying machine to the DNA. Their findings ...
Phys.org / Proton's width measured to unparalleled precision, narrowing the path to new physics
Physicists in Germany have carried out the most accurate measurement to date of the width of the proton. By examining a previously unexplored energy-level transition in the hydrogen atom, Lothar Maisenbacher and colleagues ...