Phys.org news

Phys.org / Identifying mechanisms that support nanoparticle therapy for autoimmune diseases

Northwestern Medicine scientists in the laboratory of Stephen Miller, Ph.D., professor emeritus of Microbiology–Immunology, have identified the cellular and molecular mechanisms required for the antigen-specific tolerance ...

Feb 2, 2026 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / New formula unravels vines' parasitic nature

Twisting upwardly on trees and other plants—along with houses and even lampposts—vines are a wonder of nature. However, their marvels mask their parasitic behavior: in attaching to other life forms, vines block sunlight ...

Feb 2, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Biologists discover alternative systems that help cells control genes

Researchers at the School of Biological Sciences of The University of Hong Kong (HKU) have uncovered how eukaryotic cells can control gene activity even after losing one of their major gene-regulatory systems during evolution. ...

Feb 2, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / New class of catalysts could dramatically change playing field in nickel catalysis

Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have reported a breakthrough in nickel catalysis that harnesses a rare oxidation state of nickel that has proved challenging to control yet is highly valued for its ...

Feb 2, 2026 in Chemistry
Phys.org / Bigger is not always better: Smaller leaves optimize light use in soybeans

In efforts to better understand how soybean plants capture and use light, researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign investigated how leaf size and shape affect light distribution within the crop canopy. Using ...

Feb 2, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / 'Northwest Passage' mechanism of bile acid transport reveals a voltage-dependent pathway

In a study published in Nature on January 28, a research team led by Eric H. Xu (Xu Huaqiang) from the Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, along with Ma Xiong from Renji Hospital, determined ...

Feb 2, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / New study identifies warning signs for extreme flash flooding

Climate experts have identified an atmospheric configuration that can release huge volumes of water in a matter of minutes. Led by Newcastle University and the UK Met Office, the research helps explain some of the world's ...

Feb 2, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / Analyzing an enigmatic enzyme with potential for new antibiotic drug discovery

An analysis of an unusual enzyme could result in a new generation of antimicrobial medicines to counter antibiotic resistance. Key details in the enzyme-driven biosynthesis of a natural molecule with potent antibiotic activity ...

Feb 2, 2026 in Chemistry
Phys.org / Imaging the Wigner crystal state in a new type of quantum material

In some solid materials under specific conditions, mutual Coulomb interactions shape electrons into many-body correlated states, such as Wigner crystals, which are essentially solids made of electrons. So far, the Wigner ...

Feb 1, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Two rare 5th millennium BC fetal burials in Iran reveal variable prehistoric practices

In a study conducted by Dr. Mahdi Alirezazadeh and Dr. Hanan Bahranipoor, published in Archaeological Research in Asia, two exceptionally well-preserved fetal burials from Chaparabad, Iran, dating to the mid-5th millennium ...

Feb 1, 2026 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Tropical weather cycles linked to faster Arctic ice loss in autumn

When it comes to global warming and climate change, we often hear news stories about tipping points where Earth's systems shift into a new and dangerous state. One such may have been reached in the year 2000 that caused tropical ...

Feb 1, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / Strategic tree planting could help Canada become carbon neutral by mid-century

A new study finds that Canada could remove at least five times its annual carbon emissions with strategic planting of more than six million trees along the northern edge of the boreal forest. The paper, "Substantial carbon ...

Feb 1, 2026 in Earth