Phys.org news
Phys.org / Ahead of their time: Restricted to pre-2018 research, AI flags hydrogen catalyst reported in later experiments
Researchers have used artificial intelligence to identify promising catalysts using only the scientific knowledge that was available years before their actual discovery. Their findings could accelerate the search for more ...
Phys.org / Hidden chromosome structures reveal greater complexity in how roundworms organize DNA
Almost every cell in our body contains around two meters (6.6 feet) of DNA, packed into a tiny nucleus. Yet for the cell to function, this enormous amount of genetic material must remain organized and accessible. Researchers ...
Phys.org / Silent bacterial genes yield potential leads for future cancer drugs
Natural products produced by microorganisms are a promising source of new drugs. Researchers at the Helmholtz Center for Infection Research (HZI) and its Saarbrücken-based site, the Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical ...
Phys.org / Sediment core reveals volcanic eruption preceded ancient cold spell by about 150 years
A new study led by an international research team including scientists at the University of South Carolina challenges the idea that the ancient Laacher See volcanic eruption in western Europe triggered a significant climate-cooling ...
Dialog / Could ecological roles offer clues to how life began?
Producers, consumers, and decomposers play different roles in today's ecosystems. Thinking about these familiar roles led me to a question: Could their differences partly reflect the different physical and chemical environments ...
Phys.org / Britain's 1972 school reform may have lowered dementia diagnoses half a century later
A new study provides perhaps the strongest evidence yet that education can help mitigate long-term dementia risk.
Phys.org / Simulations reveal design rules for high-performance DNA particle motors
DNA-nano/microparticle motors are among the fastest artificial molecular motors reported to date, moving at approximately 30 nm per second. However, they are still slower than natural motor proteins (approximately 100–1,000 ...
Phys.org / An 'electron waiting room' helps blue titanium dioxide hold light energy longer
To produce hydrogen using sunlight, the energy obtained from light must be retained until it can be used in a chemical reaction. However, if an electron that has gained energy from light quickly returns to its original position, ...
Phys.org / Tiny shifts in iron content tip a potential memory material between competing magnetic states
A team of Yale researchers has figured out what gives a magnetic material its mysterious properties, a discovery that could help boost computing memory and the field of "spintronics." Their work is published in Physical Review ...
Phys.org / Protecting isn't enough—creating integrated conservation landscapes is key
New Monash University research has revealed how countries could strengthen their conservation networks by looking beyond the boundaries of national parks and protected areas—and focusing on how these areas connect.
Phys.org / Plants may switch between reproductive strategies more easily than thought
When it comes to reproduction, plants have options. Some can fertilize themselves, while others rely on pollen from genetically different plants. Many populations even contain a mixture of both strategies. But scientists ...
Phys.org / Southern Africa's first known stenciled rock art found hiding in plain sight
Southern Africa has one of the most detailed and elaborate bodies of rock art anywhere in the world, from herds of running antelope to dancing men and humanoid beings with wings, hooves and horns. All are painted with fine ...
