Phys.org news

Phys.org / Probiotics for plants: Microorganisms boost growth and nitrogen uptake

Researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have identified a bacterial genus that promotes root growth and nitrogen uptake in plants. The findings open new possibilities for developing customized "plant probiotics" ...

11 hours ago in Biology
Phys.org / Stacked graphene sandwich reveals switchable memory without traditional ferroelectrics

A research team led by Professor Youngwook Kim from the Department of Physics and Chemistry, DGIST, in collaboration with the research team of Professor Gil Young Cho at KAIST, have discovered a new memory principle that ...

12 hours ago in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / High-tech scans of an enigmatic 400-million-year-old lungfish reveal new details

New pieces have been added to the puzzle of the evolution of some of the oldest fish that lived on Earth more than 400 million years ago. In two separate studies, experts in Australia and China have found new clues about ...

13 hours ago in Biology
Phys.org / Tiny droplets navigate mazes using 'chemical echolocation,' without sensors or computers

A recent study by a team of researchers led by TU Darmstadt has found that tiny amounts of liquid can navigate their way through unknown environments like living cells—without sensors, computers or external control. The ...

12 hours ago in Physics
Phys.org / Infrared-activated hydrogel uses lysozyme 'nets' to combat resistant bacteria

Each year, bacterial infections are responsible for roughly 7.7 million deaths worldwide, with this problem further exacerbated by rising antibiotic resistance. Not only are wound infections increasingly difficult to treat, ...

12 hours ago in Biology
Phys.org / Stable boron compounds pave the way for easier drug development

A major step toward simpler drug development has been taken at the University of Gothenburg. In a new study, researchers have developed stable boron-fluorine compounds that make it possible to increase the effect or reduce ...

12 hours ago in Chemistry
Phys.org / Niobium's superconducting switch cuts near-field radiative heat transfer 20-fold

When cooled to its superconducting state, niobium blocks the radiative flow of heat 20 times better than when in its metallic state, according to a study led by a University of Michigan Engineering team. The experiment marks ...

13 hours ago in Physics
Phys.org / Two huge hot blobs of rock influence Earth's magnetic field, study reveals

Exploring Earth's deep interior is a far bigger challenge than exploring the solar system. While we have traveled 25 billion km into space, the deepest we have ever gone below our feet is just over 12 km. Consequently, little ...

14 hours ago in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / How species competition shapes trait diversity worldwide

Every ecosystem is shaped by billions of invisible battles: organisms competing for light, nutrients, space, or mates. These competitive interactions determine which species survive, how they evolve, and how vibrant and resilient ...

13 hours ago in Biology
Phys.org / From leadership to influencers: New study shows why we choose to follow others

For a long time, most scientists believed that early human hunter-gatherer societies were mostly equal, with little hierarchy or leadership, and that strong inequalities only emerged later with farming and complex societies. ...

14 hours ago in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Using duality to construct and classify new quantum phases

A team of theoretical researchers has found duality can unveil non-invertible symmetry protected topological phases, which can lead to researchers understanding more about the properties of these phases, and uncover new quantum ...

13 hours ago in Physics
Phys.org / Ultra-thin metasurface chip turns invisible infrared light into steerable visible beams

The invention of tiny devices capable of precisely controlling the direction and behavior of light is essential to the development of advanced technologies. Researchers at the Advanced Science Research Center at the CUNY ...

14 hours ago in Physics