Phys.org news

Phys.org / Macrocyclic host molecules observed working together on a surface

A collaborative research team from Kanazawa University and Kyoto University reports the successful visualization of how densely assembled macrocyclic host molecules cooperatively capture guest molecules on a surface. Using ...

19 hours ago
Phys.org / Musk's SpaceX bonus comes with unique condition: Colonize Mars

SpaceX's blockbuster IPO filing included some out-of-this-world details, including a provision that founder Elon Musk's massive bonus only kicks in if one million humans settle on Mars.

22 hours ago
Phys.org / Cell-by-cell sodium mapping reveals astrocytes are far less uniform than believed

The element sodium plays a key role in nervous system function. An international research team headed by the Institute of Neurobiology at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (HHU) has now conducted a closer examination of ...

20 hours ago
Phys.org / Dual-atom fuel cell catalysts break single-peak rule, exposing two optima

Researchers have uncovered a new principle that could accelerate the development of cheaper and more efficient fuel cells by revealing how dual-atom catalysts behave during a key energy conversion reaction. The study, led ...

21 hours ago
Phys.org / Wildlife is watching us, too—and changing behavior in response

A new large-scale study led by a research team from the Yale Center for Biodiversity and Global Change has found that wildlife responds not only to how humans reshape their habitats, but also to the simple presence of humans—and ...

22 hours ago
Phys.org / Central Asia's record-breaking ice loss in 2025 raises water risks for millions

A new international study led by Lander Van Tricht (Vrije Universiteit Brussel, ETH Zürich), shows that glaciers in Central Asia experienced their most extreme mass-loss year on record in 2025, designated as the International ...

22 hours ago
Phys.org / Bacteria found in artisan cheeses may ease disease

Blessed are the tiny cheesemakers: scientists have mapped out the bacteria responsible for giving three British cheeses their distinct flavor, which may also be beneficial to human health. Scientists in the Food Microbial ...

22 hours ago
Phys.org / Astronomers de-fog exoplanet atmospheres with new cloud-detecting method

Sand clouds form every morning but clear up by nightfall on WASP-94A b, a well-studied gas giant in a constellation located nearly 700 light years away from Earth. Using data from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), research ...

22 hours ago
Phys.org / Coupled DNA nanopores control molecular traffic inside synthetic cell microreactors

Living systems such as cells rely on membrane pores and channels to transport molecules, exchange signals, and organize biochemical reactions. These functions emerge from dynamic interactions between molecular components. ...

21 hours ago
Phys.org / Unusual nonlinear thermoelectric effect appears in chiral tellurium, confirming theoretical predictions

An unusual thermoelectric effect has been observed in the semiconductor tellurium by RIKEN physicists for the first time. This demonstration points to the potential of similar materials to be used in applications such as ...

May 21, 2026
Phys.org / Why some antibiotics fail in the body—pH conditions can dramatically change how bacteria respond

When researchers test whether an antibiotic will work, they usually do so in a controlled laboratory environment. But when an infection happens inside the human body, things aren't so clean and tidy. New research from the ...

21 hours ago
Phys.org / Uncovering the link between epigenetic modifications and chromatin structure

Certain epigenetic modifications can directly control how genetic material is packed in the nucleus, RIKEN researchers have shown. This has important implications for our understanding of how genes are expressed in different ...

23 hours ago