Phys.org news

A new tool to mutate bacteriophages—viruses that infect bacteria—provides a "big leap" forward in our understanding of how they function and our ability to harness their full potential.

When plant roots are injured—by insects, for example—the pressure inside the root drops, and a pressure wave spreads rapidly throughout the root system. In neighboring roots, tiny proteins that act as mechanical pressure ...

Scientists at Cornell University have found a human genetic element in a poxvirus and discovered that it is both an important gene for brain function and a jumping gene capable of moving and inserting itself into genomes. ...

Remodeling may bring to mind construction crews and scaffolding, but the process is far from unique to buildings. Even molecules can be remodeled. Pandorachelins, newly discovered molecules produced by Pandoraea bacteria, ...

Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) scientists have developed a way to "supercharge" a plant's natural immune response.

Cities trying to cool sweltering streets often set broad tree canopy targets. But those targets can overlook the reality that not all shade is equally useful, and not every neighborhood has room for more trees.

We are continuously sending information to each other, transmitting zeros and ones through a giant network of connected computers and devices. Scientists are now trying to extend this familiar concept of the internet to the ...

Many liver and lung cancers arise in tissue that's already been scarred by chronic disease, such as hepatitis, cirrhosis or long-term lung damage. That scarring creates an environment that suppresses nearby immune cells, ...

Medical researchers, clinicians and pharmaceutical scientists often study small molecules called metabolites, which are produced in living cells through a variety of processes, including the breakdown of food, chemicals or ...

Scientists have often thought of cells as small, bustling cities with parts that resemble factories, power grids and shipping systems. While past research has illuminated the individual components of these cell cities, scientists ...

Returning global temperatures to a climate target does not necessarily undo the damage caused by exceeding it, new Concordia-led research published in the journal Communications Earth & Environment finds.

Dryland ecosystems cover 40% of the Earth's land surface and support more than 2 billion people. According to a new study published in Nature Climate Change, they're becoming increasingly unstable.