Phys.org news
Phys.org / Decades-old DNA mystery solved after strands are captured zipping together for the first time
Researchers have captured the moment two DNA molecules zip together, overcoming their identical negative charges to pair up and revealing a mechanism that has puzzled scientists for more than 20 years. Using high-powered ...
Phys.org / Cacao genetics could help breeders reduce heavy metal levels in cocoa beans
Cadmium is a naturally occurring, toxic heavy metal found in many soils across Latin America and the Caribbean, where cacao trees are widely cultivated. It makes its way into cocoa seeds, called beans, that are roasted and ...
Phys.org / Discontinuity and disorder: Explaining the luminosity bump in evolved stars
Toward the end of their lives, low-mass stars undergo an abrupt dip in brightness, also known as the luminosity bump. While the endpoint of this bump is well understood, its onset has remained elusive. Now, in a paper published ...
Phys.org / Fossil ribs reveal new secrets about ichthyosaur swimming technique
Ichthyosaurs ruled the oceans for 150 million years during the Mesozoic Era. Their fish-shaped bodies were built for high speeds. In that context, it is normally an advantage to be as light as possible.
Phys.org / These bacteria can change their diet to survive inside the body
The human body fights staph infections by starving it of essential nutrients. Staph, it turns out, is remarkably good at changing what's on the menu. Staphylococcus aureus—the infamous agent behind MRSA and most staph infections—needs ...
Phys.org / 3D magnetic-field control reveals new way to tune spin textures
(Fe0.63Ni0.3Pd0.07)3P, or FNPP, is a magnetic material that exhibits complex magnetic structures even at room temperature. This makes the material of interest for spintronics, a field that could enable data processing with ...
Phys.org / Researchers chart new course for AI-powered biomedical discoveries
University of Missouri researchers are paving the way as artificial intelligence transforms biomedical research. A team from the College of Engineering and collaborators recently published one of the most comprehensive reviews ...
Phys.org / Molecular antennae make light-activated molecular switches more sensitive
From targeted cancer treatments to self-healing materials and microscopic robots, many emerging technologies depend on molecules that can be controlled with light. Researchers at Tohoku University have now developed a way ...
Phys.org / 'Here, There and Everywhere': The Beatles have permeated research papers across academic disciplines
More than 3,000 scientific article titles across disciplines have made use of Beatles song titles and lyrics, according to a study published in PLOS One by Gabriel Budel of Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands ...
Phys.org / AI reveals new class of cellular 'off switch' linked to cancer pathways
Cornell researchers have used artificial intelligence to uncover a previously unknown way cells control how proteins move inside them, a process essential for growth, communication and movement that is often disrupted in ...
Phys.org / Estuary water quality trends have $100M implications, researchers find
Estuaries across the United States are facing the same trends of warming waters, algal growth and declining oxygen concentrations that threaten water quality and fish populations, regardless of geographic location, according ...
Phys.org / Asian elephants can resist impulsive behavior, researchers find
Researchers at the CUNY Graduate Center and Hunter College have found that Asian elephants can suppress impulsive behaviors and adjust their actions when circumstances change—a cognitive ability that may help explain the ...