Phys.org news

Phys.org / Mitochondrial enzyme's atomic-level structure reveals how it processes RNA

Researchers at the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet have captured the first detailed molecular snapshots of human polynucleotide phosphorylase (hPNPase) in action, revealing how this essential ...

Dec 10, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Iberian peninsula is rotating clockwise, according to new geodynamic data

Asier Madarieta, a researcher in the EHU's HGI (Water Environmental Processes) group, has analyzed how the Earth's crust is being compressed and deformed in the field where Eurasia and Africa meet in the Western Mediterranean. ...

Dec 10, 2025 in Earth
Phys.org / Study links vanishing of specific heats at absolute zero with principle of entropy increase

In a new publication, Professor José-María Martín-Olalla, from the Department of Condensed Matter Physics at the University of Seville, has described the direct link between the vanishing of specific heats at absolute ...

Dec 10, 2025 in Physics
Phys.org / Roman urbanism was bad for health, new study confirms

Analysis of skeletal remains from England before and during Roman occupation confirms theories that the population's health declined under Roman occupation, but only in the urban centers, suggesting pre-Roman traditions continued ...

Dec 10, 2025 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Quantum machine learning nears practicality as partial error correction reduces hardware demands

Imagine a future where quantum computers supercharge machine learning—training models in seconds, extracting insights from massive datasets and powering next-gen AI. That future might be closer than you think, thanks to ...

Dec 10, 2025 in Physics
Phys.org / A pioneering study on the feasibility of asteroid mining

Much remains to be known about the chemical composition of small asteroids. Their potential to harbor valuable metals, materials from the early solar system, and the possibility of obtaining a geochemical record of their ...

Dec 10, 2025 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / New iron telluride thin film achieves superconductivity for quantum computer chips

If quantum computing is going to become an every-day reality, we need better superconducting thin films, the hardware that enables storage and processing of quantum information. Too often, these thin films have impurities ...

Dec 10, 2025 in Physics
Phys.org / Earliest botanical art hints at prehistoric mathematical thinking

A new study published in the Journal of World Prehistory reveals that some of humanity's earliest artistic representations of botanical figures were far more than decorative; they were mathematical.

Dec 10, 2025 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Fossils reveal sea cows have engineered Arabian Gulf's seagrass ecosystems for over 20 million years

Today, the Arabian Gulf is home to manatee-like marine mammals called dugongs that shape the seafloor as they graze on seagrasses. A newly described fossil site in Qatar reveals that ancient sea cows engineered aquatic ecosystems ...

Dec 10, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / The Hjortspring boat: Partial fingerprint in ancient tar offers rare glimpse into seafaring past

A new analysis of the Hjortspring boat, an ancient wooden plank boat now on display in the National Museum of Denmark, has yielded clues to its potential origin—which has long been considered a mystery, according to a study ...

Dec 10, 2025 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Ancient supernova may hold key to universe's mysterious dark energy

Astronomers are a step closer to cracking one of the secrets of dark energy—the mysterious force believed to be causing the universe's accelerated expansion.

Dec 10, 2025 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Ultra-thin nanomembrane device forms soft, seamless interface with living tissue

Researchers have developed a new class of ultra-thin, flexible bioelectronic material that can seamlessly interface with living tissues. They introduced a novel device called THIN (transformable and imperceptible hydrogel-elastomer ...

Dec 10, 2025 in Nanotechnology