Phys.org news

Phys.org / Simple 'cocktail' of amino acids dramatically boosts power of mRNA therapies and CRISPR gene editing

Lipid nanoparticles, or LNPs, best known as the delivery vehicle for the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines received by billions of people, are now at the center of a much larger medical revolution. Researchers are racing to use them ...

Mar 11, 2026
Phys.org / Titanium complexes cleanly edit the core skeleton of highly stable organic compounds

Multi-titanium hydrides can selectively snip the strong structural bonds of stable organic molecules called pyridines, RIKEN researchers have shown. This discovery could guide designing catalysts for applications in multiple ...

Mar 11, 2026
Phys.org / Still standing but mostly dead: Recovery of dying coral reef in Moorea stalls

In April 2019, a marine heat wave struck a coral reef on the island of Moorea in French Polynesia, killing much of the coral and the beneficial algae that colonized it. This "bleaching" event reduced live coral populations ...

Mar 11, 2026
Phys.org / Acoustic driving enables controlled condensation of light and matter on chip

An international research team led by Alexander Kuznetsov at the Paul Drude Institute for Solid State Electronics (PDI) in Berlin has demonstrated a fundamentally new way to control the condensation of hybrid light-matter ...

Mar 11, 2026
Phys.org / Corpses leave clues behind in the soil long after they're gone

It is not uncommon for a body to be moved after a murder, usually to hide or eliminate evidence. And while the Arizona desert may seem like the perfect place to commit such a crime, a new study shows that a cadaver can still ...

Mar 11, 2026
Phys.org / Plants pause, play and fast-forward their growth depending on types of climate stress

Plants pause their growth during stress, then press play when conditions improve, helping them recover and live on to produce food, according to a new study published in New Phytologist. UBC researchers have pinpointed the ...

Mar 11, 2026
Phys.org / Climate extremes hinder early development in young birds, research shows

New research from the University of Oxford shows that cold snaps and heavy rain can stunt growth and reduce survival prospects in UK great tit nestlings. However, breeding earlier within a season appears to buffer against ...

Mar 11, 2026
Phys.org / North Sea 'lost world' had habitable forests during the last Ice Age, study shows

Forests were growing on the now-submerged landmass of Doggerland thousands of years earlier than previously believed, according to a major new sedimentary ancient DNA (sedaDNA) study led by the University of Warwick. The ...

Mar 11, 2026
Phys.org / Heavy water expands energy potential of carbon nanotube yarns

Researchers at The University of Texas at Dallas have developed a new electrolyte system that significantly boosts the energy-harvesting performance of twistrons, which are carbon nanotube yarns that generate electricity ...

Mar 11, 2026
Phys.org / AI weather models show promise for hurricane forecasts, but new study finds key physical limitations

Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming weather prediction, enabling forecasts that once required hours of supercomputing time to run in just minutes. But as AI tools play an expanding role in high-stakes hazard modeling, ...

Mar 11, 2026
Phys.org / Researchers mix X-rays and optical light to track speedy electrons in materials

To unlock materials of the future, including better photocatalysts or light-switchable superconductors, researchers need to understand how the valence electrons within materials respond to light at the atomic scale. Materials ...

Mar 11, 2026
Phys.org / Ancient DNA reveals Ice Age mammals thrived after volcanic eruption

For the first time, scientists have used DNA preserved in ancient sediments to examine how a major natural disaster affected animal populations. A new study of a catastrophic volcanic eruption during the Ice Age has found ...

Mar 11, 2026