Phys.org news

Phys.org / Precision work prior to cell division: How enzymes optimize DNA structure

Before a cell can divide, it has to precisely duplicate its entire genetic information. However, the DNA in the cell exists as part of a DNA-protein complex known as chromatin. For this purpose, the DNA is wrapped around ...

21 hours ago
Phys.org / Accuracy test for protein language models shines light into AI 'black box'

AI language models, used to generate human-like text to power chatbots and create content, are also revolutionizing biology by treating complex biological data like a language. Language models are increasingly used, for example, ...

23 hours ago
Phys.org / Helical liquid crystals can flip light's chirality under ultralow electric fields

The direction in which the electromagnetic field of circularly polarized light rotates can be easily reversed by applying a voltage, RIKEN researchers have demonstrated. This could enable a new generation of optical devices ...

23 hours ago
Phys.org / Atomic-level simulations reveal rotational mechanism behind a critical biomolecular motor

The way a key cellular motor works at an atomic level has been uncovered by simulations conducted by RIKEN biophysicists. This finding, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, provides important ...

23 hours ago
Phys.org / Molecular system can distinguish and neutralize cancer cells, paving the way for 'smart' drugs

How can cancer cells be targeted without damaging healthy tissue? This is one of the major challenges facing oncology today. Using synthetic DNA strands, a team from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) has created a "smart" ...

22 hours ago
Phys.org / Ghost bat dialects emerge across colonies, study suggests

Accents are usually thought of as a human trait, indicating where a person has grown up or the communities they belong—and new research shows the same dialects can also occur in Australia's largest carnivorous bat.

Apr 1, 2026
Phys.org / New microporous aerogel uses van der Waals forces for flexible, moldable shaping

Porous materials are widely used for gas storage, separation, catalysis, and environmental purification. Their functionality arises from nanoscale pores that allow molecules to be selectively captured or transported. However, ...

22 hours ago
Phys.org / Unexplained sky flashes from the 1950s: Independent analysis supports their existence

Historical observations from an observatory in Germany have now independently verified evidence for brief, mysterious flashes of light in the night sky, first picked up by an American astronomical survey in the 1950s. Through ...

Apr 1, 2026
Phys.org / High nickel concentrations in Martian bedrock point to potential biosignatures

In 2024, NASA's Perseverance rover found surprising levels of Nickel in the Martian bedrock of an ancient river channel, called Neretva Vallis, which flowed into the Jezero crater. A new study, published in Nature Communications, ...

Apr 1, 2026
Phys.org / Gravitational waves as possible candidates for the origin of dark matter

Gravitational waves could be responsible for the production of dark matter during the early phases of our universe's formation, according to results of a new study by Professor Joachim Kopp from Johannes Gutenberg University ...

Apr 1, 2026
Phys.org / Conflict-driven farmland abandonment in Syria leads to land uplift, study finds

The Syrian civil war, which began in 2011, caused widespread population displacement and infrastructure damage. However, it has also led to an unintended environmental effect with notable changes in the country's landscape, ...

Apr 1, 2026
Phys.org / FAST observes a peculiar rotating radio transient that also switches to pulsar states

Using the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST), Chinese astronomers have explored the behavior of a rotating radio transient (RRAT) known as RRAT J1574+4703. The new observations found that this object ...

Apr 1, 2026