Phys.org news

Phys.org / Scientists visualize proteins' hidden water architecture that may help define biological function

For decades, scientists have understood proteins primarily through two defining features: their amino acid sequence and their three-dimensional structure. This framework has driven major advances in biology, biotechnology ...

Sep 10, 2026
Phys.org / Future catastrophic weather could be 'far worse' than history suggests

Historical records of the deadliest storms and heat waves may be a poor indicator of the scale and impact future weather disasters could have, scientists at King's College London warn.

Sep 10, 2026
Phys.org / Gondwana really was a supercontinent—and it may have helped kickstart life on Earth

Some 550 million years ago, Earth looked very different than it does today. The Southern Hemisphere was dominated by an enormous single continent known as Gondwana.

Sep 10, 2026
Phys.org / Rare bird fossils from Bavaria reveal new species, including an eagle

The Hammerschmiede clay pit near Pforzen in the eastern Allgäu is famous for its wealth of finds: Besides fossils of two early anthropoid apes, the remains of numerous vertebrate species have been uncovered in 11.6-million-year-old ...

Sep 10, 2026
Phys.org / Fossil flowers of ancient lianas preserved in amber reveal the evolution of tropical rainforests

Tiny flowers trapped in amber around 15 million years ago are offering scientists a rare glimpse into the plant life of a tropical rainforest in what is now Southeast China. Researchers have studied two exceptionally well-preserved ...

Sep 10, 2026
Phys.org / Psychologist wins Ig Nobel for proving rich drivers are the worst

Paul K. Piff, UC Irvine associate professor of psychology, has officially been recognized for what millions of frustrated commuters have long suspected: The fancier the car, the worse the driver.

Sep 10, 2026
Phys.org / Ultra-cold quantum sensors cut X-ray uncertainty, improving nuclear material assessments

To monitor the amount and type of nuclear material at power plants and weapons facilities, scientists look for a special signal—the unique pattern of gamma rays emitted by specific radioactive elements. However, some of these ...

Sep 10, 2026
Phys.org / Global database reveals why no two cities' food emissions look the same

Switching to a more sustainable diet could halve food-related emissions in cities such as Amsterdam, while in cities such as Dhaka and Delhi, the focus should be more on making food production more sustainable as they widen ...

Sep 10, 2026
Phys.org / Cell wall transport disruption exposes weakness in antibiotic-resistant bacteria

Even highly antibiotic-resistant bacteria become more vulnerable when their cell wall transport system is disrupted, according to a new study from Umeå University. The discovery reveals a previously overlooked weakness that ...

Sep 10, 2026
Phys.org / An unusual bacterium that penetrates and lives inside human cells may offer a new drug target

Research underway in the lab of Rebecca Alexander, a professor in Wake Forest University's Department of Chemistry, is shedding light on an unusual human bacterium, Mycoplasma penetrans. Alexander's work to understand how ...

Sep 10, 2026
Phys.org / Unveiling how nanoparticles create iridescence in ancient ceramics

Scientists led by the Universitat Politècnica de Barcelona and the ESRF, the European Synchrotron, have revealed the chemical reactions in nanoparticles that created a unique, shimmering effect in the painting on ninth-century ...

Sep 10, 2026
Phys.org / Himalayan glacial lakes are growing—and so is the downstream flood risk

Dozens of glacial lakes have formed across northern India in the last three decades, while existing lakes have expanded rapidly, highlighting the need to monitor a landscape reshaped by climate change.

Sep 10, 2026