Phys.org news

Phys.org / Parental care can influence evolution, beetle experiments show

How has offspring dependence on parents evolved over the course of evolution? Researchers at the University of Bayreuth, in collaboration with Kyoto University, Japan, have investigated one possible mechanism by studying ...

Aug 27, 2026
Phys.org / Researchers reveal the unique 'tagging' mechanism that guides the sleeping brain in remembering key thoughts

Why do we remember certain moments while forgetting others? Every day, our minds are bombarded with thousands of pieces of information, yet our brains have a limited capacity to consolidate these experiences into lasting ...

Aug 27, 2026
Phys.org / Shear flow in narrow channels sparks amyloid formation, experiments reveal

Many cars and not enough lanes is a recipe for traffic jams. Now, researchers from Japan show that even proteins can get backed up and start behaving poorly when too many try to squeeze too quickly through a small space.

Aug 27, 2026
Phys.org / MOF-coated catalyst converts CO₂ to CO nearly five times faster under ultrasonic vibration

Researchers at the University of Osaka have developed a catalyst that uses mechanical vibration to convert carbon dioxide (CO2) into carbon monoxide (CO), an important chemical feedstock. The catalyst consists of barium titanate ...

Aug 27, 2026
Phys.org / XY or ZW? Gecko chromosomes reveal evolution's hidden playbook

Why do humans rely on XY chromosomes to determine sex, while birds use ZW—and many reptiles use neither, letting temperature decide instead? Sex determination is remarkably diverse across the animal kingdom. In genotypic ...

Aug 27, 2026
Phys.org / Oxygen collisions reveal how quark–gluon matter approaches equilibrium

High-energy nuclear collisions recreate extreme conditions similar to those in the early universe, producing quark–gluon plasma (QGP), a hot state of matter in which quarks and gluons are no longer confined inside protons ...

Aug 27, 2026
Phys.org / How bacteria develop resistance to programmable antibiotics

Antimicrobial resistance is one of the greatest challenges facing modern medicine. A new class of programmable antibiotics known as asobiotics can be used to treat bacterial infections when classical antibiotics fail. A team ...

Aug 27, 2026
Phys.org / Heat-tolerant corals may be more vulnerable to disease

Corals that partner with heat-tolerant algae may be better equipped to survive warming oceans—but that resilience comes with an unexpected trade-off, according to a new study from Boston University published in Science Advances.

Aug 27, 2026
Phys.org / Venus's mysterious clouds may hide an exceptionally strong light absorber

Venus appears pale yellow in visible light, but ultraviolet images reveal dramatic dark and bright patterns moving with the planet's upper sulfuric acid clouds. Scientists have known about these markings for roughly a century, ...

Aug 27, 2026
Phys.org / The wisdom of the egg cell: Oocyte epigenetic mark may help prevent excessive placental growth after fertilization

The genome—which contains genes encoded in DNA—acts as the fundamental blueprint of life. But what you might not know is that, in addition to this genetic information, we have something akin to an "instruction manual" for ...

Aug 27, 2026
Phys.org / Parasitic plants act like genetic engineers by stealing and remodeling useful genes

Many plant species parasitize other plants by latching on and taking the nutrients their hosts need to survive. But sometimes, plants steal more than nutrients; they take genes.

Aug 27, 2026
Phys.org / Beyond the Petri dish: Testing tomorrow's drugs in human blood

The COVID vaccine is perhaps the first thing many people think of when they hear about mRNA-based drugs. Small packages of genetic material are sent into the body, prompting cells to produce useful proteins in the fight against ...

Aug 27, 2026