Phys.org news

Phys.org / A goat's tooth may have solved a 100‑year debate about ancient Greek farming

The agricultural economy was the backbone of wealth in ancient Greece. Food brought people together, whether in smaller groups at a wine-drinking symposium or the entire community in a sacrificial feast of epic proportions. ...

23 hours ago
Phys.org / When mitochondria grow abnormally long, leaked RNA may activate anti-tumor immune responses

Researchers from the University of Osaka have demonstrated that mitochondrial hyperfusion, when induced by low levels of DRP1 or cellular stress, activates an immune response through the RIG-I–MAVS pathway. Dependent on the ...

22 hours ago
Phys.org / Understudied enzyme helps S. aureus pathogen prosper, study finds

A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences has offered insight into how Staphylococcus aureus, a major human pathogen, fine-tunes its internal machinery to survive stress and potentially ...

21 hours ago
Phys.org / Structural blueprint for RNA therapeutics reveals why some siRNA molecules work better than others

RNA interference is a natural mechanism for living cells to control whether specific genes are being used. Crowned with the 2006 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, the discovery of RNA interference has since been harnessed ...

21 hours ago
Phys.org / Synthetic chemical framework can switch magnetic spin states at near ambient temperatures

There is growing demand for smart materials that can change their physical properties in response to various external stimuli such as light, heat, pressure, magnetic fields and electric fields. One such physical property ...

22 hours ago
Phys.org / Gold-laced nanoparticles could eventually spot and treat endometriosis without surgery

Endometriosis is a painful, common condition affecting women worldwide, but treatment and diagnosis options are scarce. A new University of Mississippi-led study may have found an answer to both problems.

22 hours ago
Phys.org / Solar storms leave their mark on cosmic rays that reach Earth

A new study has revealed an unexpected link between solar storms and the flux of high-energy cosmic rays arriving at Earth. The findings, made using one of the world's largest cosmic ray detectors, could open up a new way ...

Jun 29, 2026
Phys.org / Light-activated compound kills antibiotic-resistant bacteria by turning its own defense enzyme against it

Antibiotic resistance is becoming an accelerating crisis because of the overuse and misuse of antibiotics over many years. The problem is exacerbated when antibiotics wipe out susceptible bacteria but leave resistant bacteria ...

Jun 29, 2026
Phys.org / Giraffes combine quantities similarly to addition

In addition to humans, some species of primates and birds have demonstrated under experimental conditions their ability to manipulate quantities in tasks that require combining or separating them, in a manner similar to addition ...

Jun 29, 2026
Phys.org / Giant exoplanet may hold a magnetic grip on its host star

Within their planetary systems, stars are continuously shaping their orbiting planets through gravity, radiation and magnetic forces. So far, this relationship has appeared to be a one-way street.

Jun 29, 2026
Phys.org / Why nanoscale droplets don't coalesce and microscale droplets do

Olive oil and water do not naturally mix. Water molecules are polar, having a net electric dipole moment due to the bend angle of about 104.5° between the two oxygen-hydrogen bonds. Olive oil is nonpolar due to its long hydrocarbon ...

Jun 29, 2026
Phys.org / Mummified dogs reveal Tiwanaku people buried companions beside homes long before they became status symbols

In the arid landscapes of southern Peru, around 1,100 years ago, someone carefully dug a small pit, laid down a woven mat and placed a young dog within as if sleeping, possibly wrapped in twine. Centuries later, the mummified ...

Jun 29, 2026