Phys.org news
Phys.org / Scientists design 'tunable' biomolecules to probe how sugars behave
Sugars are not just a source of energy—they also play a crucial role in how cells communicate, how proteins interact and how materials behave in medicine and industry. But studying these processes is challenging because sugar ...
Phys.org / Sicily remained a medieval melting pot despite major political and religious upheavals, ancient DNA reveals
Sicilian populations have been genetically diverse for many centuries, and they have remained that way even through major regime changes and religious transitions, according to a study published in PLOS One by Aurore Monnereau ...
Phys.org / From virtue to vice: How the morality of popular music lyrics has changed since the 1960s
Popular music may be reflecting a growing culture of vices, according to new research from the Center for Digital Music at Queen Mary University of London. The analysis of musical evolution found that song lyrics have become ...
Phys.org / Machine learning rediscovers equations governing ocean biogeochemistry
Climate and ocean models use a series of equations to represent complex natural processes. However, the equations used in these models are often derived from limited observations and a series of assumptions.
Phys.org / Decades-long dataset shows which orcas are most at home in Puget Sound
Data spanning nearly half a century shows that endangered southern resident killer whales are spending less time in inland waters, whereas their larger cousins, Bigg's killer whales, are increasingly present in Puget Sound.
Phys.org / First complete map of world's seagrass offers warnings and hope for conservation
It's time we gave seagrass the credit it's due. This hero of a plant protects coastlines, stores vast amounts of carbon and supports ecosystems that people and wildlife depend on. But we don't often hear about it when it ...
Phys.org / Scientists catch classical space-time crystals moving like Majorana quasiparticles
A research team from Hiroshima University, the University of Colorado, and other collaborators have demonstrated that space-time crystals—exotic structures that, under external drive, loop endlessly through both space and ...
Phys.org / Pop song lyrics grew more self-focused in the US and Germany over 50 years, research reveals
Over five decades, popular songs in the U.S. and Germany have become more self-focused—as indicated by the use of pronouns such as "I," "me" and "mine"—while no such trend was seen for the most popular songs in Japan and ...
Phys.org / Does the Netherlands feed the world? Study challenges a familiar view of Dutch agriculture
The Netherlands is a major agricultural exporter. But look beyond euros to land, animal feed, calories and protein, and a different picture emerges. In a study published in Nature Food, researchers at Wageningen University ...
Phys.org / By making key signaling molecules called β-arrestins into druggable targets, scientists crack long-standing challenge
To function normally, nearly every cell in the human body relies on G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) to receive and send signals. That's why GPCRs are targeted by roughly one-third of all FDA-approved drugs.
Phys.org / New giant wormlion fly species identified on the southern slopes of the Himalayas
An enigmatic new species of wormlion fly, whose larvae construct clever pitfall traps to capture prey, has been revealed in a study led by researchers at Dali University in China.
Phys.org / Do hyenas eat livestock and rhinos? Behavioral biologists investigate a surprisingly charming population
For conservation and the management of human–wildlife conflicts, it is of great interest to know which species are eaten by carnivores. Scientists from the Ngorongoro Hyena Project at the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife ...