Phys.org news

Phys.org / Plant-inspired water membrane filters CO₂ with constant selectivity and adjustable permeance

Gas separation membranes are vital for carbon capture, biogas upgrading, and hydrogen purification, all of which require the separation of carbon dioxide from gases like nitrogen, methane and hydrogen. However, the membranes ...

Apr 9, 2026
Phys.org / AI-designed proteins built from scratch can recognize specific compounds

Professor Gyu Rie Lee of the Department of Biological Sciences successfully designed artificial proteins that selectively recognize specific compounds using AI through joint research with Professor David Baker. The research, ...

Apr 9, 2026
Phys.org / Medieval Japanese poetry and buried trees help elucidate volatile space weather

On Earth, extreme solar activity often appears as beautiful, benign auroras. But venturing beyond the safety of the Earth's magnetic field, one faces the full brunt of a temperamental star that can suddenly erupt with flares ...

Apr 9, 2026
Phys.org / Simple vineyard growing practice impacts soil microbiome deep below surface

Pennsylvania is the fourth-largest wine producer in the United States, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. The industry supports nearly 11,000 jobs and directly contributes $1.77 billion to the state ...

Apr 9, 2026
Phys.org / From Asgard to Earth: Tiny tubes may reveal the moment complex life began

Stromatolites—and their close relatives, microbial mats—could be mistaken for what seems like a bunch of old dark rocks. But instead, they are dense, layered communities of microbes. Long before complex life such as animals ...

Apr 9, 2026
Phys.org / Megawatt structured light arrives with 3,070 optical vortices in one array

Optical vortices—light beams carrying orbital angular momentum (OAM)—are characterized by helical wavefronts and phase singularities. While they have been widely studied in recent decades, two fundamental limitations have ...

Apr 9, 2026
Phys.org / Hidden ocean feedback loop could accelerate climate change

The world's oceans may be quietly amplifying climate change in ways scientists are only beginning to understand. In a new study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, University of Rochester scientists—including ...

Apr 9, 2026
Phys.org / Hat wars of early modern England reveal how manners make the rebel

From refusing to doff hats in court to resisting hat-snatching highway robbers, England's relationship with hats goes far deeper than fashion, new research shows.

Apr 9, 2026
Phys.org / Non-producing oil and gas wells may emit microbial methane at rates 1,000 times higher than previously estimated

Microbial methane leaking from non-producing oil and gas wells is being emitted at rates about 1,000 times higher than previously estimated, according to a new study led by McGill University researchers. "Origins of Subsurface ...

Apr 9, 2026
Phys.org / Why treelines don't simply rise with the climate

A global study by the University of Basel, Switzerland, reveals a surprising picture: While 42% of treelines worldwide are shifting upslope, 25% are retreating. This seemingly contradictory trend involves more than just warming. ...

Apr 9, 2026
Phys.org / AI diffusion models tailor drug molecules to custom-fit protein targets, speeding drug development and evaluation

University of Virginia School of Medicine scientists have developed a bold new approach to drug development and discovery that could dramatically accelerate the creation of new medicines. UVA's Nikolay V. Dokholyan, Ph.D., ...

Apr 9, 2026
Phys.org / Liquid-like histone H1 'glues' nucleosomes, reshaping how DNA compacts

DNA inside the nucleus is not packed as a rigid regular fiber—linker histone H1 dynamically binds and loosely "glues" nucleosomes together, creating a dynamic, fluid organization that can still support essential genome functions.

Apr 9, 2026