Phys.org news
Phys.org / Precision work prior to cell division: How enzymes optimize DNA structure
Before a cell can divide, it has to precisely duplicate its entire genetic information. However, the DNA in the cell exists as part of a DNA-protein complex known as chromatin. For this purpose, the DNA is wrapped around ...
Phys.org / Accuracy test for protein language models shines light into AI 'black box'
AI language models, used to generate human-like text to power chatbots and create content, are also revolutionizing biology by treating complex biological data like a language. Language models are increasingly used, for example, ...
Phys.org / Helical liquid crystals can flip light's chirality under ultralow electric fields
The direction in which the electromagnetic field of circularly polarized light rotates can be easily reversed by applying a voltage, RIKEN researchers have demonstrated. This could enable a new generation of optical devices ...
Phys.org / Atomic-level simulations reveal rotational mechanism behind a critical biomolecular motor
The way a key cellular motor works at an atomic level has been uncovered by simulations conducted by RIKEN biophysicists. This finding, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, provides important ...
Phys.org / Molecular system can distinguish and neutralize cancer cells, paving the way for 'smart' drugs
How can cancer cells be targeted without damaging healthy tissue? This is one of the major challenges facing oncology today. Using synthetic DNA strands, a team from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) has created a "smart" ...
Phys.org / Ghost bat dialects emerge across colonies, study suggests
Accents are usually thought of as a human trait, indicating where a person has grown up or the communities they belong—and new research shows the same dialects can also occur in Australia's largest carnivorous bat.
Phys.org / New microporous aerogel uses van der Waals forces for flexible, moldable shaping
Porous materials are widely used for gas storage, separation, catalysis, and environmental purification. Their functionality arises from nanoscale pores that allow molecules to be selectively captured or transported. However, ...
Phys.org / Unexplained sky flashes from the 1950s: Independent analysis supports their existence
Historical observations from an observatory in Germany have now independently verified evidence for brief, mysterious flashes of light in the night sky, first picked up by an American astronomical survey in the 1950s. Through ...
Phys.org / High nickel concentrations in Martian bedrock point to potential biosignatures
In 2024, NASA's Perseverance rover found surprising levels of Nickel in the Martian bedrock of an ancient river channel, called Neretva Vallis, which flowed into the Jezero crater. A new study, published in Nature Communications, ...
Phys.org / Gravitational waves as possible candidates for the origin of dark matter
Gravitational waves could be responsible for the production of dark matter during the early phases of our universe's formation, according to results of a new study by Professor Joachim Kopp from Johannes Gutenberg University ...
Phys.org / Conflict-driven farmland abandonment in Syria leads to land uplift, study finds
The Syrian civil war, which began in 2011, caused widespread population displacement and infrastructure damage. However, it has also led to an unintended environmental effect with notable changes in the country's landscape, ...
Phys.org / FAST observes a peculiar rotating radio transient that also switches to pulsar states
Using the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST), Chinese astronomers have explored the behavior of a rotating radio transient (RRAT) known as RRAT J1574+4703. The new observations found that this object ...
