Phys.org news

Phys.org / Captured carbon dioxide could yield strong, flexible plastics designed for recycling

Researchers at Colorado State University have developed a process to transform naturally occurring, highly stable carbon dioxide into recyclable, high-performance materials that could replace today's plastics in many situations. ...

14 hours ago
Phys.org / New antimicrobials could help tackle deadly drug-resistant infections

Scientists at Imperial College London and the University of Manchester have developed a promising new way to create safer and more effective treatments for life-threatening fungal infections. The research, published today ...

14 hours ago
Phys.org / Why the hepatitis E virus cannot infect mice

Many viruses can infect both humans and animals, including hepatitis E virus. This virus is often transmitted to humans via contaminated meat products, such as by ingesting raw or undercooked pork or wild game. However, mouse ...

15 hours ago
Phys.org / A successful, sustainable catalyst for ethanol dehydrogenation

Ethanol is an alcohol used in a vast number of industrial and household applications. When dehydrogenated—in this case, stripped of some of its hydrogen atoms—it yields another important compound: acetaldehyde, which is used ...

16 hours ago
Phys.org / Oil beetle larvae smell like flowers to manipulate bees and sneak into their nests

For the first time, a research team from the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology and Friedrich Schiller University in Jena, Germany, has demonstrated that insects can mimic floral scents to manipulate pollinators.

16 hours ago
Phys.org / Gene discovery could shave years off avocado breeding

Scientists have found a genetic switch that could shave years off avocado breeding by allowing researchers to identify one of a young tree's most important traits long before it flowers.

16 hours ago
Phys.org / Private mission to rescue NASA's aging telescope runs into its own trouble

The spacecraft rushing to the rescue of an aging and sinking NASA telescope has run into its own problem.

21 hours ago
Phys.org / Understanding eras: Predicting audience preferences with new perspective on nostalgia

When brands spend millions every year to transport Super Bowl audiences back in time during commercials, what happens if they choose the wrong era? Knowing who prefers which part of history is valuable marketing knowledge, ...

18 hours ago
Phys.org / Repeating distance patterns let optical systems tackle large optimization problems

From planning transportation networks to organizing massive datasets, many of society's most important challenges boil down to an optimization problem: finding the best solution among an enormous number of possibilities. ...

20 hours ago
Phys.org / The cost of memory: How organisms balance thinking and sensing

Remembering the past can help living organisms make better decisions, but memory comes at a cost. Whether it is an animal searching for food or a single cell responding to its surroundings, storing and using information requires ...

Jul 29, 2026
Phys.org / Mosquitoes are rapidly activating enzymes against common insecticide, researchers warn

Traditionally, public health programs have relied on chemicals for mosquito management, which may be why combating mosquitoes is becoming more difficult. Over time, insecticides trigger biochemical and genetic variations ...

Jul 29, 2026
Phys.org / Ultracold neutrons don't disappear into the mirror world

For decades, a theory in physics has postulated the existence of a mirror world whose interaction with our own reality is extremely feeble. The particles in this mirror universe are also thought to be candidates for dark ...

Jul 28, 2026