Phys.org news
Phys.org / Embryo-like fossils from Southern China offer new clues about ancient life
Some of the most ancient fossils collected to date were traced back to the Ediacaran period. This is the time interval ranging from around 635 to 541 million years ago, shortly before the time when scientists predict that ...
Phys.org / TESS discovers an Earth-sized planet orbiting nearby M-dwarf star
Using NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), an international team of astronomers has discovered an extrasolar planet orbiting TOI-4616—a nearby M-dwarf star. The newfound alien world, which received designation ...
Phys.org / Novel protocol reconstructs quantum states in large-scale experiments up to 96 qubits
Quantum computers, systems that process information leveraging quantum mechanical effects, could outperform classical computers on some computationally demanding tasks. Despite their potential, as the size of quantum computers ...
Phys.org / Ancient Neanderthal genome reveals isolated, distinct populations
Neanderthals split into distinct regional groups that developed genetic differences far sooner than modern human populations typically did, according to a study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. ...
Phys.org / ZTF discovers a new mass-transferring brown dwarf binary system
Astronomers from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and elsewhere report the discovery of a binary system consisting of two brown dwarfs undergoing stable mass transfer. The detection of the system, designated ...
Phys.org / How graphene oxide kills bacteria while sparing human cells
Hygiene in everyday items that touch the body—such as clothing, masks, and toothbrushes—is critically important. The underlying principle of how graphene selectively eliminates only bacteria has now been revealed. In Advanced ...
Phys.org / Binding to RNA is not enough—changing its shape is what makes a drug work, study reveals
Ribonucleic acids (RNAs) serve as messengers between DNA and protein production, and perform a wide variety of regulatory functions across different cellular processes. This makes them an interesting target for drug designers. ...
Phys.org / A mass mating event in the lab reveals how yeast cells choose partners
While humans often struggle to find a partner who is both physically attractive and a reliable co-parent, yeast may already have cracked the formula for the perfect match. When choosing mates, these single-celled organisms ...
Phys.org / Seals use whisker movement to follow underwater trails—an approach that could improve robotic sensing
Seals are carnivorous marine mammals that are well adapted to hunting for fish underwater, where visibility is poor. In such conditions, seals rely on their highly sensitive whiskers to detect tiny water movements left behind ...
Phys.org / Eco-friendly hair repair adds to more natural personal care product pipeline
Hair damaged by dyes, bleaching or harsh sunlight has just got special treatment. Green chemistry researchers at Flinders University are experimenting with plant-based oils to develop a promising new structural keratin-type ...
Phys.org / How internal waves transport energy thousands of miles across the ocean
Both winds and tides inject energy into the ocean. Much of that energy is then transported up to thousands of miles by internal waves: large-scale underwater waves that can travel between ocean basins. Quantifying the amount ...
Phys.org / Human brain operates near, but not at, the critical point
A recent study published in Physical Review Letters reveals that many widely used signatures of criticality in brain data may be statistical artifacts. They propose a more robust framework that, when applied to whole-brain ...
