Phys.org news

Phys.org / Carbon nanostructure improves fuel-cell catalyst durability while reducing platinum use

The explosion of new data centers being proposed and built around the U.S. has increased demand for energy to keep them powered and cooled. The Electric Power Research Institute estimates that data centers could consume up ...

Aug 6, 2026
Phys.org / First metabolically activated molecular glue degrader may target cancer cells under oxidative stress

Investigators at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have developed a platform for systematically discovering molecular glues that could become protein degradation drug candidates. The platform could help drug developers dramatically ...

Aug 6, 2026
Phys.org / Earthquake sensors can help forecast how hurricanes intensify

Stanford researchers have shown that instruments primarily used to understand earthquakes can capture key details about hurricanes, helping meteorologists better predict how storms will evolve and intensify.

Aug 6, 2026
Phys.org / Atomic view of Alzheimer's disease peptide could inform new drugs

One of the hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease is the accumulation of a peptide in the brain known as amyloid beta. A new study published in Nature Communications on July 22 has uncovered the atomic structure of the peptide ...

Aug 6, 2026
Phys.org / Liquid nitrogen may have recently flowed across Pluto's heart-shaped glacier

A new study led by Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) provides evidence that liquid nitrogen is rising to Pluto's surface through cracks at the northern edge of Sputnik Planitia, part of the massive heart-shaped glacier ...

Aug 6, 2026
Phys.org / Random physics helps model individual ant motion

Ants make up one of the most diverse groups of animals on the planet, with many species boasting remarkable physical abilities and social behaviors, and an overall species richness that far exceeds that of mammals. Various ...

Aug 6, 2026
Phys.org / Bioengineers develop biochemical halo to cloak insulin-producing cells from body defenses

A protein known as interleukin 10 (IL-10) is the lynchpin of a new method to protect transplanted cells from host immune system attacks. Rice University researchers engineered a living factory to produce a localized biochemical ...

Aug 6, 2026
Phys.org / Powerhouses for fake meat: Muscle protein can now be grown in chloroplasts of lettuce and tobacco plants

Livestock farming requires valuable land to grow fodder, uses vast amounts of freshwater and contributes to global warming through methane and nitrous oxide emissions. And, for many consumers it is important to prevent animal ...

Aug 6, 2026
Phys.org / Fluorescent nanosensors help distinguish between healthy and diseased immune cells in blood samples

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet and SciLifeLab have developed a new method to analyze the condition of immune cells in the blood. The method has been tested on patients with atherosclerosis and can distinguish their ...

Aug 6, 2026
Phys.org / Light-activated nanoparticles could help surgeons find and destroy brain cancer remnants

Glioblastoma is the most aggressive form of brain cancer. It's difficult to treat because tumor cells infiltrate the surrounding brain tissue, making it hard for surgeons to remove the cancer completely without damaging healthy ...

Aug 6, 2026
Phys.org / Interlocking molecular propellers create stable 'islands' in artificial lipid membranes

Cells are enclosed by a cell membrane, a sophisticated structure mainly made of lipids that is vital for fundamental biological processes. Artificial lipid membranes have many practical applications, such as drug delivery, ...

Aug 6, 2026
Phys.org / Your next handbag could start with mushrooms

The search for leather alternatives has led researchers somewhere unexpected: fungi. Although traditional leather is durable, producing it requires animal agriculture, which carries negative environmental impacts. Meanwhile, ...

Aug 6, 2026