Phys.org news
Phys.org / Parasitic plants act like genetic engineers by stealing and remodeling useful genes
Many plant species parasitize other plants by latching on and taking the nutrients their hosts need to survive. But sometimes, plants steal more than nutrients; they take genes.
Phys.org / The wisdom of the egg cell: Oocyte epigenetic mark may help prevent excessive placental growth after fertilization
The genome—which contains genes encoded in DNA—acts as the fundamental blueprint of life. But what you might not know is that, in addition to this genetic information, we have something akin to an "instruction manual" for ...
Phys.org / Beyond the Petri dish: Testing tomorrow's drugs in human blood
The COVID vaccine is perhaps the first thing many people think of when they hear about mRNA-based drugs. Small packages of genetic material are sent into the body, prompting cells to produce useful proteins in the fight against ...
Phys.org / Using AI to thwart election misinformation
Election rumors, such as unverified accounts of voter fraud, have run rampant in the U.S. in recent years. Powered by the speed of social media and artificial intelligence (AI), it can be hard for people to know what messages ...
Phys.org / Tomatoes get flavor boost from green bin compost
Commercially farmed tomatoes taste sweeter when food and garden waste compost is added to their soil, a University of Queensland study has found. Researchers in the School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability grew tomatoes ...
Phys.org / 'Like uprooting tree stumps'—pulling nanoscale anchors creates tiny pores that could speed biosensor manufacturing
A new manufacturing method could help move the production of nanoscale sensors from specialized fabrication facilities to conventional semiconductor manufacturing plants.Publishing in Science Advances, researchers from KTH ...
Phys.org / Degraded DNA reveals two extinct Galapagos giant tortoise lineages
Using a new combination of computational tools to analyze ancient DNA, Yale researchers have discovered two ancient, extinct giant tortoise lineages that once lived on the Galapagos Islands.
Phys.org / Planting fake customer reviews hurts businesses big time, study finds
The capital of any business comes in (at least) two categories. There's the kind that has a price—land, cash holdings, etc.—and a less tangible, priceless kind. Reputational capital falls squarely into the latter category. ...
Phys.org / Some Galápagos 'yellow' sea turtles remain homebodies, surprising scientists
Sea turtles are famous for being prodigious wanderers. Guided by Earth's magnetic field, ocean currents and the sun, they tend to crisscross the seas in search of food, returning to the region of their birth every few years ...
Phys.org / Emperor penguin colonies reveal decades-long resilience and flexible breeding sites
With their charming waddles, heat-conserving huddles and tuxedo-like plumage, emperor penguins are among the world's most recognizable animals. Recent satellite surveys estimate that hundreds of thousands of the flightless ...
Phys.org / Species discoveries reveal emerging biodiversity hotspots worldwide
We share our planet with millions of plants and animals. This variety of life is known as biodiversity, a term encompassing everything from microscopic genes to entire ecosystems, such as deserts and vibrant coral reefs.
Phys.org / Cellular 'glue' helps epithelial tissues engulf dead cells while staying sealed
A protein that sticks cells and tissues together has been found to have a surprising second job: helping cells that are packed into a continuous sealed layer, also known as epithelial cells, engulf nearby dead cells.
