Phys.org news

Phys.org / Cells use Morse code-like rhythms to coordinate growth

Cells experience many different types of stress, such as starvation or stress caused by too much salt or too high a temperature. Insulin signals respond to such stress signals by sending the protein DAF-16 into the cell nucleus ...

Jan 8, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Sensor lights up to reveal scopolamine, a common substance used for sexual assault

A team from the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) has led the development of a new sensor capable of quickly and easily detecting scopolamine, one of the substances most commonly used in crimes of chemical submission, ...

Jan 8, 2026 in Chemistry
Phys.org / Deformable adjuvants can enhance immune activation in new vaccine design

Conventional vaccine adjuvants primarily rely on molecular binding and biochemical stimulation to activate immune responses, which often leads to limited efficacy in elderly or low-responsive populations. How to introduce ...

Jan 8, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Behind nature's blueprints: Physicists create 'theoretical rulebook' of self-assembly

Inspired by biological systems, materials scientists have long sought to harness self-assembly to build nanomaterials. The challenge: the process seemed random and notoriously difficult to predict.

Jan 8, 2026 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / How did these strange, ancient organisms turn into such remarkable fossils?

In Earth's fossil record, soft-bodied organisms like jellyfish rarely stand the test of time. What's more, it's hard for any animal to get preserved with exceptional detail in sandstones, which are made of large grains, are ...

Jan 8, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Astrophysicists map how many ghost particles all the Milky Way's stars send towards Earth

They're called ghost particles for a reason. They're everywhere—trillions of them constantly stream through everything: our bodies, our planet, even the entire cosmos. These so-called neutrinos are elementary particles ...

Jan 8, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Deep Sulawesi cave dig could reveal overlap between extinct humans and us

Could Homo sapiens and an archaic and now-extinct species of early human have lived alongside each other on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi more than 65,000 years ago?

Jan 8, 2026 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Earliest known barred spiral galaxy spotted just 2 billion years after Big Bang

Research led by Daniel Ivanov, a physics and astronomy graduate student in the Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences at Pitt, uncovered a contender for one of the earliest observed spiral galaxies containing a stellar ...

Jan 8, 2026 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Conserved genome regulatory elements found in both vertebrates and echinoderms

The conservation of genome regulatory elements over long periods of evolution is not limited to vertebrates, as previously thought, but also in echinoderms (invertebrates). This is one of the most notable conclusions of a ...

Jan 8, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / What does 'everyday' peace look like? Mapping how people think about peacebuilding

A new study led by Yale anthropologist Catherine Panter-Brick examines how stakeholders in socially diverse, conflict-affected societies conceptualize everyday peace, drawing on a comparative analysis across different groups ...

Jan 8, 2026 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / A new way to view shockwaves could boost fusion research

At the heart of our sun, fusion is unfolding. As hydrogen atoms merge to form helium, they emit energy, producing the heat and light that reach us here on Earth. Inspired by our nearby star, researchers want to create fusion ...

Jan 8, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Lipids have their own VIP drivers for reaching cellular targets

In addition to providing energy, lipids are also essential building blocks of our cell membranes. However, despite their importance, they remain poorly understood.

Jan 8, 2026 in Biology