Phys.org news

Phys.org / Purple corn offers a stable natural alternative to artificial food dyes

University of Missouri researchers are turning a unique variety of corn into an effective natural alternative to artificial food dyes.

Jul 27, 2026
Phys.org / Scientists pinpoint where cells first begin copying DNA

Researchers at the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences (LMS) and collaborators have uncovered one of the earliest steps in DNA replication: the moment a cell first opens its DNA to begin making a copy of its genome. The findings, ...

Jul 27, 2026
Phys.org / 'Dead stars' may have surprisingly healthy appetites

"Dead stars" known as white dwarfs have already shown the potential to help us better understand how planetary systems, including our own solar system, take shape and evolve. Now, research from the University of Michigan ...

Jul 27, 2026
Phys.org / Membrane nanostructures reshape in water, revealing route to better ion transport

Next-generation energy devices like fuel cells and water electrolyzers depend on ion-exchange membranes that allow only water and certain ions to pass through.

Jul 27, 2026
Phys.org / Burning soil and peat drove most emissions in Canada's record 2023 wildfire season, study finds

Most of the carbon released during Canada's record-breaking 2023 wildfire season came from burning soil and peat, rather than trees, according to new research from McMaster University.

Jul 27, 2026
Phys.org / Research cautions that sometimes working together can actually spur inequality

Encouraging people to contribute to a common good can have a surprising drawback: a risk that rewards become concentrated among a smaller group, putting the rest at a disadvantage. Put more simply, "equality and cooperation ...

Jul 27, 2026
Phys.org / Biodegradable implant can deliver targeted cancer immunotherapy while protecting healthy tissue

Scientists at Houston Methodist Research Institute have developed a biodegradable implant designed to deliver cancer-fighting immunotherapy drugs directly into tumors over an extended period, a strategy that could improve ...

Jul 27, 2026
Phys.org / Sharks, spines and speed: The hidden architecture behind different swimming styles revealed

"Shark Week," which kicks off this week, has captivated audiences for decades with stories of these powerful ocean predators. But the secret behind their extraordinary swimming abilities lies far deeper than their impressive ...

Jul 27, 2026
Phys.org / AI tools for predicting protein folding produce chemically impossible structures and need human oversight

Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) have found that today's leading artificial intelligence tools for predicting protein structures routinely generate results that are physically and chemically impossible, ...

Jul 27, 2026
Phys.org / First 3D views explain how primate cone pigments distinguish red from green

Human color vision depends on three types of cone cells in the retina. Although all three contain the same light-absorbing molecule, 11-cis-retinal, differences in the surrounding protein determine sensitivity to red, green ...

Jul 27, 2026
Phys.org / Long-term study finds widespread lithium in drinking water across communities in the western U.S.

Lithium in drinking water is a widespread and persistent source of human exposure across Tribal communities in the Western United States, according to a new study from Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. ...

Jul 27, 2026
Phys.org / Light reveals transient electronic step behind a hidden state in metal-organic framework

A fleeting photoinduced electronic state and the subsequent formation of a photoinduced hidden state in a metal–organic framework were captured in just 30 femtoseconds by researchers at Science Tokyo, Tohoku University and ...

Jul 27, 2026