Phys.org news

Phys.org / Why cells respond 'incorrectly' in old age

Some of the signs of aging in human cells originate in the cell nucleus, because the packaged form of DNA changes with age. This has now been demonstrated by PSI researchers. It means that older cells can no longer react ...

Mar 26, 2026
Phys.org / Bioluminescent bacterial partner proves essential for squid development

The Hawaiian bobtail squid, a small, multi-colored native of coastal waters in Hawai'i, uses bioluminescence to camouflage itself and evade predators. However, the costume change is only possible through an exclusive symbiotic ...

Mar 26, 2026
Phys.org / Fieldoscopy reveals femtosecond optical switching in 15 nm indium tin oxide nanocrystals

Just as an antenna interacts with radio waves, light interacts with metallic nanostructures. Therefore, understanding how a structure influences field oscillations provides valuable insights into the structure's physical ...

Mar 26, 2026
Phys.org / DNA shape explains crucial gene-therapy challenges

CRISPR is a powerful DNA-editing tool that has underpinned huge advancements in human health care in the last decade. It is a precision tool, but is not perfect, and misplaced DNA edits can compromise safety and efficacy, ...

Mar 26, 2026
Phys.org / Programmable superconducting diode can flow on command

A team of researchers led by the University of Pittsburgh demonstrated a programmable superconducting diode at the LaAlO3/KTaO3 (LAO/KTO) interface, an advance that holds potential to enhance/help usher in the future of next-generation ...

Mar 26, 2026
Phys.org / Quantum computer accurately simulates real magnetic materials, reproducing national laboratory data

Studying and designing novel materials is a central application of quantum mechanics. Chemists, materials scientists, and physicists focus on subtle interactions in quantum materials and to uncover them they rely on sophisticated ...

Mar 26, 2026
Phys.org / Beyond lipid nanoparticles: How custom polymers and AI may reshape gene therapies

Nucleic acids such as DNA and RNA play a central role in gene therapies and vaccines. They store and transmit biological information. In order for them to work in the body, they must enter the cells using chemical carrier ...

Mar 26, 2026
Phys.org / Unlocking scalable entanglement will enable next-generation quantum computing

Quantum computing promises to transform our world in rapid, radical and revolutionary ways: solving in seconds problems that would take classical computers years, accelerating the discovery of new medicines, creating sustainable ...

Mar 26, 2026
Phys.org / Succulents as role models: How they balance photosynthesis and water loss so efficiently

A research team led by the University of Bern has decoded a mechanism by which an inconspicuous succulent regulates the uptake of carbon dioxide via the leaf surface so finely that it receives enough for photosynthesis without ...

Mar 26, 2026
Phys.org / Galactic warming: The 'car engine-like' effect heating our Milky Way

Our Milky Way's halo of hot gas is warmer to the "south" than the "north" because of an internal combustion engine-like effect that is compressing the gas like a piston, a new study has found. Computer simulations reveal ...

Mar 26, 2026
Phys.org / Wild squirrels consistently climb higher for better snacks, researchers find

Squirrels are usually willing to climb higher to reach their favorite foods, shows new research appearing in Animal Behaviour. Extensive lab studies have found that animals "devalue" rewards that cost extra time and effort—for ...

Mar 26, 2026
Phys.org / Scientists uncover the secret behind perfectly 3D preserved 'sea reptile' fossils

Scientists at Curtin University have solved a long-standing mystery about how some of the world's best-preserved fossils formed in ancient oxygen-free ocean floor settings. The research, published in Communications Earth ...

Mar 26, 2026