Phys.org news

Phys.org / Micro, modular, mobile—DNA-linked microrobots offer new possibilities in medicine and manufacturing

When robots are made out of modular units, their size, shape, and functionality can be modified to perform any number of tasks. At the microscale, modular robots could enable applications like targeted drug delivery and autonomous ...

Jan 8, 2025 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / Engineered bacteria break down microplastics in wastewater

Microplastics can go right through wastewater treatment plants, and researchers have engineered bacteria commonly found there to break down this pollution before it can persist in the environment.

Jan 8, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / How macronucleophagy ensures survival in nitrogen-starved yeast

Autophagy, the cell's essential housekeeping process, involves degrading and recycling damaged organelles, proteins, and other components to prevent clutter. This vital mechanism, found in all life forms from single-celled ...

Jan 8, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / New research reveals economic ripple effects of business closures, remote work and other disruptions

With remote and hybrid work now an established norm, many restaurants located adjacent to office buildings are facing a permanent decline in foot traffic. But how will this behavioral shift ripple through businesses along ...

Jan 8, 2025 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Killing the competition: Bacteria produce molecules that help viruses infect their rivals

In a new study, researchers at Indiana University Bloomington have discovered a new way that bacteria can kill its competitors in complex microbial communities, revealing novel approaches to leverage viruses to kill harmful ...

Jan 8, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / New excavation of 'rings of mystery' in Victoria reveals rich Aboriginal history

On the outskirts of Melbourne, Australia, there is a series of large rings which rise mysteriously out of hills.

Jan 8, 2025 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Egypt unveils ancient rock-cut tombs and burial shafts in Luxor

Egypt unveiled several discoveries near the famed city of Luxor on Wednesday, including ancient rock-cut tombs and burial shafts dating back 3,600 years.

Jan 8, 2025 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Scorching climate drove lampreys apart during Cretaceous period, DNA and fossil record reveal

A new study finds that one of the hottest periods in Earth's history may have driven lampreys apart—genetically speaking. The work could have implications for how aquatic species respond to our current changing climate. ...

Jan 8, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Physicists achieve simulation of non-Hermitian skin effect in 2D with ultracold fermions

A research team led by The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has achieved a groundbreaking quantum simulation of the non-Hermitian skin effect in two dimensions using ultracold fermions, marking a significant ...

Jan 8, 2025 in Physics
Phys.org / Helical magnetic fields: A universal mechanism for jet collimation?

New observations from the National Science Foundation National Radio Astronomy Observatory's (NSF NRAO) Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (NSF VLA) provide compelling evidence supporting a universal mechanism for the collimation ...

Jan 8, 2025 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Proximity effect enables non-ferroelectric materials to gain new properties

Ferroelectrics are special materials with polarized positive and negative charges—like a magnet has north and south poles—that can be reversed when external electricity is applied. The materials will remain in these reversed ...

Jan 8, 2025 in Physics
Phys.org / Roman-era dog penis bone painted red discovered in ancient quarry shaft

A bio-archaeologist with the University of Reading, in the U.K., has found an ancient dog's red-painted penis bone along with a trove of other bones, in an ancient Roman era quarry shaft. In her paper published in the Oxford ...

Jan 8, 2025 in Other Sciences