Phys.org news

Dialog / Quantum heat circuits learn electronics' oldest trick: Sharing a power supply

Every electronic and optoelectronic device generates heat, and today that heat is managed almost entirely from the outside. Heatsinks, fans, cold plates and refrigerators are bulky exterior measures bolted onto a chip or ...

Aug 10, 2026
Phys.org / Oak leaves harbor distinct microbial worlds on their opposite surfaces

A single leaf may look like a simple patch of green, but to the microscopic life that inhabits it, it is a vast landscape divided into different worlds.

Aug 10, 2026
Phys.org / DNA repair enzymes favor specific sequences, shaping mutation patterns in the human genome

When a wound does not heal properly, it leaves a scar. Similarly, mutations—which are permanent changes to genetic code—are often the result of damaged DNA that has not been properly repaired. Mutations can impede the function ...

Aug 10, 2026
Phys.org / Illegal fishing captures up to 15% of global marine wild catch, analysis finds

Industrial-scale illegal fishing continues to undermine ocean sustainability, coastal livelihoods and global seafood markets—despite decades of regulation and recent advances in surveillance technology, according to new University ...

Aug 10, 2026
Phys.org / MRI study shows dogs can distinguish between human fear and sadness

Scientists—and dog lovers—have long known that dogs are remarkably good at interpreting our laughs, frowns and tears. But the biology behind this ability has remained largely unexplored until now. In a study published in ...

Aug 10, 2026
Phys.org / 'Lying mirror' uses structured surfaces to conceal optical information

Mirrors normally reveal what is placed in front of them, even when their curvature distorts a reflection. Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) have introduced a different optical concept: a "lying ...

Aug 10, 2026
Phys.org / Engineered enzymes forge carbon-carbon and carbon-nitrogen bonds with high selectivity

Researchers from the Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, including Dr. Zachary Birch-Price and professor Anthony Green, have developed a new family of engineered enzymes that can create several different types of chemical ...

Aug 10, 2026
Phys.org / Water quality, not just scarcity, may shape future competition for a limited resource

Climate change is largely to blame for water scarcity. The low water levels in European rivers this summer speak volumes in that respect.

Aug 10, 2026
Phys.org / Uncovering how Cryptococcus shifts from silent infection to killer fungus

For most healthy people, Cryptococcus is an unnoticed infection. The immune system walls it off in the lungs and keeps it dormant for life. But in patients undergoing cancer chemotherapy, recovering from an organ transplant, ...

Aug 10, 2026
Phys.org / Photosynthetic microorganisms achieve long-lasting and renewable chemical production

Photosynthetic microorganisms can use light energy to convert carbon dioxide into useful compounds under mild, environmentally compatible conditions. However, many current photosynthetic production systems rely on cells growing ...

Aug 10, 2026
Phys.org / New species of mountain horned dragon identified in Thailand's high-altitude forests

Scientists have described a new species of lizard from the high mountain forests of western Thailand and have given it a name straight out of an American fantasy drama television series: Acanthosaura syrax, named after Syrax, ...

Aug 10, 2026
Phys.org / Real-time measurements reveal antiferromagnetic skyrmions move in line with an applied current

Skyrmions—essentially magnetic vortices—represent a promising approach in spintronics; in the future, they could serve as components in storage media or computers, potentially complementing established CMOS technologies. ...

Aug 10, 2026