Phys.org news

Phys.org / When polymers meet primitive membranes: How molecular cooperation may have helped life begin

A new study suggests that simple molecules on early Earth may have worked together to create more stable, cell-like structures, offering fresh clues about one of science's biggest questions: how life began. Led by Dr. Moran ...

Jul 27, 2026
Phys.org / Mercury reveals short-lived radiation belts during its swing farther from the sun

Mercury was long considered the exception to the rule that magnetic planets have radiation belts similar to Earth's Van Allen belts, but a new study by University of Michigan Engineering and the University of California, ...

Jul 27, 2026
Phys.org / California wildfire damage risk map uses factors most closely linked to severe property losses

By analyzing 100,000 California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection inspection records from 2013 to 2024, researchers at the University of California, Irvine have identified the key environmental and human factors ...

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 / Molecular switch that activates cell growth signaling may offer more precise route for anticancer therapy

Cells carry their own growth switches. When enough nutrients—amino acids in particular—are available, cells flip this switch on and begin to grow. Researchers at KAIST and Yonsei University have uncovered the molecular mechanism ...

Jul 27, 2026
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 / How changing environments can preserve an ancient microbial survival strategy

A research group led by Tetsuhiro Hatakeyama from the Earth-Life Science Institute (ELSI) at the Institute of Science Tokyo has revealed how a seemingly self-destructive survival strategy could persist in yeast for hundreds ...

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 / 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 / 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