Phys.org news
Phys.org / Ancient plant protein offers new path for broad-spectrum pathogen resistance in crops
Researchers led by Ken Shirasu at the RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science (CSRS) in Japan have identified an ancient protein that has the potential to help defend plants against tens of thousands of different bacteria ...
Phys.org / Forever chemicals are more acidic than we thought, study finds
One of the ways that per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) earn their "forever chemical" nickname and persist in the environment is their acidity.
Phys.org / Oxygen came late to ocean depths during Paleozoic, isotope analysis reveals
The explosion of animal life in Earth's oceans half a billion years ago during and after the Cambrian Period is commonly attributed to a substantial and sustained rise of free oxygen (O2) in seawater. Some researchers even ...
Phys.org / Scientists probe powerful molecular messaging system that goes beyond DNA
Scientists are uncovering the secrets of a fast-acting molecular messaging network that strongly influences how people and all organisms adjust and react to the world around them.
Phys.org / Magnetic nanoparticles in synthetic cells enable controlled, deep-tissue drug release with reduced side effects
A synthetic cell that can be activated by a magnetic field to release a medicine while deep in the body has been created by chemists at UCL (University College London) and the University of Oxford.
Phys.org / Iron-laden fluids drive abiotic organic synthesis in dolomitic marble, offering insight into origin of early life
Abiotic organic synthesis during geological processes has long drawn scientific interest, as it is believed to have laid both the material and energetic groundwork for the emergence of early life on Earth.
Phys.org / Observation-informed deep learning cuts ENSO projection uncertainty
El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is the strongest interannual variability signal in Earth's climate system. The shifts between its warm and cold phases profoundly impact global extreme weather, ecosystems, and economic ...
Phys.org / Built for brilliance: Zintl-phase quantum dots illuminate new opportunities for optoelectronics
Just one year after NREL materials science researchers Matthew Hautzinger and Sage Bauers met to exchange notes on underexplored materials in nanotechnology, their synthesis of promising Zintl-phase quantum dots is attracting ...
Phys.org / A molecule that enables microbes to eat methane
Because of its potent greenhouse properties, methane gas is a significant contributor to climate change. It also feeds microbes known as methanotrophs that convert the gas into carbon dioxide and biomass, but scientists have ...
Phys.org / Biological 'moonshot' accelerates efforts to genetically map all of Earth's eukaryotes
From the mighty blue whale to the humble baker's yeast, scientists have barely begun to understand the vast genetic diversity among lifeforms. Of the 1.67 million known species of animal, plant, fungi and protists, just 1% ...
Phys.org / Robotic harvester uses AI vision and soft grippers to pick hidden strawberries
Strawberries are delicate and hard to harvest—easily bruised and often hidden under a canopy of leaves. This creates headaches for scientists trying to design robotic harvesters. Now a Washington State University-led team ...
Phys.org / Protein discovery gives new hope for longer COVID protection
A protein particle hidden within the SARS-CoV-2 virus could lead to longer-lasting, more protective vaccines for COVID-19.
