Phys.org news
Phys.org / Understanding fuel cell catalysts: Study reveals shifting rate-limiting steps
Researchers from the Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society have unveiled fundamental new insights into the working principles of fuel-cell catalysts.
Phys.org / High-throughput platform enables aptamer discovery and kinetic profiling
Cell-surface proteins are critical therapeutic targets and are vital to cellular communication, signaling, and homeostasis. However, developing high-affinity probes such as aptamers against these targets is hindered by low ...
Phys.org / Fungus 'rewires' maize plants, causing tumor-like growths by hijacking root formation process
When a maize plant is attacked by the fungus Ustilago maydis, tumor-like tissue growths occur at the site of infection. How the pathogen causes this response in its host has long been unknown. But a University of Bonn study ...
Phys.org / Geometry shapes life: Embryo curvature acts as instruction manual for coordinated cell division
Life begins with a single fertilized cell that gradually transforms into a multicellular organism. This process requires precise coordination; otherwise, the embryo could develop serious complications. Scientists at ISTA ...
Phys.org / Inhalable nanotherapy against advanced melanoma aims for one-two punch
Immune checkpoint molecules play a crucial role in keeping the immune system in balance and preventing an attack on the body's own cells. Cancer cells can use these checkpoints to hide from the immune system, making them ...
Phys.org / Warmer world weakens butterfly defenses against parasite infections—which have tripled since 2002
Higher temperatures may make monarch butterflies more vulnerable to parasites, according to new research from the University of Georgia. The work is published in the journal Ecological Entomology.
Phys.org / Electron beams guide atomic-scale structural transformations in crystals
A joint research team from the Institute of Metal Research (IMR) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Songshan Lake Materials Laboratory has achieved precise control and real-time observation of atomic-scale structural ...
Phys.org / Smart polymers harden on demand with light or gentle heat activation
Chemists at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev have developed a "smart" polymer that could make industrial curing, 3D printing and repairs simpler, safer and more energy-efficient with materials whose properties may be tuned ...
Phys.org / 'Atmospheric inversion' may help predict when a humid heat wave will break
A long stretch of humid heat followed by intense thunderstorms is a weather pattern historically seen mostly in and around the tropics. But climate change is making humid heat waves and extreme storms more common in traditionally ...
Phys.org / Even after wildfires are extinguished, smoke damage may continue to pose risks to residents
A new study of the impact of the 2025 Los Angeles County wildfires has found that even after fires are extinguished, residents who return to their homes may remain at risk of exposure to known carcinogens because of smoke ...
Phys.org / Hotter weather thickens the blood of wild mammals: We traced this in African striped mice
Large wild mammals—from elephants to antelopes—are already struggling to cope with global warming. Now new research shows that even the small creatures adapted to harsh, arid landscapes may be reaching their limits.
Phys.org / Salmonella rewires mitochondrial metabolite pipeline to disarm oxidative defenses
A National Taiwan University study reveals how intracellular bacteria co-opt mitochondrial transporters to evade immune defenses, suggesting that blocking this pathway could sensitize drug-resistant pathogens to host immunity.
