Phys.org news

Phys.org / Newfound rice gene shifts flowering by 1.5 hours to dodge heat damage

With El Niño-driven heat and prolonged dry spells threatening rice production, scientists from Japan's National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), other Japanese research institutions and the International ...

Jun 15, 2026
Phys.org / Benzene reaction may explain how DNA and RNA building blocks formed on early Earth

Caltech researchers have identified a novel chemical reaction that could explain the formation of the building blocks of DNA and RNA, the molecules that encode all of life's functions. The work is an important step toward ...

Jun 15, 2026
Phys.org / Atomic-level simulations predict transistor scaling limits

As the global semiconductor industry enters the so-called 2-nanometer process era, the actual size of transistors—the core components of semiconductor chips—still remains above 10 nm. How much smaller, then, can transistors ...

Jun 15, 2026
Phys.org / Deep Earth model traces 270 million years of seamount formation across oceans

Over 40,000 seamounts—undersea mountains that don't breach the ocean's surface—are scattered across the ocean floor. Some form linear chains, while others occur as dispersed, isolated features that are not part of well-defined ...

Jun 15, 2026
Phys.org / New imaging technique measures single scramblase proteins, revealing lipid transport rates

A new single-protein analysis technique gives researchers an unprecedented ability to study proteins called scramblases, which have critical roles in biology. The development of the new technique, in a study led by investigators ...

Jun 15, 2026
Phys.org / Plants reveal backup system for sensing and adapting to rising temperatures

University of Mississippi researchers are studying how plants respond to heat at the molecular level, an important consideration for farmers, businesses and policymakers as global temperatures rise.

Jun 15, 2026
Phys.org / Only 10 viral particles cause H5N1 avian flu infection in cows

Just 10 viral particles of the H5N1 bird flu that caused hundreds of influenza outbreaks in U.S. dairy cattle can cause infection in cows, a new study shows. The research also hints at why the outbreaks have confounded scientists, ...

Jun 15, 2026
Phys.org / Bacteria reveal 'glue' protein that fastens antibiotic-resistant outer membrane to cell wall

Researchers at the University of Notre Dame and collaborators have discovered a key process in how the outer membrane of gram-negative bacteria attaches to the cell wall, advancing the understanding of how these bacteria ...

Jun 15, 2026
Phys.org / Beyond frozen snapshots, protein 'breathing' comes into view with combined imaging methods

Advances in structural biology have allowed scientists to determine molecular structures with atomic-level detail, sometimes yielding static snapshots that do not reflect the dynamism of proteins. However, these motions are ...

Jun 15, 2026
Phys.org / Ultrafast laser pulses reveal a material's hidden state of matter

What would it take to instantly transform a material from an electrical insulator into a conductive state without ever touching it? Using ultrafast laser pulses and powerful X-rays, scientists at the National Synchrotron ...

Jun 15, 2026
Phys.org / Why Arctic sea ice loss could reshape the Gulf Stream's future

The warm Gulf Stream is maintained by coldness. The Barents Sea is a cooling machine. To predict how ocean currents in the Atlantic Ocean may develop, one needs to know what drives them. The hunt for driving forces has led ...

Jun 15, 2026
Phys.org / A handful of teeth may rewrite the story of marsupial evolution

Researchers have found evidence of a previously unknown branch of the marsupial family tree, a discovery that could reshape our understanding of how Australia's unique mammals evolved. Published in the Journal of Paleontology, ...

Jun 15, 2026