Phys.org news

Phys.org / Why some antibiotics fail in the body—pH conditions can dramatically change how bacteria respond

When researchers test whether an antibiotic will work, they usually do so in a controlled laboratory environment. But when an infection happens inside the human body, things aren't so clean and tidy. New research from the ...

May 21, 2026
Phys.org / Coupled DNA nanopores control molecular traffic inside synthetic cell microreactors

Living systems such as cells rely on membrane pores and channels to transport molecules, exchange signals, and organize biochemical reactions. These functions emerge from dynamic interactions between molecular components. ...

May 21, 2026
Phys.org / AI-designed miniproteins switch key cell receptors on and off

G protein-coupled receptors, or GPCRs, sit in the plasma membrane, the boundary that defines the inside and outside of a living cell. They communicate with nearly every physiological process in our bodies—from the ability ...

May 21, 2026
Phys.org / Flint reveals changes in human mobility in the southern Pyrenees during the Upper Paleolithic

Analysis of more than 3,000 lithic artifacts from the Cova Gran de Santa Linya site (Les Avellanes-Santa Linya, Lleida) shows that anatomically modern human communities occupying the southern Pyrenees during the Upper Paleolithic ...

May 21, 2026
Phys.org / Piezoelectric effect in diamond membranes challenges century-old scientific dogma

A research team in China has reported a significant piezoelectric effect in ultrathin and ultra-flexible polycrystalline diamond membranes. This pioneering discovery challenges a century-long scientific dogma that diamonds ...

May 21, 2026
Phys.org / Researchers develop AI model that maps how genes work together in human cells

Scientists at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have created a new artificial intelligence (AI) model that helps reveal how genes function together inside human cells, offering a powerful new way to understand biology ...

May 21, 2026
Phys.org / Ice core discovery finds volcanic eruptions could cause greater global disruption than previously thought

New research from the University of St Andrews has precisely dated an eruption from Newberry Volcano and discovered that its ash spread more than 5,000 km across the globe, far further than previously thought for an eruption ...

May 21, 2026
Phys.org / Cell movement in the embryo: Zebrafish study shows that without keratin, nothing moves

Hair, nails, and horns, all made up of keratin, are some of the hardest and most resilient structures in animals. Inside zebrafish cells, keratin plays a distinct role, giving them the strength they need to move together ...

May 21, 2026
Phys.org / When noisy decision-making becomes a strategic advantage

A new study shows that apparently erratic or "sloppy" behavior in strategic situations is not necessarily a mistake. Under certain conditions, being less sensitive to one's own gains can become a long-term advantage.

May 21, 2026
Phys.org / Uncovering the link between epigenetic modifications and chromatin structure

Certain epigenetic modifications can directly control how genetic material is packed in the nucleus, RIKEN researchers have shown. This has important implications for our understanding of how genes are expressed in different ...

May 21, 2026
Phys.org / Do you know how cynical your friends are?

New research from Michigan State University finds that people often project their own levels of cynicism—the belief that people are only interested in themselves and aren't sincere—onto their friends and consistently underestimate ...

May 21, 2026
Phys.org / Is organic farming the solution to enhance natural drought resilience in crops?

A study led by researchers from the Department of Microbiology at the University of Malaga has revealed how organic farming—using natural substances and processes and avoiding the use of synthetic chemicals—can, in the long ...

May 21, 2026