Phys.org news

Phys.org / Teaching AI the biology of antibodies speeds drug discovery

Designing an effective antibody drug is like searching for the right key in a warehouse of locks. Scientists may begin with millions—or even billions—of antibody candidates, but only a tiny fraction will recognize and bind ...

Aug 13, 2026
Phys.org / Sugar molecule could help protect against dangerous hospital fungus Candida auris

Researchers have developed a potential new approach against the highly drug-resistant hospital fungus Candida auris. They discovered that a synthetic sugar molecule that is a natural part of the fungus's cell wall, but is ...

Aug 13, 2026
Phys.org / Three supermassive black holes discovered in a single galaxy for the first time

An international team of astronomers led by the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics has identified three actively accreting supermassive black holes in the galaxy J0148-4214. Matter is falling into the black ...

Aug 12, 2026
Phys.org / Satellite constellations could create spiraling space debris

To date, close to 30,000 satellites have been launched into Earth's orbit, leading to mounting concerns over the debris created when they collide. In a new analysis posted to the preprint server arXiv, Hugh Lewis of the University ...

Aug 12, 2026
Phys.org / Long-sought Zhang-Rice singlet visualized directly in cuprate superconductor

Superconductors are materials that conduct electricity with zero electrical resistance below specific temperatures. Most of these materials become superconducting at very low temperatures, but some also exhibit superconductivity ...

Aug 12, 2026
Phys.org / Recyclable glue bonds underwater in seconds and holds for years

Most glues need a dry surface to stick properly. Bonding materials underwater is challenging because water forms a thin film on any surface, so instead of an adhesive touching a material directly, it touches a layer of water, ...

Aug 12, 2026
Phys.org / River shipping emits nearly one-quarter of global shipping CO₂, analysis finds

River and canal ships generate roughly a quarter of the world's shipping carbon dioxide emissions, according to new research published in Nature Climate Change. And that's despite the fact that these bodies of water make ...

Aug 12, 2026
Phys.org / Famous oddball quasar isn't X-ray weak after all, astronomers say

For more than two decades, the quasar PHL 1811 has been considered the prototype of a rare class of "intrinsically X-ray weak" quasars, thought to produce unusually little X-ray radiation. But in 2024, the Einstein Probe ...

Aug 12, 2026
Phys.org / Hurricane Hunter data reveal early signs of strengthening tropical cyclones

Before tropical cyclones can significantly strengthen, they generally must first become vertically aligned, with their rotating centers stacked through the atmosphere. New research using nearly three decades of NOAA Hurricane ...

Aug 12, 2026
Phys.org / Unfamiliar with rattlesnakes, blackbirds still avoid striking them while defending nests

In a rare study of snakes as nest predators, scientists found nesting birds were loath to strike rattlesnakes even though they likely had no previous experience with vipers.

Aug 12, 2026
Phys.org / New evidence helps solve how earliest birds took flight

The first bird to inhabit Earth used its robust hind legs to make two or three powerful leaps while flapping its way to flight, according to a study by the University of Southampton published in Developmental Biology.

Aug 12, 2026
Phys.org / A dying star offers a rare glimpse of how the universe recycles its raw materials

Astronomers have captured an unprecedented image of a cosmic recycling project in progress—fragments of a dying star being busted up, stripped and absorbed into interstellar space.

Aug 12, 2026