Phys.org news

Phys.org / Catch the Ursid meteor shower as it peaks just before Christmas

The last major meteor shower of the year, known as the Ursids, peaks soon, bringing glowing streaks to nighttime and early morning skies. Compared to other meteor showers, it's more subdued, but experts say it's still worth ...

Dec 18, 2025 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Rare earth elements: Of peptides and the origins of life

The group of rare earth elements (REEs) comprises a total of 17 elements, all of which possess similar chemical properties. In addition to the two lightest elements, scandium and yttrium, the group also includes lanthanum, ...

Dec 18, 2025 in Chemistry
Phys.org / Bacterium hijacks fruit ripening program in citrus plants to steal sugars, research reveals

The bacterial pathogen Xanthomonas citri, which causes canker disease in citrus trees, activates selected parts of the fruit ripening program inside infected leaves. Normally, this program makes citrus fruits soften and sweeten ...

Dec 18, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Improved tracer labeling expands PET imaging possibilities

Imagine being able to watch organs and tissues work in real time. That's the power of Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging, a technology that gives physicians and researchers a window into cellular processes.

Dec 18, 2025 in Chemistry
Phys.org / Gaia finds hints of planets in baby star systems

Ever wondered how planetary systems like our own solar system form? Thanks to the European Space Agency's Gaia space telescope, we're getting a unique peek behind the cosmic curtain into these dusty environments.

Dec 18, 2025 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / A simple spin swap reveals exotic anyons

Researchers from the University of Innsbruck, the Collège de France, and the Université Libre de Bruxelles have developed a simple yet powerful method to reveal anyons—exotic quantum particles that are neither bosons ...

Dec 18, 2025 in Physics
Phys.org / Common virus 'rewires' intracellular mechanisms to promote infection

Investigators from the laboratory of Derek Walsh, Ph.D., professor of Microbiology-Immunology, have discovered how human cytomegalovirus rewires intracellular mechanisms to control the movement of the cell nucleus, promoting ...

Dec 18, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Interpretable neural networks help reveal the nature of dark matter

A research team from the Xinjiang Astronomical Observatory (XAO) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has developed an interpretable artificial intelligence (AI) framework named Convolutional Kolmogorov–Arnold Network (CKAN), ...

Dec 18, 2025 in Astronomy & Space
Phys.org / Spray-on antibacterial coating offers new protection for plants against disease and drought

Engineers at the University of California San Diego have developed a spray-on polymer coating that could help plants resist harmful bacterial infections and survive drought. The advance, published in ACS Materials Letters, ...

Dec 18, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Key proteins reveal how evolution of locomotion shapes bone remodeling processes

An international collaboration study reveals how evolution and locomotion patterns, such as bipedalism, shaped bone structures through proteins present in the bone matrix. The findings of the study, led by researchers from ...

Dec 18, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Tiny viral 'switch' offers hope against drug-resistant bacteria

As antibiotic-resistant infections rise and are projected to cause up to 10 million deaths per year by 2050, scientists are looking to bacteriophages, viruses that infect bacteria, as an alternative.

Dec 18, 2025 in Biology
Phys.org / Flat-band ultrastrong coupling between phonons and plasmons observed for first time

Researchers from CIC nanoGUNE, in collaboration with the Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC) and the Center for Materials Physics (CFM), have experimentally observed and theoretically verified flat-band ultrastrong ...

Dec 18, 2025 in Nanotechnology