Phys.org news

Phys.org / Fluorescent dye that works in superacidic conditions expands possibilities for imaging in extreme environments

Since the 1960s, boron–dipyrromethene dyes, commonly called BODIPY dyes, have been widely used for their strong fluorescence, especially in bioimaging, molecular and ion sensing, and as photosensitizers. Researchers especially ...

Mar 19, 2026
Phys.org / Invasive grasses may be turning British Columbia's burn scars into the next wildfire

After a wildfire, the flames may fade, but the danger does not. A new study by UBC researchers reveals that burned landscapes remain vulnerable for years, with large areas still bare and at risk of invasion by fast-growing, ...

Mar 19, 2026
Phys.org / Light-activated medicines may cut side effects: How a switchable beta blocker works

Rendering a drug effective or ineffective in a flash at the appropriate location—this is the focus of research in photopharmacology. The goal is to develop drugs that can be switched on and off with light of a specific ...

Mar 19, 2026
Phys.org / Old-growth forests store a lot more carbon than managed forests, study finds

Swedish old-growth forests store 83% more carbon than managed forests, according to a new study from Lund University. The difference is substantially larger than previous estimates and is mainly due to large carbon stocks ...

Mar 19, 2026
Phys.org / Humans and animals have the same preference in mating calls, citizen science experiment finds

The bright colors of butterfly wings, the sweet aromas of flowers, and the euphonious melodies of songbirds all evolved as signals that help individuals propagate, yet humans also find these very same signals pleasing to ...

Mar 19, 2026
Phys.org / Study uncovers mineral 'sink' that reduced phosphorus in early oceans, potentially delaying Earth's oxygen rise

Scientists have long sought to explain a key mismatch in Earth's early history: oxygen-producing photosynthesis evolved hundreds of millions of years before atmospheric oxygen began to rise during the Great Oxidation Event. ...

Mar 19, 2026
Phys.org / How a tryptophan-rich allosteric communication network helps activate a major drug target receptor

A multinational research team led by researchers at Institute of Science Tokyo, RIKEN, and the University of Toronto has revealed how a tryptophan-rich allosteric communication network regulates receptor dynamics and activation ...

Mar 19, 2026
Phys.org / Ancient brines helped build Idaho's Silver Valley and Cobalt belt

Idaho's Silver Valley has produced about 1.2 billion ounces of silver since the late 1800s, enough to cast a solid cube roughly as tall as a five-story building, along with huge amounts of lead and zinc. Now a new study led ...

Mar 19, 2026
Phys.org / How an RNA-binding protein detects and responds to non-optimal codon usage in human cells

Human genes are written in long strings of three-letter units composed of four different nucleotides. These units—or codons—specify one of many amino acids, the building blocks of proteins. Multiple codons can encode ...

Mar 19, 2026
Phys.org / Mosquitoes may hold the key to saving endangered Australian wildlife

Scientists have discovered mosquitoes can act like tiny "flying wildlife surveyors," helping researchers detect elusive and endangered animals in Australia's national parks. A team from Macquarie University and the Department ...

Mar 19, 2026
Phys.org / World Happiness Report highlights social media's negative impact, ranks Finland as happiest country

Heavy social media use contributes to a stark decline in well-being among young people, with the effects particularly worrying in teenage girls in English-speaking countries and Western Europe, according to the World Happiness ...

Mar 19, 2026
Phys.org / Nanodiamonds and beyond: Designing carbon materials with AI at exascale

Carbon forms the graphite in pencils, the diamonds in jewelry and the molecules that make up every living thing. But under extreme conditions—like the heat and pressure of intense explosions—carbon can transform into ...

Mar 19, 2026