Phys.org news

Phys.org / DNA 'nicks' make for safer, more precise genetic analysis

Researchers at Cornell University have developed a safer and more precise way to study how genes function in living tissues by refining a recently developed CRISPR-based genetic technique in fruit flies, enabling researchers ...

May 27, 2026
Phys.org / 'Feathered dragon' has some of the longest tail feathers ever found on a fossil bird

Birds have all kinds of fancy decorations for attracting mates—male peacocks have a fan of feathers accented with shimmering blue eye-spots, birds of paradise do courtship dances that highlight their fluffy plumes, and female ...

May 27, 2026
Phys.org / Reconstructed 1.5‑billion‑year‑old protein network reveals hundreds of hidden disease‑linked genes

A University of Texas at Austin-led team has reconstructed the most detailed map to date of the molecular machines that carried out the functions of life in an ancient ancestor that gave rise to all complex life on Earth, ...

May 27, 2026
Phys.org / Long-distance bat migration runs on fatty acids, challenging limits of mammal metabolism

Bats are the only mammals that can actively fly, enabling many species to perform seasonal migrations. In migratory birds, remaining airborne for many hours is supported by burning fatty acids, something most mammals are ...

May 27, 2026
Phys.org / Corn Belt groundwater and irrigation boost thunderstorm complexes by 24–35%, simulations show

An international team of scientists has demonstrated how powerful thunderstorm complexes over the U.S. Corn Belt are fueled by moisture rising from the region's fertile fields or just beneath them. The findings can lead to ...

May 27, 2026
Phys.org / Analysis of more than 10,000 cities reveals hidden details governments can use to better support their people

The world's urban population increased by 785 million people between 2000 and 2020, but that tells only part of the story. Now, a research team including an expert from the University of Michigan has dug into the demographics ...

May 27, 2026
Phys.org / Are the chemicals around you safe? Researchers are using AI to find out

People are exposed to thousands of chemicals every day—through the products they use, the food they eat and the environments they live in—but only a fraction of those chemicals have been fully tested for safety.

May 27, 2026
Phys.org / Sea squirt reveals glowing spines and unexpected nervous system anatomy

Ascidians, also known as sea squirts, are the evolutionary link between vertebrates and invertebrates, making them valuable subjects of biological studies. For the first time, researchers at Ruhr University Bochum have detected ...

May 27, 2026
Phys.org / Lake Erie produces 'forbidden soup' of rotating potential toxins

Municipalities and federal agencies monitor U.S. waters for microcystins, a toxin produced by harmful algal blooms in Lake Erie, but a University of Michigan study shows that the blooms produce a greater range of potentially ...

May 27, 2026
Phys.org / The strange quantum property of tomorrow's insulator

Ultra-fast data transfer and superconductivity: Quantum materials offer significant technological prospects—if we can understand them at the atomic scale. A team from the University of Geneva (UNIGE), in collaboration with ...

May 27, 2026
Phys.org / How developing immune cells fine-tune their signals

Researchers at VIB, Ghent University, and VUB have uncovered how two proteins essential for immune cell development work together at the molecular level. The findings provide important insights into a critical mechanism that ...

May 27, 2026
Phys.org / Revised mushroom toxin pathway could improve poisoning detection

The St. George's mushroom (Calocybe gambosa) is a popular edible mushroom, usually picked in May. Unfortunately, however, it also carries a risk as it can easily be confused with the young deadly fiber cap, which can potentially ...

May 27, 2026