Phys.org news

Phys.org / Engineered enzymes enable greener one-pot amide synthesis for drug manufacturing

A single type of chemical structure that shows up again and again in modern medicine is the amide bond that links a carbonyl group (C=O) to a nitrogen atom. They're so ubiquitous that 117 of the top 200 small-molecule drugs ...

Feb 6, 2026 in Chemistry
Phys.org / New CRISPR tool spreads through bacteria to disable antibiotic resistance genes

Antibiotic resistance (AR) has steadily accelerated in recent years to become a global health crisis. As deadly bacteria evolve new ways to elude drug treatments for a variety of illnesses, a growing number of "superbugs" ...

Feb 6, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Compound in 500-million-year-old fossils sheds new light on Earth's carbon cycle

A UT San Antonio-led international research team has identified chitin, the primary organic component of modern crab shells and insect exoskeletons, in trilobite fossils more than 500 million years old, marking the first ...

Feb 6, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / Three-way quantum correlations fade exponentially with distance at any temperature, study shows

The properties of a quantum material are driven by links between its electrons known as quantum correlations. A RIKEN researcher has shown mathematically that, at non-zero temperatures, these connections can only exist over ...

Feb 6, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / When the interaction between fungi and bacteria becomes a dangerous alliance

Rivals or allies—how do bacteria and fungi interact in our bodies? Until now, bacteria on our mucous membranes were primarily considered to be antagonists of fungi, as they can inhibit their growth. However, an international ...

Feb 6, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / The surprising power of a tiny, disordered protein in a mitochondrial supercomplex

For decades, scientists assumed that order drives efficiency. Yet in the bustling machinery of mitochondria—the organelles that crank out adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the universal "energy currency" of cells—one of the ...

Feb 6, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Researchers demonstrate organic crystal emitting red light from UV and green from near-infrared

Invisible light beyond the range of human vision plays a vital role in communication technologies, medical diagnostics, and optical sensing. Ultraviolet and near-infrared wavelengths are routinely used in these fields, yet ...

Feb 6, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Measuring time at the quantum level depends on material symmetry

EPFL physicists have found a way to measure the time involved in quantum events and found it depends on the symmetry of the material. "The concept of time has troubled philosophers and physicists for thousands of years, and ...

Feb 6, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Aerobic respiration began hundreds of millions of years earlier than previously thought, study suggests

Oxygen is a vital and constant presence on Earth today. But that hasn't always been the case. It wasn't until around 2.3 billion years ago that oxygen became a permanent fixture in the atmosphere, during a pivotal period ...

Feb 6, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Artificial light is reshaping caracal behavior, limiting where the South African wild cat can hunt

Artificial light is one of the most ingrained features of modern life. For humans, light after dark offers convenience and a sense of safety. For wildlife, it's a growing environmental disturbance. "When humans introduce ...

Feb 6, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Broken inversion symmetry lets 3D crystals mimic 2D Ising superconductivity

Two-dimensional (2D) materials, in general, allow the realization of unique quantum phenomena unattainable in the common three-dimensional (3D) world. A prime example is graphene. Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have ...

Feb 6, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / Simulation finds Grass2Gas biogas systems may reduce dairy emissions by over 20%

Implementing novel management practices in dairy farming, one of the commonwealth's major agricultural industries, could help alleviate a large source of both nutrient pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, according to ...

Feb 6, 2026 in Biology