Phys.org news

Phys.org / Planets without water could still produce certain liquids, a new study finds
Water is essential for life on Earth. So, the liquid must be a requirement for life in other worlds. For decades, scientists' definition of habitability on other planets has rested on this assumption.

Phys.org / As the world churns: How bioturbation has shaped ocean floors over 540 million years
The murky world at the bottom of the oceans is now a little clearer, thanks to a new study that tracks the evolution of marine sediment layers across hundreds of millions of years.

Phys.org / Lab-made sugar-coated particle reduces COVID-19 infection rates by 98.6% in human cell tests
Research led by a Swansea University academic has revealed a synthetic glycosystem—a sugar-coated polymer nanoparticle—that can block COVID-19 from infecting human cells, reducing infection rates by nearly 99%.

Phys.org / AI automatically designs optimal drug candidates for cancer-targeting mutations
Traditional drug development methods involve identifying a target protein (e.g., a cancer cell receptor) that causes disease, and then searching through countless molecular candidates (potential drugs) that could bind to ...

Phys.org / How organic matter traps water in soil—even in the driest conditions
From lifelong farmers to backyard gardeners, most plant-lovers know that adding organic matter to a field, vegetable plot or flowerpot increases the soil's moisture. Now, for the first time, Northwestern University scientists ...

Phys.org / Ocean anomalies traveling north crucial for the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation
Anomalies in temperature and salinity that originate in the midlatitude North Atlantic can affect the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) in the Nordic Seas up to a decade later. A new study published in Communications ...

Phys.org / Unpacking chaos to protect coffee: Study untangles the ecological dynamics of ants in Puerto Rico
To help manage agricultural practices with fewer or no pesticides, University of Michigan researchers say they need to understand how ecological systems work on agricultural lands.

Phys.org / Strategically bringing back beavers could support healthy and climate-resilient watersheds
After enduring centuries of hunting, habitat loss, and disease, North American beavers (Castor canadensis) are making a comeback—and bringing benefits for both humans and nature with them.

Phys.org / Livestock played a role in prehistoric plague infections, genomic study finds
Around 5,000 years ago, a mysterious form of plague spread throughout Eurasia, only to disappear 2,000 years later. Known only from ancient DNA, this enigmatic "LNBA plague" lineage has left scientists puzzled about its likely ...

Phys.org / Two solutions unlock safer RNA therapies for inflammatory diseases
Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) are tiny fat bubbles that are used to deliver medicines, genes, and RNA into cells. However, in some cases LNPs can cause harmful inflammation as a result of the process of RNA delivery.

Dialog / Rethinking imperfections: How defects are powering brighter perovskite emissions
In materials science, defects are usually seen as problems, unwanted microscopic features that degrade performance, reduce efficiency or shorten the lifespan of devices. But a recent breakthrough published in Advanced Materials ...

Phys.org / Common food bacteria could help make vitamins cheaper and greener
A new study reveals how Lactococcus lactis (L. lactis), a common food bacterium, regulates the production of a key precursor in vitamin K₂ (menaquinone) biosynthesis. The bacteria produce enough of this precursor to support ...