Phys.org news
Phys.org / Earth's deepest rocks help define upper limit for viscosity beyond which materials effectively become rigid
Viscosity is one of the most fundamental physical properties used to describe how materials flow. It governs the movement of liquids, molten rocks and even slowly deforming regions deep inside the Earth. While scientists ...
Phys.org / Neighbors shape plant life more than expected, scientists find
Scientists at Leiden University have discovered that plants are strongly influenced by their neighbors, not just above ground but also through hidden networks in the soil. Their findings challenge long-held ideas about how ...
Phys.org / Survival comes at a price: Frog study links salt adaptation to increased risk of disease
Over generations, a small North American frog has learned how to survive in a world that's getting increasingly saltier. But new research from the University of Missouri suggests that adaptation comes with an unexpected trade-off.
Phys.org / China's space probe reaches asteroid after 1-billion-kilometer chase for first sample return
China's Tianwen-2 space probe, which is set to bring back samples from an asteroid for research, has reached its target after traveling 1 billion kilometers (620 million miles) over more than a year, the Chinese space agency ...
Phys.org / Four new groups of indigenous cacao varieties discovered in Peru
A new genetic analysis of hundreds of cacao trees representing traditional Amazonian varieties grown on farms across Peru has revealed four previously unidentified, genetically distinct groups. Lambert Motilal, with colleagues ...
Phys.org / Molecular nanostructures can be activated using ultrasound
Researchers from Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (HHU) have taken an important step toward developing intelligent molecular materials. The team headed by Dr. Bernd M. Schmidt (Institute of Organic Chemistry and Macromolecular ...
Phys.org / Alpine butterflies track warming uphill, but habitat loss may pose bigger risk
A new study published in the journal Alpine Entomology has found that alpine butterflies in the Swiss National Park are closely matching the pace of local warming in their range shift to higher elevations.
Phys.org / Scientists discover smart way to supercharge soft robotics and better support rehabilitation patients
Researchers have found an ingenious way to make soft robots and wearable technology more than three times more powerful by harnessing the surface tension of a tiny liquid metal droplet smaller than a raindrop.
Phys.org / The evolutionary pressure behind sexual asymmetry revealed in yeast cell study
A major transition in evolution is the shift from asexual to sexual reproduction in early organisms. But why would a yeast cell, which usually reproduces asexually, choose to mate with a very different partner in times of ...
Phys.org / Researchers use AI to evaluate a systematic framework to describe molecular order in liquid water
Water is the most abundant liquid on Earth's surface, and it is highly anomalous compared with other liquids because it expands upon freezing. The anomalies in water have been linked to how its microscopic structure changes ...
Phys.org / New workflow tool gives scientists a clearer view of how DNA is regulated
Researchers from the Cancer Science Institute of Singapore (CSI Singapore) at NUS have developed a new method that allows scientists to better understand how DNA is organized and regulated inside cells. The study, published ...
Phys.org / Neutral lipids enable precision control over supramolecular polymerization
The formation of supramolecular polymers within living cells is an emerging strategy for regulating cellular functions, and lipid droplets (LDs) are promising environments for such processes. LDs are cellular organelles composed ...
