Phys.org news

Phys.org / Reworked tRNAs enable protein design with up to 34 amino acids

Scientists have been hard at work for more than 20 years to instruct biological systems, such as E. coli cells, to produce proteins they don't naturally produce. Success could mean faster, cheaper, more innovative solutions ...

Aug 26, 2026
Phys.org / Volcanic eruptions and warming climate disrupt long-standing link between Indian and Pacific oceans

A new study that combines paleoclimate data and climate models suggests that large volcanic eruptions can disrupt the relationship between atmospheric circulation patterns over the tropical Indian and Pacific oceans. In addition, ...

Aug 26, 2026
Phys.org / Permafrost thaws worldwide as active layers deepen from 2000 to 2024

An international study led by researchers at the George Washington University indicates clear global evidence that permafrost is thawing across much of the planet. Using more than two decades of field observations from 156 ...

Aug 26, 2026
Phys.org / Dry seeds preserve fully formed mitochondria, unlocking rapid energy at germination

The majority of plant seeds have the special ability to almost completely dry out and yet remain viable. While most living cells die with a 90% loss of water, cells in seeds enter a biological state of dormancy. With a moisture ...

Aug 26, 2026
Phys.org / One molecule, one photon: Entanglement makes an imperceptible recoil measurable

For decades, light has been used to understand the molecular structures of matter. A sample is irradiated with light, and measurements determine the wavelengths at which it is absorbed. Since each molecule absorbs light at ...

Aug 26, 2026
Phys.org / Did ocean motion carve Enceladus's tiger stripes?

Saturn's moon Enceladus sports a thick shell of ice surrounding a liquid water ocean. As though scraped by an enormous claw, four parallel cracks slash across its south pole. Each about 500 meters (1,600 feet) deep, 2 kilometers ...

Aug 26, 2026
Phys.org / Electrically charged raindrops could be corroding metal with protective coatings

Electrically charged raindrops, a naturally occurring phenomenon, can break down surfaces treated with protective coatings, according to new research published in Nature. This previously overlooked corrosion mechanism highlights ...

Aug 26, 2026
Phys.org / Basalt weathering may remove far less CO₂ than projected

Spreading finely crushed basalt across farmland has been promoted as a relatively simple way to remove large quantities of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. But a new study led by Cornell researchers suggests the real-world ...

Aug 26, 2026
Phys.org / Why some lava-covered exoplanets retain atmospheres for billions of years

Stanford researchers have offered an explanation for why some sizzling, lava-covered worlds nestled tightly around their stars can retain their atmospheres. At such close quarters, intense stellar radiation should strip away ...

Aug 26, 2026
Phys.org / Narrow ultrasonic beam enables stable 3D levitation six times farther than before

Scientists have developed a new acoustic levitation technique using an ultrasonic beam capable of levitating and moving small objects in midair over distances of up to 40 cm (16 inches), six times farther than previously ...

Aug 26, 2026
Phys.org / Ramped fields create more robust entanglement between trapped-ion qubits

While quantum computing could be the future, it is currently plagued by finicky hardware. To make the technology practical, researchers must demonstrate that it consistently and continuously works and performs at scale. In ...

Aug 26, 2026
Phys.org / Narwhals help researchers uncover unique data from the deepest East Greenland fjords

They live in some of the most inaccessible waters on Earth, where ocean temperatures hover around freezing. Because they move through areas that humans rarely reach, they have been able to help researchers with a special ...

Aug 26, 2026