Phys.org news

Researchers have discovered that a group of viruses known to infect an agriculturally important plant pathogen has remained genetically stable for an astonishing four decades. The discovery of a disease-fighting virus that ...

Japan is well known for its large earthquakes, but not all regions show the same patterns of earthquake activity. One way to understand which places tend to experience large or small earthquakes is the b-value, a key statistical ...

A material made from yttrium, barium and copper oxide (better known as YBCO) has intrigued scientists since its discovery in 1987, largely because it retains its superconductive properties at a higher-than-normal temperature. ...

The lava that buried entire neighborhoods during the 2018 Kīlauea eruption was composed of nearly 80% gas bubbles near its source. A recent study shows that those bubbles played a central role in controlling how fast and ...

When you think of a South American rainforest, you probably don't imagine biting winds, heavy frosts and freezing temperatures. But in the mountains of southern Brazil, that's exactly what you can find. On this highland plateau, ...

EPFL researchers have discovered that a soft material originally optimized for 3D printing may solve a longstanding challenge in materials science: making 3D-printable elastomers both tough and durable.

Earth scientists at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) have published an international study showing that major earthquakes in Southeast Asia can affect regional relative sea-level projections.

A new study finds a widely used technique for assessing the health of freshwater streams is not effective at detecting a range of water quality problems, including those related to acidity, oxygen levels and the presence ...

In most modern cells, DNA stores the genetic blueprint, and proteins replicate, repair and build from those blueprints. At the same time, proteins require instructions from DNA to be made in the first place.

A team led by bioengineers at the University of California San Diego has developed a genome-scale reference map that details how individual genes control the functions and identities of human stem cells. This open-access ...

Cornstarch can thicken soup or serve as a base for a DIY shampoo, but there's more to the humble pantry staple. Given the right conditions, it seems to defy the laws of physics. Mixing cornstarch with water creates "oobleck"—a ...

Inside the cell nucleus, genes must be turned on and off with precision to regulate biological processes. The first models of gene regulation were developed in the 1960s, yet modern science continues to uncover new layers ...