Phys.org news
Phys.org / Scientists uncover a hidden mechanism that drives RNA synthesis
Scientists have long been fascinated by two promising classes of antibiotics that disable RNA polymerase (RNAP). They knew that these drugs could grind gene expression to a halt in several pathogens, including the bacterium ...
Phys.org / Under-the-radar creeks could be sweeping carbon out of salt marshes
Salt marshes are coastal wetlands that are alternately inundated and exposed by tides. These marshes, like other coastal ecosystems, are hotspots of carbon cycling.
Phys.org / New optical method reveals internal dynamics of elusive Wigner crystals
Researchers at the University of Basel and the Technical University of Munich have developed a new method to reveal the collective motion of electrons in one of the most elusive states of matter: the Wigner crystal. Using ...
Phys.org / DNA origami nanosyringe actively transports molecules into synthetic cells
Transporting molecules across biological membranes is essential for life. In nature, this can occur through passive transport, known as diffusion. "Biological systems often use mechanical motion to accomplish tasks that cannot ...
Phys.org / Rescued platypuses quickly return to normal lives after five months in captivity
Platypuses rescued during a severe drought quickly returned to their old routines after being released back into the wild, suggesting emergency rescues can help protect vulnerable populations.
Phys.org / Oral nanomedicine improves cancer immunotherapy by harnessing gut bacterial metabolite
A joint research team—led by professor Young Seok Cho from the School of Medicine, alongside professor James J. Moon from the University of Michigan—has developed the world's first oral, microbiome-based nanomedicine. By ...
Phys.org / Who are the secret gardeners of a parasitic plant?
In the coastal forests of a tropical Japanese island near Okinawa grows an inconspicuous plant that is easy to mistake for a mushroom. It is a non-green parasite that feeds on the roots of other plants and produces up to ...
Phys.org / Decoding smell: Study reveals how wind transforms odor signals
Humans trust dogs to help find missing people, and bees to pollinate their crops. But scientists still don't fully understand how these animals use their extraordinary sense of smell to locate the source of an odor.
Phys.org / Color-sensing yeast could make biofactories more programmable and precise
Baker's yeast is one of biotechnology's most important microorganisms. It has long been used to leaven bread and ferment beer. More recently, advances in synthetic biology have enabled engineered yeast to convert sugar into ...
Phys.org / Mars could have carried liquid water more recently than we thought
For decades, astronomers have assumed that the Martian surface froze solid around 3 billion years ago and has stayed that way ever since. If this were really the case, any liquid water would have long since either been locked ...
Phys.org / Arctic fossil abandoned in 1948 proves to be record-size Triassic hunter
Nearly 80 years ago, a British expedition discovered the battered remains of a giant fossil on the peak of an Arctic island. Unable to take it with them, they snapped some pictures, took some bones and left the fossil to ...
Phys.org / The impact of recent super El Niños on sea level rise
El Niños and La Niñas are the third-most dominant influences on Earth's climate, after the sun and the greenhouse effect. But they haven't been easy to decipher or to predict in terms of when they will happen and what exact ...
