Phys.org news

Phys.org / Kitchen cling film helps build centimeter-scale ultrathin electronics and optics

As materials become thinner—now reaching the thickness of single atoms—it has become increasingly difficult to create sufficiently large sheets and transfer them without cracking them into tiny flakes. Recent work by a broad ...

Jul 29, 2026
Phys.org / Beyond wrinkles: New rule explains why growing shapes suddenly crumple

Scientists have discovered a previously unknown law of geometry that explains why some growing surfaces, whether in nature or in engineered materials, suddenly stop being able to stay smooth and instead form dimples and folds. ...

Jul 29, 2026
Phys.org / Two attosecond flashes capture electrons in motion

Electronic motion sets the stage for virtually every light-induced process in nature, from the first step of a chemical reaction to the flow of charge in a solid. Yet these processes unfold so rapidly that they can be observed ...

Jul 29, 2026
Phys.org / Biofilm clue opens route to anti-infection treatments of the future

A multidisciplinary study has uncovered a critical component in the formation of biofilms, the complex structures used by bacteria to colonize surfaces. The research may have implications for future infection treatments, ...

Jul 29, 2026
Phys.org / Trees and microbes team up to improve nitrogen nutrient processes in higher CO₂ conditions

Forest trees growing in air containing higher levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) radically change the way they "cycle" nitrogen, a key plant nutrient, with implications for forests as a nature-based climate solution.

Jul 29, 2026
Phys.org / Stable DNA building blocks enable faster oligonucleotide synthesis without oxidation

The chemical synthesis of oligonucleotides (ONs) is central to modern molecular biology, diagnostics and nucleic acid therapeutics. While demand for high-quality ONs is increasing, the conventional synthetic method has long-standing ...

Jul 29, 2026
Phys.org / In seconds, fiber optic cables detect earthquake size

Scientists have discovered a new way to determine how big an earthquake may become just seconds after it begins. In a new study published in Nature Communications, researchers from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and Cal ...

Jul 29, 2026
Phys.org / Global warming threatens rice harvests more than crop models predict, study warns

A new study on how rising temperatures will affect rice production in Science Advances compares 214 observations from field-warming experiments with seven crop models, revealing modeled estimates for yield reductions from ...

Jul 29, 2026
Phys.org / Two antibody gene systems may help explain vesper bats' unusual viral tolerance

It is a mystery that has puzzled scientists for years. How can the world's only winged mammals carry viruses that cause severe disease while rarely becoming seriously ill themselves?

Jul 29, 2026
Phys.org / Gold-MXene catalyst converts nitrate to ammonia using sunlight and 1.5 volts

Plants need nitrogen fertilizers, which are usually ammonia-based. Ammonia is therefore one of the most important chemical products. However, its production is currently extremely energy-intensive. An international team from ...

Jul 29, 2026
Phys.org / Repeating distance patterns let optical systems tackle large optimization problems

From planning transportation networks to organizing massive datasets, many of society's most important challenges boil down to an optimization problem: finding the best solution among an enormous number of possibilities. ...

Jul 29, 2026
Phys.org / Flexible DNA directs proteins into atomically ordered crystals, overturning crystallization assumptions

For decades, scientists have largely relied on painstaking trial and error to coax proteins into crystalline forms. Crystallization enables scientists to determine the molecular structures of proteins, which can provide a ...

Jul 29, 2026