Phys.org news

Phys.org / AI faces trusted more than faces of real people, warn researchers

Images of faces created by artificial intelligence (AI) are seen as more trustworthy than images of genuine faces, researchers say, warning of the risks of online fraud and other harms. This is the first study to examine ...

Jul 7, 2026
Phys.org / Birds' efficient red blood cells convert metabolic 'waste' into fuel for rapid recovery

New research finds that birds can use lactate, often thought of as a metabolic waste product, as a cellular fuel that aids in rapid recovery from a harmful state that impairs oxygen delivery. Hemoglobin, the protein that ...

Jul 7, 2026
Phys.org / Watching how molecules change shape in slow motion could inform future molecular machines

Researchers at the Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI) at Kanazawa University, the Institute for Molecular Science and SOKENDAI have uncovered the hidden mechanism behind a molecular switch—a molecule that can change ...

Jul 7, 2026
Phys.org / Raptorial insect forelegs evolved repeatedly but never converged on one winning design

The evolutionary paths that created snatching forelimbs in insects multiple times moved in a similar direction but didn't end at a single solution. Kobe University research is pioneering a study of how organs with similar ...

Jul 7, 2026
Phys.org / Bulk ferromagnetic quasicrystals emerge without rapid quenching, unlocking stable magnetic studies

Ferromagnetism has long been studied in a wide range of periodic crystals and amorphous materials. In quasicrystals (QCs), which possess long-range quasiperiodic order and unconventional rotational symmetries, such as 10-fold ...

Jul 7, 2026
Phys.org / Bacteria discovered with the ability to jettison cells as a survival mechanism

Popular science fiction is no stranger to escape-pod scenarios, typically featuring characters who narrowly avoid their demise by jettisoning from a spaceship—think R2-D2 and C-3PO shooting away from a rebel spaceship in ...

Jul 7, 2026
Phys.org / EV-SELEX speeds GPCR drug discovery by capturing receptor-bound DNA aptamers

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the most abundantly expressed proteins in the human body, regulating diverse physiological processes ranging from pain perception to hormone signaling. Owing to their central roles ...

Jul 7, 2026
Phys.org / New biobased polymers exhibit excellent tensile properties beyond polyolefins

The research group of Professor Kotohiro Nomura, Tokyo Metropolitan University, in cooperation with the research groups of Senior Researcher Hiroshi Hirano and Director Seiji Higashi of the Osaka Research Institute of Industrial ...

Jul 7, 2026
Phys.org / How proximity steals energy from nanoresonators

Nanomechanical resonators are miniature vibrating structures on chips that oscillate at frequencies ranging from a few kilohertz to gigahertz. They are used as ultrasensitive detectors of mass and force, temperature and pressure, ...

Jul 7, 2026
Phys.org / Cave finds reveal modern humans and Neanderthals may have shared long-term cultural continuity

Tens of thousands of years ago, Homo sapiens coexisted with Neanderthals, Homo neanderthalensis. Many of us living today carry a small amount of Neanderthal DNA, indicating that the two species may have shared much more than ...

Jul 6, 2026
Phys.org / Early parenting shapes the brain and socio-sexual behavior, rodent study shows

Past psychology studies have consistently highlighted the importance of social bonds for survival, showing that enduring relationships are linked with a longer life expectancy, a more resilient immune system, better cardiovascular ...

Jul 6, 2026
Phys.org / First synthetic protein motor moves along DNA in controlled, programmable steps

Researchers from UNSW Sydney have built the first artificial protein motor capable of taking controlled, directional steps along a DNA track. The protein, dubbed Tumbleweed, moves by alternating between three "feet" that ...

Jul 6, 2026