Phys.org news

Phys.org / Water interactions reveal how surface coatings reshape nanoparticle drug delivery

Researchers at Arizona State University have uncovered a key scientific principle that governs how what's coated on the surfaces of engineered nanoparticles may ultimately control how they work in our bodies. In a new study ...

Mar 2, 2026 in Nanotechnology
Phys.org / 'Plug-and-play'—how plants steal genetic shortcuts to survive

Plants are fast-tracking their own evolution by "plugging in" genetic code stolen from their neighbors, according to new research that reveals the secret to their own successful genetic engineering. The study, led by Catherine ...

Mar 2, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / El Nino may return in 2026 and make planet even hotter

The warming El Niño weather phenomenon could form later this year, potentially pushing global temperatures to record heights.

Mar 2, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / Bird flu rampant among black vultures: Study points to year-round H5N1 circulation

More than four out of every five dead black vultures examined by University of Georgia researchers tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza, according to a new study published in Scientific Reports. The actual ...

Mar 2, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Wildfire smoke silences grassland birds in New York state

On a hazy day in June 2023, doctoral students Trifosa Simamora and Timothy Boycott noticed that the birds at their field site had gone quiet. Now in a study published in Biological Conservation, they show that the culprit ...

Mar 2, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / How invasive house sparrows are helping scientists detect dangerous contaminants

The house sparrow is a highly invasive pest in North Carolina, and bluebird enthusiasts frequently throw their eggs out and remove their nests to keep them from overtaking the nestboxes that bluebirds call home. A new study ...

Mar 2, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Simulations show a path to 'ideal glass' with crystal-like entropy

The types of glass that we encounter in everyday life, such as window glass or smartphone screens, are disordered solids. This means that they consist of particles locked in place, like those in solids, but arranged randomly, ...

Mar 1, 2026 in Physics
Phys.org / AI cracks Roman-era board game

A smooth, white stone dating from the Roman era and unearthed in the Netherlands has long baffled researchers.

Mar 1, 2026 in Other Sciences
Phys.org / Leopards adapted to South Africa's Cape so successfully that they're genetically unique

Animals of the same species don't always look the same. From birds with different beak shapes to mammals that vary in size or color, populations living in different places can often look very different.

Mar 1, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Past climate change: First indicators show resilience in tropical life—up to 1.5°C

New geological data indicate that marine life is somewhat resilient to warming in the tropics. Chris Fokkema, Earth scientist at Utrecht University, discovered that tropical algae were largely unaffected by a number of periods ...

Mar 1, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / High-performance cell atlas workflow driven by manifold fitting

Researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) have developed CellScope, a high-performance single-cell analysis framework that uses manifold fitting to analyze single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data. This ...

Mar 1, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / Nanoparticle system shows promise for delivering mRNA to prevent type 1 diabetes

Research on preventing type 1 diabetes often focuses on limiting the autoimmune response that destroys the body's ability to produce its own insulin. A new technology developed by scientists at the University of Chicago takes ...

Mar 1, 2026 in Nanotechnology