Phys.org news
Phys.org / Early humans in South Africa were quarrying stone as far back as 220,000 years ago
As long as 220,000 years ago—far earlier than previously thought—people quarried rocks for their tools in places they specifically sought out. An international research team led by the University of Tübingen has demonstrated ...
Phys.org / More than a pretty picture, star-shaped nanomaterial changes energy storage
When created at the nanoscale, materials can resemble shapes like stars, rods or even pyramids. These particle shapes, also known as the morphologies of a solid, make for more than just interesting images under a microscope—they ...
Phys.org / This protein helps cancer cells survive treatment—and points to new treatments
Researchers at Umeå University have contributed new insights into how cancer cells protect themselves from cell death. The study provides a deeper understanding of how key proteins interact within the cell and could, in the ...
Phys.org / Who got the meat? What 10,000 years of European bones suggest about diet inequality
Access to nutritious food is a fundamental pillar of human success, but such access has been unequal throughout history. In pre-industrial European societies, meat was a highly sought-after food, and access to it was often ...
Phys.org / Light-driven method enables sustainable production of porous semiconducting polymers
Researchers at Koç University have developed a light-driven method to produce porous semiconducting polymers under ambient conditions without the need for metal catalysts. The study, led by Prof. Dr. Önder Metin from the ...
Phys.org / Researchers clarify how cells remove damaged endoplasmic reticulum
The cell's endoplasmic reticulum (ER) plays a central role in protein synthesis, folding, and calcium (Ca²⁺) storage. When damaged, ER-phagy (self-eating) removes affected ER regions via double-membrane vesicles called autophagosomes. ...
Phys.org / Parabolic flight test shows lasers can propel graphene aerogels in microgravity
Lasers could one day steer solar sails and adjust a satellite's position in outer space, thanks to graphene. An experiment on a gravity rollercoaster ride showed how this innovative material has the potential to revolutionize ...
Phys.org / African frogs haven't forgotten the ice ages. Scientists can tell by where they live.
Why are frogs diverse in some parts of Africa's rainforests and less so in others? The patterns of cooling and glaciation during the last ice age would probably not have been your first answer or even your last-ditch guess, ...
Phys.org / When trees get 'sunburn': Study shows how young trees can handle the heat
Can our forests adapt to a hotter and drier future climate? Temperatures are predicted to rise up to 5°C compared to pre-industrial times. Forest management needs to adapt to these conditions, which requires a better understanding ...
Phys.org / Hot-dry extremes could hit 28% of humanity five times more often by end of century
In their current state, climate policies around the world could leave a significant chunk of the global population exposed to simultaneous extreme heat and drought over five times more often by the end of this century than ...
Phys.org / Fly ball: Drosophila can learn while playing with tiny spheres
For more than a century, the fruit fly has been a workhorse of the biological sciences that has helped scientists to make fundamental breakthroughs in fields such as genetics and neuroscience. As it turns out, human scientists ...
Phys.org / Metamaterial chains learn new shapes by sharing data hinge to hinge
In a new Nature Physics publication, University of Amsterdam researchers introduce human-made materials that spring to life. These 'metamaterials' don't just learn to change shape, but can autonomously adapt their shape-changing ...