Phys.org news
Dialog / Chemically tuning nanographene into topological spin chains and why the ends matter
When most people hear "polymer," they think of plastics. In our group, polymerization is a way to line up identical molecules like beads on a string and let quantum mechanics take over. Put magnetic building blocks in a one-dimensional ...
Phys.org / Thermogenetics: How proteins are controllable by heat
Protein activity can be precisely regulated via subtle changes in temperature using heat-sensitive switches. Underlying this capability is a novel modular design strategy developed by researchers at the Institute of Pharmacy ...
Phys.org / Real-time imaging of microplastics in the body improves understanding of health risks
Microplastics (MPs), defined as plastic fragments with sizes ranging from millimeters (
Phys.org / Flipped chromosomal segments drive natural selection, Atlantic silversides study shows
When a species lives in two distinct types of habitats, individuals with traits better suited to each habitat will thrive and reproduce, naturally selecting descendants with those traits. But what about mobile aquatic species ...
Phys.org / Paleontologists challenge use of bone growth rings to age crocodiles, dinosaurs
Do the bones of all Nile crocodiles have the same number of growth marks as their age? And can such growth rings be counted to accurately gauge the age of these reptiles? Is this also an accurate method to use when trying ...
Phys.org / Environmental sampling finds more poultry viruses than bird swabs in live markets
Scientists at Duke-NUS Medical School have found that viruses circulating in live poultry markets can be detected more effectively by sampling the surrounding environment than by testing individual birds. The study, published ...
Phys.org / Burned permafrost peatlands release carbon for years after wildfires, researchers find
In the face of climate change, permafrost peatland wildfires could play more of a role in the destructive cycle of global warming, University of Alberta research suggests.
Phys.org / Scientists clock a driving factor in the evolution of error correction
All complex biological systems—like the DNA, RNA and proteins constantly being copied and built within our cells—are prone to errors. That means as life evolved to be more elaborate, it also had to evolve error-correcting ...
Phys.org / Whole-genome study of koalas shows genetic diversity alone can misread extinction risk
A new study published in Science is challenging long-held assumptions about how we measure genetic risk in endangered species. Researchers analyzed whole genomes from hundreds of koalas, finding that populations previously ...
Phys.org / How Japanese red elder plants save two lives with one fruit drop
Japanese red elder plants safeguard their own survival when they drop fruits infested by Heterhelus beetle larvae, as well as the survival of these larvae. A Kobe University study changes the narrative on how a plant and ...
Phys.org / Cleaner water, longer-lasting devices: New benchmark measures electrocatalysis oxidants in real time
From brightly colored textile dyes to persistent pesticides and antibiotics, many modern pollutants dissolved in water—such as Bisphenol A—resist traditional treatment methods. A promising approach uses electricity to ...
Phys.org / Pond-dwelling microalga exposes a parallel track for RNA processing
Biology textbooks explain that cells follow a universal rule when processing gene transcripts to make proteins. Non-coding snippets of RNA are bracketed by a guanine-thymine (GT) nucleotide sequence on one end and an adenine-guanine ...
