Phys.org
- phys.org New data science tool greatly speeds up molecular analysis of our environment
A research team led by scientists at the University of California, Riverside, has developed a computational workflow for analyzing large data sets in the field of metabolomics, the study of small molecules found within cells, biofluids, tissues, and entire ecosystems.
- phys.org AI tools help uncover enzyme mechanisms for lasso peptides
Lasso peptides are natural products made by bacteria. Their unusual lasso shape endows them with remarkable stability, protecting them from extreme conditions. In a new study, published in Nature Chemical Biology, researchers have constructed and tested models for how these peptides are made and dem...
- phys.org Citizen science collaboration yields precise data on exoplanet WASP-77 A b
A planet swings in front of its star, dimming the starlight we see. Events like these, called transits, provide us with bounties of information about exoplanets—planets around stars other than the sun. But predicting when these special events occur can be challenging…unless you have help from volunt...
- phys.org A possible explanation for the 'missing plastic problem': New detection technique finds microplastics in coral skeletons
Researchers from Japan and Thailand investigating microplastics in coral have found that all three parts of the coral anatomy—surface mucus, tissue, and skeleton—contain microplastics. The findings were made possible thanks to a new microplastic detection technique developed by the team and applied ...
- phys.org Evolved in the lab, found in nature: Uncovering hidden pH sensing abilities in microbial cultures
In a study led by Sarah Worthan, Ph.D., a postdoctoral researcher in the Behringer Lab at Vanderbilt University, scientists have successfully evolved microbial cultures that possess the ability to sense pH changes, enabling rapid responses to environmental fluctuations.
- phys.org Deforestation in the Amazon is driven more by domestic demand than by the export market, finds study
Brazilian Legal Amazonia (BLA)—which comprises the entirety of the Amazon Basin located in Brazil and vast adjacent swathes of the Cerrado, spanning nine states—is more than 5 million square kilometers (km2) in area and corresponds to almost 60% of the country's land mass. Almost a quarter of this a...
- phys.org New database covers distribution and evolutionary history of megadiverse flowering plant family on isolated islands
Asteraceae, a family of flowering plants, are the most diverse group of flowering plants in the world. This plant family comprises about 34,000 species. An international research team with the participation of the University of Göttingen has now compiled and analyzed a new global database on the dis...
- phys.org Algorithm used on Mars rover helps scientists on Earth see data in a new way
A new algorithm tested on NASA's Perseverance Rover on Mars may lead to better forecasting of hurricanes, wildfires, and other extreme weather events that impact millions globally.
- phys.org How a bacterial pathogen that causes dysentery manipulates molecular activity to assure its survival
Virginia Tech researchers have learned how bacteria manipulate molecules to infect the host organism. Daniel Capelluto and his research team have discovered the mechanism by which the bacterial pathogen Shigella flexneri, the causative agent of dysentery, manipulates molecular activity to assure its...
- phys.org Researchers identify novel endocytic recycling mechanism with 'kiss-and-run' membrane fusion
Endocytosis and recycling control the uptake and retrieval of various materials in eukaryotic cells. Mammalian cells have developed several recycling routes, including the relatively extensively studied "fast" and "slow" tubulovesicular recycling pathways. Nevertheless, endocytic recycling pathways ...
- phys.org X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission unveils black hole and supernova remnant surroundings
The X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM) has revealed the structure, motion and temperature of the material around a supermassive black hole and in a supernova remnant in unprecedented detail. Astronomers presented the first scientific results of the new X-ray telescope today, less than a ...
- phys.org Size matters: Bioinformatics accurately detects short, fat antibiotic-resistant bacteria
Penicillin was hailed as "the silver bullet" when it was discovered, as it had the unprecedented quality of being able to kill disease-causing bacteria without harming the human body. Since then, a multitude of other antibiotics have been developed that specifically target a wide range of bacteria; ...
- phys.org Mysterious Pacific Ocean sounds identified as a type of whale—a new AI app helps track them
A team of oceanographers and marine biologists from the NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center and Oregon State University has identified a mysterious noise heard in the Pacific Ocean for two decades as the sounds of Bryde's whales.
- phys.org Observers detect intraday variability of blazar 1ES 1426+42.8
Astronomers report the detection of optical intraday variability of a blazar known as 1ES 1426+42.8. The new findings, presented in a paper published in the September issue of Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, could shed more light on the properties and nature of this blazar.
- phys.org European Green Deal is a double-edged sword for global emissions, analysis suggests
The European Union aims to be carbon-neutral by 2050 as part of the comprehensive Green Deal that was agreed upon four years ago. However, an analysis of the policy documents outlining the practical measures of the Green Deal shows that it will decrease carbon emissions in Europe, but also increase ...
- phys.org New material with wavy layers of atoms exhibits unusual superconducting properties
MIT physicists and colleagues have created a new material with unusual superconducting and metallic properties, thanks to wavy layers of atoms only billionths of a meter thick that repeat themselves over and over to create a macroscopic sample that can be manipulated by hand. The large size of the s...
- phys.org Researchers build AI model database to find new alloys for nuclear fusion facilities
A study led by the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory details how artificial intelligence researchers have created an AI model to help identify new alloys used as shielding for housing fusion applications components in a nuclear fusion reactor. The findings mark a major step toward...
- phys.org Greylag geese with similar personalities have higher hatching success, study suggests
Birds of a feather flock together but strong pairing in geese has been shown to produce better breeding results, according to a new study.
- phys.org Mysteries of the bizarre 'pseudogap' in quantum physics finally untangled
By cleverly applying a computational technique, scientists have made a breakthrough in understanding the "pseudogap," a long-standing puzzle in quantum physics with close ties to superconductivity. The discovery, presented in Science, will help scientists in their quest for room-temperature supercon...