https://phys.org/ en-us Phys.org internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Physics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine. Researchers in the Department of Theoretical Physics at Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Mumbai, have discovered that instead of manipulating every component or modifying interactions in a many-body system, occasionally resetting just a small fraction can reshape how the entire system behaves, including how it transitions from one phase to another. https://phys.org/news/2025-12-subsystem-resetting-route-phase-transitions.html General Physics Wed, 17 Dec 2025 10:13:19 EST news685188781 Researchers at Seoul National University and Kyung Hee University report a framework to control collective motions, such as ring, clumps, mill, flock, by training a physics-informed AI to learn the local rules that govern interactions among individuals. https://phys.org/news/2025-09-physics-ai-local-flocking-motion.html General Physics Fri, 26 Sep 2025 12:46:03 EDT news678109561 Previously, research on controlling gene networks has been carried out based on a single stimulus-response of cells. More recently, studies have been proposed to precisely analyze complex gene networks to identify control targets. https://phys.org/news/2025-08-algebraic-approach-reveals-complex-gene.html Biotechnology Sun, 31 Aug 2025 10:40:02 EDT news675693134 Large amounts of data ("big data") offer enormous potential for improving the accuracy of genome-wide predictions in plant breeding. Encouraged by successful results with wheat hybrids, researchers at the IPK Leibniz Institute have now extended this approach to so-called inbred lines. https://phys.org/news/2025-05-big-approach-accurate.html Molecular & Computational biology Tue, 13 May 2025 12:39:03 EDT news666358741 Researchers at the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI have developed an AI that could open up a new, cost-effective approach to identifying genetic perturbation patterns in cell images—potentially enabling the development of new drugs. https://phys.org/news/2025-05-ai-genetic-perturbations-cell-images.html Cell & Microbiology Tue, 13 May 2025 12:10:03 EDT news666356473 Researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev have developed a machine-learning algorithm that could enhance our understanding of human biology and disease. The new method, Weighted Graph Anomalous Node Detection (WGAND), takes inspiration from social network analysis and is designed to identify proteins with significant roles in various human tissues. https://phys.org/news/2025-04-social-biological-networks-algorithm-uncovers.html Biotechnology Tue, 08 Apr 2025 15:00:07 EDT news663343200 Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory have joined collaborators from around the world to build a prototype neutrino detector that has now captured its first neutrino interactions at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab). https://phys.org/news/2024-10-modular-neutrino-detector-years.html General Physics Tue, 01 Oct 2024 09:45:39 EDT news646994727 Apple cultivation is widespread, but Glomerella leaf spot (GLS), caused by the fungus Colletotrichum fructicola, poses a major threat, especially in China. This disease damages leaves and fruits, reducing yield and quality. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-apple-unraveling-molecular-response-fungal.html Molecular & Computational biology Tue, 03 Sep 2024 12:18:03 EDT news644584681 Simulating particles is a relatively simple task when those particles are spherical. In the real world, however, most particles are not perfect spheres, but take on irregular and varying shapes and sizes. Simulating these particles becomes a much more challenging and time-consuming task. https://phys.org/news/2024-08-machine-simulations-irregularly-particles.html General Physics Mon, 26 Aug 2024 16:18:03 EDT news643907881 Biomolecular condensates are membraneless hubs of condensed proteins and nucleic acids within cells, which researchers are realizing are tied to an increasing number of cellular processes and diseases. Studies of biomolecular condensate formation have uncovered layers of complexity, including their ability to behave like a viscoelastic material. However, the molecular basis for this putty-like property was unknown. https://phys.org/news/2024-07-biomolecular-condensate-molecular-putty-properties.html Molecular & Computational biology Tue, 02 Jul 2024 11:13:03 EDT news639137581 Most people have heard the famous phrase "the enemy of my enemy is my friend." Now, Northwestern University researchers have used statistical physics to confirm the theory that underlies this famous axiom. The study, "Proper network randomization is key to assessing social balance," is published in the journal Science Advances. https://phys.org/news/2024-05-statistical-physics-corroborate-1940s-social.html Mathematics Fri, 03 May 2024 14:00:01 EDT news633944237 A collaborative research team has reported experimental evidence of a transition from ergodic toward ergodic breaking dynamics in driven-dissipative Rydberg atomic gases. The results were published in Science Advances. https://phys.org/news/2024-04-reveal-evidence-transition-ergodic-dynamics.html Condensed Matter Mon, 01 Apr 2024 11:44:03 EDT news631190641 The dog days of summer are upon us. Or so the ancient Romans named the dies caniculares that followed the rise of the "dog star" Sirius which the ancients believed to signal the oncoming sweltering heat and drought of summer. https://phys.org/news/2024-03-coast-dip-pool-chilled-ancient.html Archaeology Mon, 11 Mar 2024 11:50:02 EDT news629376601 The walnut (Juglans regia L.), which was domesticated in ancient Persia, is a globally cultivated nut crop. With global water scarcity, walnut production is facing significant challenges due to abiotic stresses, especially drought. Photosynthesis is a key physiological mechanism involved in adaption to abiotic stresses and regulation of plant development. https://phys.org/news/2023-12-genetic-secrets-drought-resilience-persian.html Molecular & Computational biology Thu, 21 Dec 2023 11:54:03 EST news622382041 Supermarket customers around New Zealand are noticing gaps in the grocery aisles that have nothing to do with the global pandemic or Ukraine war. It's clear domestic food supply chains have been increasingly challenged by natural disasters and the ongoing impact of climate change. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-climate-extremes-nz-chains-highly.html Economics & Business Wed, 26 Jul 2023 13:30:01 EDT news609596205 Biological treatment processes are critical for sewage purification, wherein microbial interactions are tightly associated with treatment performance. Previous studies have focused on assessing how environmental factors (such as salinity) affect the diversity and composition of the microbial community but ignore the connections among microorganisms. To fill this gap, an international team of researchers conducted an in-depth analysis of microbial interactions at elevated salinity in activated sludge systems. https://phys.org/news/2023-06-impacts-elevated-salinity-microbial-interactions.html Ecology Fri, 16 Jun 2023 13:16:03 EDT news606140161 Imagine being able to predict how a group of people will behave before they even know it themselves. From the dynamics of a sports team to the complexities of a nation, the ability to anticipate human interactions has long been a goal of scientists and analysts. Now, a team of researchers at Sandia National Laboratories is pioneering a new approach to social analysis. https://phys.org/news/2023-05-math-social.html Mathematics Thu, 04 May 2023 12:42:03 EDT news602422921 A single species invades an ecosystem causing its collapse. A cyberattack on the power system causes a major breakdown. These types of events are always on our minds, yet they rarely result in such significant consequences. So how is it that these systems are so stable and resilient that they can withstand such external disruptions? Indeed, these systems lack a central design or blueprint, and still, they exhibit exceptionally reliable functionality. https://phys.org/news/2023-04-networks-stable-year-old-puzzle.html General Physics Thu, 20 Apr 2023 11:00:03 EDT news601202720 A recent research study published in the International Journal of e-Collaboration (IJeC) has explored the relationship between social presence, online social capital, and social commerce (s-commerce) behavior. The study used an online survey and analyzed the collected data through a structural equation model (SEM). https://phys.org/news/2023-02-social-presence-online-capital-commerce.html Social Sciences Mon, 06 Feb 2023 13:40:03 EST news594913202 The word "network" has become part of our everyday language, in particular since the rise of online social networks. However, human interactions are not only aimed at sociability and fun. Criminals also interact with each other to plan their illicit actions, especially in organized crime. https://phys.org/news/2022-11-complex-criminal-networks-statistical-tools.html Mathematics Wed, 09 Nov 2022 10:40:02 EST news587212801 Scientists from the Faculty of Physics at the University of Warsaw and the Polish Academy of Sciences used photons to create a spiking neuron, the basic element of the future photonic neural network processor. The results of their work are published in the latest Laser and Photonics Review. https://phys.org/news/2022-10-artificial-polariton-neuron-photonic-mimics.html Optics & Photonics Mon, 24 Oct 2022 14:54:08 EDT news585842041 In their paper published in Science in December 2021, a DeepMind team showed how neural networks can be used to describe electron interactions in chemical systems more accurately than existing methods. A team of researchers from Skoltech, Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, HSE University, Yandex, and Kyungpook National University show in their comment in Science that DeepMind AI's ability to generalize the behavior of such systems does not follow from the published results and requires revisiting. https://phys.org/news/2022-08-scientists-deepmind-ai-good-fractional-charge.html Analytical Chemistry Mon, 15 Aug 2022 09:18:03 EDT news579773881 Sunlight sparkling on water evokes the rich phenomena of liquid-light interaction, spanning spatial and temporal scales. While the dynamics of liquids have fascinated researchers for decades, the rise of neuromorphic computing has sparked significant efforts to develop new, unconventional computational schemes based on recurrent neural networks, crucial to supporting wide range of modern technological applications, such as pattern recognition and autonomous driving. As biological neurons also rely on a liquid environment, a convergence may be attained by bringing nanoscale nonlinear fluid dynamics to neuromorphic computing. https://phys.org/news/2022-07-neuromorphic-optically-driven-nonlinear-fluid.html Optics & Photonics Mon, 25 Jul 2022 15:00:05 EDT news577978901 Urban beautification campaigns are usually sold to local residents as a way to improve their daily lives. Design elements—from lighting systems to signs, benches, bollards, fountains and planters, and sometimes even surveillance equipment—are used to refurbish and embellish public spaces. https://phys.org/news/2022-07-cities-urban-people-spaces.html Environment Tue, 05 Jul 2022 09:57:33 EDT news576233846 Knowledge creation—the generation of new ideas and patents—is an important driver of economic growth. Understanding how knowledge moves across industry sectors and regions can inform research and development (R&D) efforts, promote university-industry partnerships for innovation, and impact private businesses' location decisions. A new study from the University of Illinois in collaboration with Stockholm University and Korea Labor Institute provides a thorough look at the flow of knowledge in five industrial sectors across the United States. https://phys.org/news/2022-04-regions-sectors-complex-ways.html Economics & Business Mon, 04 Apr 2022 16:22:11 EDT news568308126 In a paper published today in the scientific journal Science, DeepMind demonstrates how neural networks can be used to describe electron interactions in chemical systems more accurately than existing methods. https://phys.org/news/2021-12-simulating-nanoscale-ai.html General Physics Thu, 09 Dec 2021 14:00:03 EST news558265725 Humans aren't the only species whose social behaviors can impact their health. New research from The University of Texas at Austin shows that Verreaux's sifaka, a species of wild lemur native to Madagascar, have gut microbes that are affected by those they socialize with. https://phys.org/news/2021-12-social-dynamics-gut-microbes-wild.html Plants & Animals Mon, 06 Dec 2021 07:13:58 EST news557997234 Networks are a powerful model for describing connected systems in biological, physical, social, and other environments. As useful as they are, though, conventional networks are static and are limited to describing links between pairs of objects; they can't capture more complicated connections, like those that connect many points at once or those that change over time. https://phys.org/news/2021-10-tool-untangles-complex-dynamics-hypergraphs.html General Physics Wed, 27 Oct 2021 11:04:05 EDT news554551442 Two Skoltech researchers have presented a highly efficient neural network model that uses data on the structure of proteins to predict which of their parts interact with other biological molecules called peptides. Knowing this is useful for developing drugs based on peptides, which can affect protein-protein interactions within cells in a targeted and nontoxic way, regulating a wide range of cellular processes. The study came out in the Journal of Chemical Information and Modeling. https://phys.org/news/2021-08-neural-network-protein-peptide-sites-kick-start.html Biochemistry Mon, 09 Aug 2021 15:24:33 EDT news547741467 Large cities are often viewed as cold, fast-paced environments where crime rates are high and interpersonal interactions are fleeting—a combination that makes them detrimental to mental health. But new research provides evidence for the opposite: The socioeconomic networks and built environments of larger urban areas in the U.S. can actually predict lower rates of psychological depression. https://phys.org/news/2021-07-socioeconomic-networks-built-environments-cities.html Social Sciences Thu, 29 Jul 2021 08:55:03 EDT news546767697