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. Human health risks from direct consumption of toxic nanoplastics are already scary, but researchers have confirmed that nanoplastics in water give rise to an additional threat: They strengthen bacteria. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-nanoplastics-bacteria-stronger-disinfectant-resistant.html Ecology Mon, 26 Jan 2026 17:12:50 EST news688669922 Sum-frequency generation (SFG) is a powerful vibrational spectroscopy that can selectively probe molecular structures at surfaces and interfaces, but its spatial resolution has been limited to the micrometer scale by the diffraction limit of light. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-vibrational-spectroscopy-technique-enables-nanoscale.html Nanomaterials Mon, 19 Jan 2026 16:24:22 EST news688062242 An interdisciplinary team of University of Tennessee, Knoxville researchers recently published in Biophysical Journal on their development of a new statistical method that improves analysis in single-molecule fluorescence experiments, which are used to study important protein complexes in cells. https://phys.org/news/2025-12-statistical-method-molecule-fluorescence-analysis.html Molecular & Computational biology Fri, 19 Dec 2025 13:04:51 EST news685371841 The bacterial pathogen Xanthomonas citri, which causes canker disease in citrus trees, activates selected parts of the fruit ripening program inside infected leaves. Normally, this program makes citrus fruits soften and sweeten as sugars are released. But the bacterium hijacks this fruit-specific machinery in infected leaf tissue, causing the host to unlock sugars that otherwise would not be accessible to Xanthomonas as a source of nutrients. As a result, the pathogen can grow up to a hundred times faster. https://phys.org/news/2025-12-bacterium-hijacks-fruit-ripening-citrus.html Cell & Microbiology Thu, 18 Dec 2025 15:12:25 EST news685293121 If quantum computing is going to become an every-day reality, we need better superconducting thin films, the hardware that enables storage and processing of quantum information. Too often, these thin films have impurities or other defects that make them useless for real quantum computer chips. https://phys.org/news/2025-12-iron-telluride-thin-superconductivity-quantum.html Superconductivity Wed, 10 Dec 2025 12:12:16 EST news684591121 As the cold season ends in the Southern Hemisphere and we fold away our favorite wool jumpers and silk scarves, some fascinating material science is about to unfold quietly in our wardrobes. https://phys.org/news/2025-12-winter-science-safe-summer.html Materials Science Tue, 09 Dec 2025 07:37:16 EST news684488221 It's astonishing to realize how innovative our ancestors were in food and beverage production before modern science and technology. Without understanding or isolating them, ancient peoples made use of yeasts like Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the primary species behind the fermentation process that creates alcohol, though there are some non-Saccharomyces yeasts that can also produce alcohol with different characteristics. https://phys.org/news/2025-11-wine-raisins.html Cell & Microbiology Tue, 25 Nov 2025 09:41:03 EST news683286061 Researchers Sumika Kato, Takeo Kubo, and Taro Fukazawa of the University of Tokyo have discovered that c1qtnf3, a secreting factor, namely a protein molecule that is secreted by a cell and influences functions of other cells, is expressed in putative muscle stem cells and shifts macrophages from immune to regenerative functions in the regenerating tails of tadpoles. https://phys.org/news/2025-11-warriors-healers-muscle-stem-cell.html Cell & Microbiology Mon, 17 Nov 2025 15:00:06 EST news682342861 When I first realized the scale of the challenge posed by neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), I felt simultaneously humbled and motivated. These disorders are not caused by a single malfunction in the system, but rather by a cascade of failures, which includes protein misfolding, synaptic breakdown, impaired repair mechanisms and poor drug delivery across the blood-brain barrier. https://phys.org/news/2025-10-nanomedicine-ai-teaming-tackle-neurodegenerative.html Bio & Medicine Mon, 20 Oct 2025 09:50:03 EDT news680169706 Imagine tiny machines, smaller than a virus, spinning inside cancer cells and rewiring their behavior from within. No surgery, no harsh chemicals, just precision at the molecular level. https://phys.org/news/2025-10-molecular-motors-invasive-cancer-therapies.html Bio & Medicine Mon, 06 Oct 2025 13:00:03 EDT news678973439 Scientists at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and their collaborators have created a new class of programmable soft materials that can absorb impacts like never before, while also changing shape when heated. https://phys.org/news/2025-08-programmable-soft-material-absorbs-energy.html Polymers Thu, 07 Aug 2025 12:30:22 EDT news673788615 One of the shared, fundamental goals of most chemistry researchers is the need to predict a molecule's properties, such as its boiling or melting point. Once researchers can pinpoint that prediction, they're able to move forward with their work, yielding discoveries that lead to medicines, materials, and more. Historically, however, the traditional methods of unveiling these predictions are associated with a significant cost—expending time and wear and tear on equipment, in addition to funds. https://phys.org/news/2025-07-machine-application-advanced-chemical-easier.html Analytical Chemistry Thu, 24 Jul 2025 15:36:57 EDT news672590210 Ammonia (NH3) is vital for agriculture, as it is the basis for fertilizers that are needed to feed the world's population. Currently, ammonia is mostly produced by the Haber-Bosch process, which turns nitrogen gas (N2) from the air into ammonia. The problem is that this process requires enormous amounts of energy while generating significant gas emissions. https://phys.org/news/2025-07-uranium-based-catalyst-air-nitrogen.html Analytical Chemistry Wed, 16 Jul 2025 07:02:34 EDT news671868150 Modern low-power solutions to computer memory rely heavily on the manipulation of the magnetic properties of materials. Understanding the influence of the chemical properties of these materials on their magnetization ability is of key importance in developing the field. https://phys.org/news/2025-07-magnetism-recharged-method-thin.html Condensed Matter Thu, 03 Jul 2025 14:41:03 EDT news670772462 A new study from the Cellular Aging and Senescence laboratory at Queen Mary University of London's Centre for Molecular Cell Biology reveals how caffeine—the world's most popular neuroactive compound—might do more than just wake you up. https://phys.org/news/2025-06-caffeine-cellular-aging.html Cell & Microbiology Tue, 24 Jun 2025 14:20:04 EDT news669993601 Garden snails and aphids are venomous animals. This is the startling outcome of a new study that argues for a radical shift in how we think about venom. It proposes a wider definition that would also include animals that inject toxins into plants and members of their own species. https://phys.org/news/2025-06-garden-harboring-venomous-wildlife-reveals.html Plants & Animals Mon, 23 Jun 2025 09:36:04 EDT news669890162 New research pioneered by The University of Western Australia is shedding light on the intricate dance between proteins, DNA and RNA—the fundamental building blocks that carry out cellular processes and underpin all life, including plants, humans and bacteria. https://phys.org/news/2025-04-code-life-molecular-machinery.html Molecular & Computational biology Wed, 16 Apr 2025 07:54:04 EDT news664008842 For years scientists have puzzled over why the intracellular pathogen Salmonella is able to survive—and thrive—in human and animal tissues, even within otherwise hostile cells that are part of the body's immune system, such as white blood cells known as macrophages. https://phys.org/news/2025-04-infection-salmonella-pathogen-survives-hostile.html Cell & Microbiology Mon, 14 Apr 2025 14:45:04 EDT news663860701 Self-assembly or self-organization in molecular science refers to the phenomena where molecules spontaneously gather and form ordered structures, a unique property of materials used to develop optical and electronic materials. https://phys.org/news/2025-04-illuminating-driven-inversion-supramolecular-chirality.html Nanomaterials Fri, 11 Apr 2025 05:00:01 EDT news663499418 The world is littered with trillions of micro- and nanoscopic pieces of plastic. These can be smaller than a virus—just the right size to disrupt cells and even alter DNA. Researchers find them almost everywhere they've looked, from Antarctic snow to human blood. https://phys.org/news/2025-04-qa-scientists-uncover-plastic-dangerous.html Polymers Mon, 07 Apr 2025 16:50:03 EDT news663263401 A research team, led by Professor Jimin Kwon from the Department of Electrical Engineering at UNIST, in collaboration with Professor Yong-Young Noh and his research team from the Department of Chemical Engineering at POSTECH, reports a new technology to eliminate defects in molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), a promising candidate for the next generation of semiconductor materials, at a temperature of 200°C. https://phys.org/news/2025-03-defect-technique-paves-faster-power.html Nanophysics Mon, 31 Mar 2025 13:20:16 EDT news662646014 Researchers have advanced a decades-old challenge in the field of organic semiconductors, opening new possibilities for the future of electronics. The researchers, led by the University of Cambridge and the Eindhoven University of Technology, have created an organic semiconductor that forces electrons to move in a spiral pattern, which could improve the efficiency of OLED displays in television and smartphone screens, or power next-generation computing technologies such as spintronics and quantum computing. https://phys.org/news/2025-03-power-generation-electronics.html Condensed Matter Thu, 13 Mar 2025 14:00:19 EDT news661066262 The journal Advanced Materials recently published a study introducing a new method for monitoring molecular processes deep within tissue. Developed at the Technion–Israel Institute of Technology, the innovation is expected to accelerate key advancements in personalized medicine, cancer diagnosis, and early disease detection. https://phys.org/news/2025-03-insect-vision-noninvasive-method-deep.html Biotechnology Fri, 07 Mar 2025 04:29:36 EST news660544173 Researchers at the Fritz Haber Institute have developed the Automatic Process Explorer (APE), an approach that enhances our understanding of atomic and molecular processes. By dynamically refining simulations, APE has uncovered unexpected complexities in the oxidation of palladium (Pd) surfaces, offering new insights into catalyst behavior. The study is published in the journal Physical Review Letters. https://phys.org/news/2025-03-machine-reveals-hidden-complexities-palladium.html Analytical Chemistry Thu, 06 Mar 2025 15:49:54 EST news660498592 Scientists have built an artificial motor capable of mimicking the natural mechanisms that power life. Just like the proteins in our muscles, which convert chemical energy into power to allow us to perform daily tasks, these tiny rotary motors use chemical energy to generate force, store energy, and perform tasks in a similar way. https://phys.org/news/2025-01-artificial-motors-mimic-muscle-proteins.html Bio & Medicine Wed, 15 Jan 2025 14:23:04 EST news656173382 Dynamic, reversible modifications of DNA and RNA regulate how genes are expressed and transcribed, which can influence cellular processes, disease development, and overall organismal health. Small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) are a common but overlooked group of guide RNA molecules that steer chemical modifications to cellular ribosomal RNA (rRNA) targets, like an usher showing someone to their seat in a theater. https://phys.org/news/2024-11-technique-unexpected-snorna-cell.html Cell & Microbiology Fri, 22 Nov 2024 11:00:02 EST news651392341 Professor Carsten Carlberg has published a comprehensive new textbook, "Gene Regulation and Epigenetics: How Science Works," which presents the current understanding of gene regulation and epigenomics. Published by Springer and designed for graduate students, this textbook builds on Professor Carlberg's lectures at the University of Eastern Finland. https://phys.org/news/2024-11-textbook-illuminates-gene-epigenomics.html Cell & Microbiology Tue, 05 Nov 2024 07:16:02 EST news650013361 Nanoplastics, emerging as persistent environmental pollutants, pose significant threats due to their durability and wide distribution in water bodies. Their interactions with natural organic matter are critical, influencing pollutant retention, microbial processes, and the carbon cycle. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-molecular-insights-dynamic-nanoplastics-natural.html Environment Wed, 23 Oct 2024 16:59:03 EDT news648921542 A team of scientists has discovered surprising connections among gene activity, genome packing, and genome-wide motions, revealing aspects of the genome's organization that directly affect gene regulation and expression. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-scientists-uncover-transcription-motion-genome.html Molecular & Computational biology Tue, 22 Oct 2024 05:00:01 EDT news648719276 Cells, the fundamental building blocks of life, are constantly subjected to a variety of mechanical forces within our bodies. These forces, which can arise from both internal and external sources, play crucial roles in regulating cellular processes such as migration, differentiation and tissue development. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-deciphering-language-cells-mechanical.html Cell & Microbiology Mon, 21 Oct 2024 09:23:52 EDT news648721423