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. DNA repair mechanisms are essential for maintaining the integrity of our genome. When they malfunction, they can cause disease or contribute to the development of cancer. Nature, however, offers remarkable examples of organisms that have evolved exceptional repair capabilities. Bdelloid rotifers are one such example. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-tolerant-rotifers-rebuild-broken-chromosomes.html Evolution Mon, 14 Sep 2026 16:40:22 EDT news708614156 When a virus mutates, the world usually finds out the hard way. Variants of influenza and SARS-CoV-2 can slip past vaccines and antibody drugs before scientists fully understand what has changed. A new study from Harvard's Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology (CCB) suggests the hard way may not be inevitable. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-antibody-cocktails-viruses-evolutionary-dead.html Evolution Mon, 14 Sep 2026 16:40:16 EDT news708621658 Eldercare, typically considered a family obligation, is evolving to adapt to demographic shifts that make reliance on spouses and children less assured. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-friend-caregiver.html Social Sciences Mon, 14 Sep 2026 16:40:01 EDT news708611736 A new study of nine nearby galaxies has shown that actively growing supermassive black holes may contribute to, rather than prevent, star formation in their host galaxies. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-black-holes-reveal-star-nearby.html Astronomy Mon, 14 Sep 2026 16:20:10 EDT news708613982 The trifluoromethyl group, or CF₃, is widely used in pharmaceuticals. When added to organic molecules, it can improve metabolic stability and membrane permeability, making it highly valuable in drug development. One useful way to introduce a CF₃ group is through the use of highly reactive CF₃ radicals. However, existing methods for generating these radicals often rely on expensive, corrosive or potentially explosive reagents and can produce unwanted waste. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-potent-greenhouse-gas-valuable-pharmaceutical.html Biochemistry Mon, 14 Sep 2026 16:20:01 EDT news708618904 Every year, tire and road wear release an estimated 6 million tons of rubber particles into the environment, some of which eventually reach agricultural land through the air, water runoff and fertilizers. Because dairy farms often operate near roads, rubber-related chemicals can make their way into milk, potentially exposing people to them. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-rubber-chemicals-swiss.html Agriculture Mon, 14 Sep 2026 16:07:05 EDT news708620789 In a discovery that challenges our understanding of dinosaur distribution during the Late Jurassic period, paleontologists have identified the first evidence of the iconic Diplodocus outside North America. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-diplodocus-north-america-reshapes-late.html Paleontology & Fossils Mon, 14 Sep 2026 16:06:43 EDT news708620779 When people hear something new about a topic, they should update their beliefs to reflect the new information. But many people either underreact or overreact, with their responses varying based on different factors, including the environment. In "The Inference-Forecast Gap in Belief Updating," researchers compared how people make inferences and revise their beliefs in light of the same information. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-economists-people-infer-beliefs.html Economics & Business Mon, 14 Sep 2026 16:00:06 EDT news708618542 The position of biomineralization peptides within liposomes can influence how gold nanoparticles grow, reports a research team from the Institute of Science Tokyo. Peptides localized at the membrane interface promote branched structures, while those confined to the liposome interior favor spherical nanoparticles. The findings offer a new strategy for controlling nanoscale reaction environments in nanoparticle synthesis. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-peptide-position-gold-nanoparticles-stay.html Bio & Medicine Mon, 14 Sep 2026 16:00:04 EDT news708609646 Methane emissions from the New York City metropolitan area are largely driven by natural gas use, according to a new study published today in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics by researchers at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, part of the Columbia Climate School. The findings may offer cities an overlooked pathway for reducing methane emissions while potentially saving consumers millions of dollars lost to wasted natural gas. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-unused-natural-gas-nyc-million.html Environment Mon, 14 Sep 2026 15:40:06 EDT news708609640 In taxonomy, the location where specimens used to formally describe a new species are collected is called a type locality. These sites can be thought of as the species' formal birthplace, much as the scientific article containing the original description constitutes its scientific birth certificate, because this is how the species officially acquires its identity and name within the scientific community. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-amphibian-localities-ecuador-areas.html Plants & Animals Mon, 14 Sep 2026 15:40:01 EDT news708617944 Researchers at Uppsala University have analyzed the color pigments in a historical painting signed "L daVinci." Most of the pigments are consistent with materials used during the Renaissance, while a more recent pigment appears to be linked to later alterations. The study demonstrates how materials science can provide new pieces of the puzzle behind the history of a work of art. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-davinci-analysis-reveals-renaissance-pigments.html Analytical Chemistry Mon, 14 Sep 2026 15:20:10 EDT news708609613 Researchers at the Center for Research in Biological Chemistry and Molecular Materials (CiQUS) at the Universidade de Santiago de Compostela (USC) have developed a new strategy for producing covalent organic frameworks (COFs) with semiconducting properties without relying on chemical doping. The approach could open new avenues for developing materials for applications in electronics and energy storage. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-neutral-radicals-porous-semiconductors-chemical.html Materials Science Mon, 14 Sep 2026 15:20:08 EDT news708617221 A Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU) research team led by professors Taeyeon Kim and Doo-Hyun Ko of the Department of Chemistry recently published a comprehensive review titled "Carrier Dynamics in Nonfullerene Acceptor Organic Photovoltaics through Ultrafast Spectroscopy" in the journal ACS Nano. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-carrier-dynamics-efficient-solar-cells.html Nanophysics Mon, 14 Sep 2026 15:00:15 EDT news708616621 Floods, wildfires, conflicts, earthquakes, economic shocks, hurricanes or epidemics: These unexpected and often dramatic events affect people's lives and jobs, destroy crops, wipe out livestock and stored food, contaminate water, block roads, cut off communities and severely affect access to markets and food. This is a distressing picture—one expected to get much worse in the near future because of climate change and an increasingly polarized world. Yet science says no: These natural and human-made shocks do not have to lead to more hunger by default. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-countries-disasters-food-crises-analysis.html Environment Mon, 14 Sep 2026 15:00:11 EDT news708604742 Cocoa farmers in West Africa cannot stop intense downpours from damaging their crops. But they may be able to anticipate the risk and prepare, protecting both their livelihoods and their plants, the source of one of the world's most beloved foods. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-chocolate-climate-threat.html Plants & Animals Mon, 14 Sep 2026 15:00:02 EDT news708349861 A new 3D structure of a cancer-linked protein bound to its cellular partner reveals details of how the protein binds to chromosomes and could offer insights for future disease treatments. The protein—BRD4—plays a critical role in how cells read, copy and repair DNA and helps determine how different kinds of cells are made; it has been linked to many types of cancer and is considered a promising target for future therapies. The study, led by scientists at Penn State and published in the journal Molecular Cell, found that BRD4 can attach to DNA-packaging structures in cells even without a molecular signal long believed to be necessary for the interaction. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-cancer-linked-protein-chromosome-unexpected.html Cell & Microbiology Mon, 14 Sep 2026 14:40:05 EDT news708609529 A "mixing" phenomenon between plastic layers that had been predicted only in theory for 40 years has now been experimentally confirmed. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-year-plastics.html Polymers Mon, 14 Sep 2026 14:20:01 EDT news708607682 Microplastics are a modern environmental menace and a potential threat to human health. These tiny pieces of plastic, measuring from 1 to 5,000 micrometers, come mainly from larger plastics as well as sources such as paints and cosmetics. They are found in almost every corner of the planet, and a new study published in Science suggests rivers may be carrying far more of them into the ocean than previously thought. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-rivers-microplastics-world-oceans-previously.html Earth Sciences Mon, 14 Sep 2026 14:10:01 EDT news708612492 Before there was Earth, there was chemistry. In the unimaginable cold, dark clouds where stars and planets are born, carbon molecules assemble into more complex forms—starting a chemical journey that could eventually deliver some of life's basic ingredients to young planets. There's only one problem: These molecules need heat to form. At least that's what scientists have long believed. But new research from FIU chemist Alexander Mebel reveals such chemistry can actually happen at temperatures nearing absolute zero, which is -460°F (-273°C). https://phys.org/news/2026-09-series-reactions-reveals-complex-carbon.html Astrobiology Mon, 14 Sep 2026 14:00:10 EDT news708607262 A University of Newcastle-led global study has produced the most complete genetic picture yet of a salt-loving plant with the potential to help grow food in some of the world's harshest environments. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-salicornia-genomes-reveal-genetic-secrets.html Molecular & Computational biology Mon, 14 Sep 2026 13:40:11 EDT news708606601 The pressure to be perfect may intensify for kids once they get into high school—especially for those labeled as "gifted," according to a new University of Georgia study published in Gifted Child Quarterly. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-impact-gifted-youth.html Social Sciences Mon, 14 Sep 2026 13:40:03 EDT news708608882 In a study recently published in the Chemical Engineering Journal, a research team from National Taiwan University and international collaborators have developed a straightforward solvent-mixing strategy to significantly boost the performance of next-generation all-polymer organic solar cells. By adding a small fraction of a cosolvent during fabrication, the team successfully resolved a long-standing challenge in controlling film quality, opening new possibilities for commercializing flexible, efficient and sustainable clean energy technology. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-solvent-recipe-boosts-efficiency-solar.html Polymers Mon, 14 Sep 2026 13:37:48 EDT news708611851 Kindergarten is an important time in a child's life, during which children acquire and strengthen the skills needed to participate and learn in a school environment. Going to school regularly is an important part of this. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-chronic-absenteeism-shifted-canadian-kindergarten.html Education Mon, 14 Sep 2026 13:31:46 EDT news708611484 If you live in Los Angeles and own a Hyundai Sonata, Kia Optima or one of 18 other models from these vehicle lines, UCLA anthropologist Jeffrey Brantingham has some advice: Get a steering wheel locking device, take advantage of manufacturer recalls or trade your car in for one with an engine immobilizer. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-car-owners-beware-lessons-kia.html Social Sciences Mon, 14 Sep 2026 13:28:49 EDT news708611290 Australians are becoming increasingly lonely and socially isolated, according to new University of Sydney research that found rates of social isolation nearly doubled over the past 23 years. Loneliness rates also increased over time, though more gradually than social isolation, with the sharpest impacts observed among vulnerable populations. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-social-isolation-australia-decades.html Social Sciences Mon, 14 Sep 2026 13:20:04 EDT news708607862 When public health researchers want to know whether diseases such as COVID-19 or polio are circulating in a community, they can look for genetic evidence in wastewater. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-mosquito-toilet-west-nile-hedwig.html Ecology Mon, 14 Sep 2026 13:20:01 EDT news708605701 Extremely short, intense light flashes are in high demand to investigate atoms, molecules and new materials. Free-electron lasers (FELs) produce these flashes. But around the world, beam time available at large-scale user facilities is in short supply, and waiting times are long. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-speedy-electrons-brilliant-laser-paves.html Optics & Photonics Mon, 14 Sep 2026 13:00:08 EDT news708602569 Although public schools in Baltimore City are predominantly Black, the district is doing a better job of reducing segregation among its student body than suburban systems that are able to draw from more diverse populations, according to a new report from Johns Hopkins University. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-school-segregation-baltimore-region.html Social Sciences Mon, 14 Sep 2026 13:00:05 EDT news708607441 Artificial intelligence systems, particularly those powered by large language models and designed to communicate with users on a one-to-one basis, are increasingly used worldwide. Some of these systems, such as Replika, are also marketed as "AI companions" that can engage socially with humans and use emotional language. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-ai-breakups-losses.html Social Sciences Mon, 14 Sep 2026 12:50:01 EDT news708605343