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. As waves of humans left Africa tens of thousands of years ago, eventually populating the entire planet, they were joined on their world-conquering ride by the trillions of microorganisms that compose the gut microbiome. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-gut-bacteria-reveal-ancient-human.html Evolution Wed, 07 Oct 2026 11:01:10 EDT news710523661 When a person falls and gets a cut or a scrape, they often use hydrogen peroxide to clean the wound. This molecular compound is also produced within our cells, helping our immune system build its defenses against harmful bacteria or other pathogens. Hydrogen peroxide is produced inside plants, too, where it acts as a messenger, telling cells to beef up a plant's defenses when it is stressed, wounded or under attack. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-tiny-channels-cells-wound-hydrogen.html Cell & Microbiology Tue, 06 Oct 2026 14:50:01 EDT news710514961 Rutgers scientists have identified natural repellents against an invasive blueberry pest, a discovery made accidentally when fruit flies invaded their laboratory. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-food-kitchen-whiff-vinegar-happy.html Cell & Microbiology Mon, 05 Oct 2026 11:20:06 EDT news710413922 Whether in drug discovery, environmental analysis or metabolomics: anyone analyzing complex biological samples often needs to identify the small molecules they contain. Researchers at Friedrich Schiller University Jena, in collaboration with partners from the Helmholtz Zentrum München and the Technical University of Munich, have developed a method that addresses a problem in analytical chemistry that has persisted for decades. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-ai-method-retention-small-molecules.html Biochemistry Thu, 01 Oct 2026 17:30:01 EDT news710091121 In water, soil and air all around us lives a free-living, single-celled organism called Acanthamoeba. Most of the time, Acanthamoeba keeps to itself. On rare occasions, though, the amoeba infects humans and can cause severe infections of the eyes, skin and even the brain. What's more, doctors can struggle to diagnose and treat the eye infection caused by the organism, called Acanthamoeba keratitis. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-eye-amoeba-resists-treatment-biochemistry.html Cell & Microbiology Thu, 01 Oct 2026 11:00:02 EDT news709919162 Asgard archaea, our closest known microbial relatives, play a key role in current models of the origin of more complex organisms, known as eukaryotes (all animals, plants, protists and fungi). However, their biology has so far been poorly understood. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-asgard-archaea-motility-older-previously.html Evolution Wed, 30 Sep 2026 11:00:20 EDT news709920782 Nanoparticles could someday provide a new way to help soldiers fight back against deadly nerve agents on the front lines. In a new study, Northwestern University scientists developed a nanoparticle-based compound that, when mixed into clothing dyes, could limit the impact of chemicals commonly found in pesticides, insecticides and nerve agents. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-wearable-nanotech-combat-nerve-agents.html Bio & Medicine Tue, 29 Sep 2026 08:40:02 EDT news709889641 In acute, life-threatening infections, rapidly characterizing the microorganisms in a patient sample can help guide diagnosis and treatment. Computational methods known as taxonomic profilers can analyze metagenome sequencing data generated from the microorganisms' genomic information and compare it with reference genomes of individual microorganisms. However, taxonomic profilers are still under development and are not yet in common use. Current methods can produce false-positive results or inaccurate abundance estimates. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-microbial-dna-scarce-profiling-method.html Biotechnology Mon, 28 Sep 2026 20:00:01 EDT news709827486 A polyphenol-rich extract from Cistus salviifolius, a Mediterranean rockrose species traditionally used to treat skin conditions, has shown fungicidal activity against several dermatophytes, the fungi responsible for superficial infections of the skin, hair and nails. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-mediterranean-rockrose-fungicidal-common-skin.html Cell & Microbiology Mon, 28 Sep 2026 04:00:01 EDT news708852782 Propolis may not only inhibit the growth of certain fungi but also affect the activity of drugs used to treat fungal infections. Researchers have investigated how an ethanolic extract of Polish propolis interacts with various antifungal agents. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-bee-propolis-boosts-antifungal-drug.html Cell & Microbiology Wed, 23 Sep 2026 18:00:10 EDT news709398541 In a new study, cats and dogs showed a short-term preference for kibble containing some protein derived from microorganisms over kibble containing only standard animal-derived protein. Ally Motta de Matos and A.L.B. Cruz of MicroHarvest—an European company that produces protein ingredients through fermentation, with pet food as its first market—present these findings in the open-access journal PLOS One. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-kibble-microbial-proteins-appeals-cats.html Biotechnology Wed, 23 Sep 2026 14:00:05 EDT news709290528 A tiny, single-celled organism can thrive at temperatures that would kill all other known complex life. In a study published in Cell, scientists describe a new species of amoeba that can eat and reproduce in hot spring water as warm as 63°C (145°F) in California's Lassen Volcanic National Park. The amoeba can protect itself at temperatures up to 70°C (158°F) by changing shape and forming a protective outer layer. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-hot-amoeba-tolerance-complex-life.html Ecology Tue, 22 Sep 2026 11:00:09 EDT news709205701 At the scale of individual cells, the human body is constantly in motion. Every second, millions of cells divide, particularly in tissues such as the bone marrow, intestine and skin; neurons and heart muscle cells divide far less frequently. All of this depends on the molecular machinery responsible for copying the billions of chemical units that make up DNA inside the nucleus. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-newly-mechanism-cells-errors-dna.html Cell & Microbiology Mon, 21 Sep 2026 14:20:05 EDT news709213261 Scientists have taken a step toward a better understanding of how fungi sense and respond to nutrients in the environment, which is critical for engineering fungi for green technologies and combating fungal pathogens and their resistance to treatments. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-newfound-fungal-nutrient-mechanism-advance.html Cell & Microbiology Thu, 17 Sep 2026 18:20:02 EDT news708871682 Researchers have discovered 16 new species of fungus living unnoticed inside garden flowers and wildflowers across northern Thailand, more than quintupling the number of such fungi known to occur in the country. The findings are published in the journal IMA Fungus. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-sixteen-fungus-species-thailand.html Ecology Thu, 17 Sep 2026 12:40:17 EDT news708856470 A research team at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology discovered a previously unknown strategy by which certain fungi neutralize spruce defense compounds. These fungi are introduced into trees by bark beetles, and their success makes it easier for bark beetles to invade the trees. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-fungi-neutralize-spruce-defense-mechanisms.html Ecology Wed, 16 Sep 2026 16:40:02 EDT news708782401 The biopolymer lignin—one of the most important carbon reservoirs in plants and soils—not only decays through fungi or bacteria but can also be chemically attacked by iron linked to reactive oxygen species, without the involvement of microorganisms. When this happens, lignin is converted into methanol and subsequently into formaldehyde. That is shown by a study conducted at Heidelberg University's Institute of Earth Sciences. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-bacteria-chemicals-methanol-formaldehyde-abiotically.html Biochemistry Wed, 16 Sep 2026 15:30:01 EDT news708788041 Lichens colonize trees and rocks all over the world. They are symbiotic communities between fungi and photosynthetically active green algae or cyanobacteria, in which both partners benefit from each other: The fungal partner relies on the algae for a supply of carbohydrates and, in return, it protects the algae from UV radiation and other environmental influences. The contact zone where the fungal cells and algal cells touch is crucial for transferring nutrients between the two symbiotic partners. Detailed investigations, particularly a three-dimensional understanding of this area between the cells, have been lacking until now. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-3d-scans-reveal-lichen-fungi.html Ecology Wed, 16 Sep 2026 11:40:06 EDT news708767821 An international team of scientists has recreated a 1,000-year timeline documenting ecological changes and human impact on the area surrounding Crawford Lake, the famed location of the proposed Anthropocene. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-ancient-dna-reveals-years-human.html Ecology Wed, 09 Sep 2026 10:00:01 EDT news708155881 Extreme heat waves disrupt life in soil. Soil bacteria that produce and resist antibiotics switch into survival mode, temporarily reducing the number of resistance genes. At the same time, heat and drought are causing significant damage to soils and ecosystems, especially in cold, wet regions such as the Netherlands. This is evident from a large-scale European study by soil ecologist Franciska de Vries (University of Amsterdam) and colleagues. The findings are published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-inhibit-antibiotic-resistance-soils-price.html Ecology Tue, 08 Sep 2026 13:00:08 EDT news708081661 University of Missouri researchers have discovered a new way to harness one of the body's natural defenses: copper. While copper is essential for life and helps power important biological processes, having too much of it can be toxic. To keep copper levels in balance, cells rely on specialized proteins that regulate where it goes and how much is present. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-harness-copper-antibiotic-resistant-bacteria.html Biochemistry Tue, 08 Sep 2026 12:20:12 EDT news708081541 In the ocean, plastic waste collects to form large garbage patches that endanger marine life. This is partly because the synthetic plastic polymers used today can only be broken down biologically—that is, by microorganisms—at a very slow rate. Instead, the physical fragmentation of these materials leads to the formation of microplastics and nanoplastics. However, microorganisms do colonize plastic waste in the environment, forming biofilms and creating a unique microbial habitat that researchers refer to as the "plastisphere." https://phys.org/news/2026-09-pac-enzyme-bioplastics-penicillin-laboratory.html Cell & Microbiology Wed, 02 Sep 2026 16:00:07 EDT news707579701 Researchers have described a new species of leafless flowering plant found on the forest floor of a national park in western Thailand, and its otherworldly appearance has earned it a fittingly dramatic name: Thismia daemona, the "devil flower." https://phys.org/news/2026-09-devil-species-thai-national.html Plants & Animals Wed, 02 Sep 2026 11:40:05 EDT news707561906 Imagine doctors could understand exactly which cells caused a patient's cancer or whether pathogens contributed to the disease. They could then use the information to tailor a treatment plan to the patient's specific cancer. But answering such questions would mean wading through data from thousands of experiments locked in massive databases around the globe. Moreover, the search would take at least several days. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-google-cell-rna-previously-impossible.html Biotechnology Fri, 28 Aug 2026 12:00:03 EDT news707135222 Candida auris and Candida albicans are microscopic fungi that cause life-threatening human infections, killing almost a million people globally every year. The World Health Organization lists both species among the top four most concerning fungal pathogens in existence, and while relatively uncommon in Australia, growing outbreaks in Europe and the United States have forced restrictions and even closures of intensive care units. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-candida-fungi-immune-cells-shift.html Cell & Microbiology Thu, 27 Aug 2026 14:40:05 EDT news707054402 Rye is not only a hardy and high-yielding crop, but also possesses a valuable gene pool for wheat breeding. An international research team led by the IPK Leibniz Institute has significantly improved the foundations for research and breeding by publishing a high-quality reference genome sequence. For the first time, the sequence includes the complete centromeres of all seven chromosome pairs. Centromeres are important for the correct distribution of genetic information during cell division. The results of the study have now been published in the journal Nature Communications. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-rye-genome-uncovers-diversity-wheat.html Molecular & Computational biology Wed, 19 Aug 2026 19:00:01 EDT news706374497 Researchers from Monash University, in collaboration with the University of Warwick, have discovered how the bacterial antibiotic "gladiolin" can disarm Candida albicans, one of the leading causes of life-threatening fungal infections, opening new avenues for developing life-saving treatments. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-discovery-scientists-deadly-fungal-infections.html Cell & Microbiology Wed, 19 Aug 2026 18:00:01 EDT news706364881 New research reveals that microbial clocks—forensic tools that track the succession and development of bacteria and fungi involved in decomposition after death—are highly accurate for estimating time since death, or postmortem intervals (PMIs), across different environments and between pigs and humans. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-microbial-clocks-accurately-death-climates.html Cell & Microbiology Wed, 19 Aug 2026 16:00:04 EDT news706360562 AI optimists will be encouraged by a recent report on the state of the world's plants and fungi by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-ai-million-digitized-specimens-reveal.html Ecology Tue, 18 Aug 2026 14:10:01 EDT news706279021 Scientists at VIB and Ghent University have produced the first high-resolution, cell-by-cell map of how tomato roots respond to colonization by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. These ancient fungal partners help plants absorb nutrients from the soil. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-tomato-roots-reveal-hidden-million.html Ecology Tue, 18 Aug 2026 10:00:02 EDT news706263781