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. The Na+-NQR enzyme is vital for energy production in pathogenic bacteria like the one that causes cholera, making it a highly promising target for new antibiotics. Researchers combined modified artificial intelligence techniques with extensive supercomputer simulations to visualize the hidden, dynamic movements of this enzyme during sodium transport. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-bacterial-energy-enzyme-reveals-dual.html Biotechnology Fri, 15 May 2026 12:00:03 EDT news698064602 Alternative therapies that aid the body's immune system to fight bacteria have shown promise in addressing the global threat of antibiotic resistance. University of Queensland researchers have found when under attack, the body's immune cells activate a cellular process called mitochondrial fission to kill invading bacteria. Their study is published in the journal Science Immunology. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-mitochondrial-fission-immune-cells-bacteria.html Cell & Microbiology Thu, 14 May 2026 17:20:49 EDT news697998001 If you could take an apple and break it into smaller and smaller parts, you would find molecules, then atoms, followed by subatomic particles like protons and the quarks and gluons that make them up. You might think you hit the bottom, but, according to string theorists, if you keep going to even smaller scales—about a billion billion times smaller than a proton—you will find more: tiny vibrating strings. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-theory-uniquely-derived-basic-assumptions.html General Physics Thu, 14 May 2026 12:26:29 EDT news697980361 A research team led by Hee-jung Lee, senior researcher at Korea Institute of Materials Science (KIMS), in collaboration with Professor Sunghwan Park of Kyungpook National University and Professor Mingyu Kim of Yeungnam University, has developed a technology that enhances CO₂ adsorption performance in metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) by up to 75% through precise laser-based control of their internal structure. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-laser-treatment-reshapes-mof-pores.html Analytical Chemistry Wed, 13 May 2026 11:04:33 EDT news697889042 Simulating the nonlinear optical physics that underlies ultrafast laser systems is computationally demanding—a practical bottleneck in settings that require rapid feedback. A study by researchers at Stanford University, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory introduces a deep learning surrogate that delivers orders-of-magnitude acceleration over conventional simulation methods, while maintaining high fidelity across a challenging range of pulse shapes. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-ai-surrogate-nonlinear-optics-simulations.html Optics & Photonics Tue, 12 May 2026 16:30:01 EDT news697820282 Every year, millions of gallons of wine are pressed, leaving behind a mountain of pulpy residue—grape skins, seeds, stems and peels—that wineries struggle to dispose of. Now, researchers say this overlooked byproduct could find a new life on the farm, as a replacement for the antibiotics routinely added to chicken feed. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-wine-leftovers-wean-chicken-farms.html Cell & Microbiology Tue, 12 May 2026 16:00:01 EDT news697809968 Using a new technique that can create vacancies at any site across a material and then shrink it to about 1/2,000 of its original volume, MIT researchers have designed nanotechnology devices that could be used for optical computing and other applications involving the manipulation of visible light. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-implosion-3d-photonic-devices-visible.html Nanophysics Tue, 12 May 2026 10:40:08 EDT news697796401 Isotope analysis of gas from geothermal springs in Zambia could show that a new continental rift is forming, scientists say. Unexpectedly high helium isotope ratios indicate that a weakness in Earth's crust has broken through to reach the mantle beneath. This rift could eventually become a new tectonic plate boundary. In the meantime, opportunities for geothermal energy could boost local economies. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-tectonic-plate-boundary-zambia-scientists.html Earth Sciences Tue, 12 May 2026 00:00:03 EDT news697707001 A computational method combining generative AI with atomistic simulations can identify promising platinum alloy catalyst structures for hydrogen fuel cells, report researchers from Science Tokyo. Their approach addresses a longstanding challenge in catalyst design and consistently produces high-performing candidates from several material combinations. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-smarter-fuel-cell-catalysts-machine.html Analytical Chemistry Mon, 11 May 2026 18:10:01 EDT news697738501 Plant scientist Dario Leister and his team are investigating how cyanobacteria adapt to rapidly changing light intensities. This could help optimize photosynthesis in crops. Photosynthesis is one of the most complex processes in nature. However, plants use only a fraction of the available light spectrum and are highly sensitive to environmental stressors such as changing light intensities, heat and drought. As climate change intensifies these stresses, safeguarding crop productivity is becoming an increasingly urgent challenge. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-lab-evolved-cyanobacteria-survive-minute.html Molecular & Computational biology Fri, 08 May 2026 12:00:06 EDT news697459742 Researchers at the University of São Paulo (USP) in Brazil have discovered that high-frequency ultrasound waves similar to those used in medical exams can eliminate viruses such as SARS-CoV-2 and H1N1 without damaging human cells. In an article published in Scientific Reports, they describe how the phenomenon, known as acoustic resonance, causes structural changes in viral particles until they rupture and become inactivated. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-ultrasound-rupture-covid-flu-viruses.html Cell & Microbiology Thu, 07 May 2026 17:20:08 EDT news697378206 In a process analogous to how solids melt into liquids, the electrons in many different metals form crystal-like patterns that can deform and melt, opening new pathways for neuromorphic computing and superconductors, University of Michigan Engineering researchers have found. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-quantum-metallurgy-electron-crystals-deform.html Superconductivity Thu, 07 May 2026 16:20:02 EDT news697389121 Theories of quantum mechanics predict that some particles can exist in superpositions, which essentially means that they can be in more than one state at once. When a particle's state is measured, however, this superposition appears to "collapse" into a single outcome; a phenomenon often referred to as the "measurement problem." https://phys.org/news/2026-05-quantum-collapse-theory-xenonnt-dark.html General Physics Thu, 07 May 2026 08:00:06 EDT news697277569 Meeting future nickel demand for stainless steel and clean energy technologies will require tough decisions with potential environmental trade-offs, a new study has found. Dr. Jayden Hyman from The University of Queensland's School of the Environment led an international analysis of known nickel deposits, current mining and demand forecasts. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-energy-nickel-straight-earth-richest.html Environment Wed, 06 May 2026 18:40:03 EDT news697296061 A solar storm like the one that caused a nine-hour blackout across Quebec in 1989 could have even more dramatic effects if it struck the eastern United States today. Now, scientists have developed new tools to detect these storms before they strike by mapping the hidden electrical structure beneath our feet, revealing how the ground itself could influence the impact on our power grid. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-electrical-pathways-reveal-clues-earth.html Earth Sciences Mon, 04 May 2026 16:00:03 EDT news697123211 When you're looking for signs of extraterrestrial intelligence, it helps to know what you're looking for and to go about it in the most efficient way. But work so far has generally not done so, writes Benjamin Zuckerman, an astrophysicist and emeritus professor in the Department of Physics & Astronomy at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA). https://phys.org/news/2026-04-extraterrestrial-intelligence.html Astrobiology Fri, 01 May 2026 08:30:01 EDT news696769964 A century after their discovery, cosmic rays—particles of extreme energy originating from the far reaches of the universe—remain a mystery to scientists. The DAMPE (Dark Matter Particle Explorer) space telescope is tackling this phenomenon, particularly investigating the role that dark matter may play in their formation. This international mission, which includes the University of Geneva (UNIGE), has made a major breakthrough by highlighting a universal feature of these particles. The results are published in the journal Nature. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-dampe-satellite-reveals-cosmic-rays.html Astronomy Thu, 30 Apr 2026 18:40:03 EDT news696777961 Particle accelerators such as those at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) in Geneva are typically highly complex large-scale devices. In these ring-shaped facilities, which are often several kilometers in length, magnets and radio-frequency cavities are used to accelerate elementary particles. An alternative approach is now emerging: compact laser–plasma accelerators that can be built and operated at a fraction of the cost. These accelerators can achieve acceleration gradients up to around 1,000 times higher than those of conventional accelerators. Researchers at HHU contributed significantly to this development. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-laser-plasma-polarization-helium-ions.html Plasma Physics Thu, 30 Apr 2026 14:20:02 EDT news696770265 The Milky Way galaxy grew into its current form with the help of smaller galaxies over time, which it has "consumed" or merged with. Astronomers are able to pick out which stars in the Milky Way came from other galaxies by identifying certain features, like the eccentricities of their galactic orbits and how many heavier elements they contain. Properties of some of the merged galaxies can then be determined when astronomers find collections of stars with similar features. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-lost-galaxy-loki-milky.html Astronomy Thu, 30 Apr 2026 12:40:03 EDT news696769916 Researchers have demonstrated a new technique for creating 2D materials that runs at room temperature and increases production rates tenfold over current methods, without using toxic solvents. Scientists led by Dr. Jason Stafford from the Department of Mechanical Engineering demonstrated the method can produce nanosheets of conductors, semiconductors and insulators, which are the building blocks of all digital devices and technologies produced today. The research is published in the journal Small. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-room-temperature-vibrations-industry-graphene.html Nanomaterials Mon, 27 Apr 2026 19:20:04 EDT news696521222 A collaboration of scientists at the University of Manchester and the University of Birmingham has explored a more effective and less toxic way of delivering genetic material into cells, a challenge central to areas such as gene therapy, biotechnology and genome editing. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-polymers-proven-effective-gene-delivery.html Polymers Mon, 27 Apr 2026 13:20:06 EDT news696506456 Researchers at The University of Osaka have developed a catalyst that uses vibrational energy to convert carbon dioxide (CO2) into carbon monoxide (CO), an important industrial feedstock. The work, published in the Journal of Materials Chemistry A, demonstrates a new piezocatalytic route for CO2 conversion under mild conditions—at low temperature and ambient pressure, offering a potential path toward future low-energy carbon recycling technologies. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-vibrations-catalyst.html Analytical Chemistry Wed, 22 Apr 2026 15:20:01 EDT news696077521 When you throw a ball in the air, the equations of classical physics will tell you exactly what path the ball will take as it falls, and when and where it will land. But if you were to squeeze that same ball down to the size of an atom or smaller, it would behave in ways beyond anything that classical physics can predict. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-classical-physics-quantum-weirdness.html General Physics Wed, 22 Apr 2026 14:40:06 EDT news696077161 Researchers at the University of Bayreuth have discovered a new class of polymers as part of the work carried out within the Collaborative Research Center (CRC) 1357 Microplastics. These polymers are characterized by biodegradable and recyclable properties and can also be processed in a more sustainable way. The researchers report their findings in the journal Small. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-discovery-polymer-class-compostable-alternative.html Polymers Wed, 22 Apr 2026 12:40:04 EDT news696075541 Only about 5% of the universe is composed of normal matter that we can directly observe, while the remaining 95% is widely believed to consist of dark matter and dark energy. Paradoxically, however, the nature of these dark components remains unknown. Is this due to limitations in our observational capabilities, or does it reflect a more fundamental incompleteness in the classical laws of physics that have long underpinned our understanding of the universe? https://phys.org/news/2026-04-decoherence-gravity-dark-energy-quantum.html General Physics Wed, 22 Apr 2026 07:30:01 EDT news696002430 Superconductors, materials that can conduct electricity with a resistance of zero, have proved to be highly promising for the development of quantum technologies, medical imaging devices, particle accelerators and other advanced technologies. These materials can be divided into two broad categories: conventional and unconventional superconductors. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-alternating-atomic-layers-enable-rare.html Superconductivity Tue, 21 Apr 2026 11:20:01 EDT news695985154 A new theoretical study finds shorter laser pulses achieve higher quantum efficiency for photoemission from a solid surface without increasing power or intensity. Using light to knock electrons loose from a surface—known as photoemission—may soon be achievable more easily in smaller labs with smaller lasers. Shortening the length of a laser pulse can increase the emitted electrons by several orders of magnitude without increasing the laser intensity or power, according to a University of Michigan Engineering study. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-ultrashort-laser-pulses-power-electron.html Optics & Photonics Mon, 20 Apr 2026 17:00:03 EDT news695905801 University of California San Diego researchers have developed a new tool for understanding and modifying any microbiome, including the human microbiome. The approach, called Microbial Interaction and Niche Determination (MIND), accurately predicts how microbes compete within complex communities and identifies their specific nutrient preferences. The findings, published on April 17 in Cell, have the potential to accelerate the translation of microbiome science from the lab to the clinic, paving the way for highly targeted microbiome therapies, for example, as an alternative to traditional antibiotics. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-thwart-pathogens-beneficial-microbes.html Cell & Microbiology Mon, 20 Apr 2026 15:20:06 EDT news695904041 Heat is a ubiquitous form of energy that, unlike others, is notoriously difficult to store due to its natural tendency to dissipate. While this property is essential for phenomena like solar energy reaching Earth, it also poses a significant technological challenge. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-prototype-thermal-memory-states-tiny.html Nanophysics Mon, 20 Apr 2026 15:10:01 EDT news695914261 In biological systems, especially for protein molecules, the formation of nanotubular structures is often guided by molecular folding. The folding process organizes interaction sites and enables the formation of complex architectures with high structural precision. However, translating that principle to synthetic small-molecule systems has remained challenging. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-luminophores-reveal-principle-efficient-energy.html Nanophysics Mon, 20 Apr 2026 13:20:02 EDT news695902921