https://phys.org/ en-us Latest news from Rice University Ecology is often understood as a hyperlocal thing. The ecology of a pond, for instance, is vastly complex, even if the pond is tiny. But learning solely from local ecosystems is a slow and laborious approach that may not capture widely applicable findings. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-network-analysis-reveals-mammal-food.html Ecology Tue, 07 Apr 2026 13:40:02 EDT news694779121 Rice University scientists and collaborators have created a new type of two-dimensional (2D) semiconductor that comes closer than ever to a "perfect" crystal. The findings, reported in the journal Nature Synthesis, could open new possibilities for solar cells and other optoelectronic devices. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-symmetrical-2d-perovskite-boost-tandem.html Electronics & Semiconductors Sat, 04 Apr 2026 07:20:02 EDT news694505521 A new Rice University study offers one of the first national measures of a viewpoint called "racial realism" and considers how it fits into the broader spectrum of perspectives Black Americans hold about race relations. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-diversity-black-perspectives.html Political science Fri, 03 Apr 2026 13:10:54 EDT news694440633 Implanting living cells as long-term drug producers could transform treatment for numerous diseases, but it is difficult to house the tiny workers in quantities high enough to ensure dosage needs are met while also keeping the cells alive and thriving. Researchers at Rice University and collaborators at Carnegie Mellon University and Northwestern University have now successfully integrated solutions to several persistent challenges to implantable drug factories into a single device. According to a new study, the Hybrid Oxygenation Bioelectronics system for Implanted Therapy, or HOBIT, shields a sufficient number of cells from the host immune system in a comfortably small volume while also providing access to oxygen and nutrients. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-oxygen-problem-cell-based-drug.html Sat, 28 Mar 2026 12:10:02 EDT news693834809 "If it ain't broke, don't fix it," goes the old adage, which Rice University professor James Chappell completely ignored in a recent Nature Communications publication. In the study, Chappell describes an innovation in plasmids, circular pieces of DNA that have been a workhorse of molecular biology research since the 1970s. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-synthetic-replication-multiple-plasmids-coexist.html Cell & Microbiology Thu, 26 Mar 2026 18:10:01 EDT news693764341 Metastasis, the spread of cancer from a primary tumor to other parts of the body, is difficult to study in the lab, in part because researchers lack reliable ways to recreate the conditions cancer cells encounter as they travel through the bloodstream. Now Rice University bioengineers report a new platform designed to streamline one of the major challenges for metastasis research. The work is published in the journal Advanced Healthcare Materials. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-3d-atlas-platform-cancer-cell.html Thu, 26 Mar 2026 17:40:03 EDT news693762661 Critical minerals such as those used in lithium-ion batteries come in limited supply and are concentrated in specific regions around the world. Securing a reliable supply of these materials is a priority for governments worldwide, yet most spent batteries end up in landfills, leaching toxic chemicals into the environment. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-03-plasma-lemon-juice-milder-method.html Engineering Wed, 25 Mar 2026 17:20:04 EDT news693676141 Amino acids are like Lego blocks—they can be linked together to form complex structures called proteins. Unlike Legos, however, there are only 20 different types of amino acids available to build a protein. Proteins depend on posttranslational modifications, or chemical changes to an amino acid that happen after the protein is built, to achieve many of their forms and functions by expanding how an amino acid can behave. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-tiny-protein-tweak-traceable-based.html Biochemistry Tue, 24 Mar 2026 18:00:01 EDT news693589681 You may not be able to hear it, but all solid materials make a sound. In fact, atoms—bound in lattices of chemical bonds—are never silent nor still: Under the placid surface of each and every object in our surroundings, a low hum hovers or a high-energy squeak titters. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-boron-arsenide-semiconductor-quantum-vibrations.html Condensed Matter Tue, 24 Mar 2026 14:20:01 EDT news693572222 Physicists have directly visualized the fundamental electronic building blocks of flat-band quantum materials, a class of systems in which electron motion is effectively quenched and strong interactions give rise to emergent phases of matter. In a study published in Nature Physics, Qimiao Si's group at Rice University, in collaboration with researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science, identified compact molecular orbitals that act as the key electronic agents governing the exotic behavior of these materials. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-physicists-electronic-agents-flat-band.html Quantum Physics Sat, 21 Mar 2026 07:20:05 EDT news693281683 When bacteria cells replicate, they do so a little differently than human cells do. They don't undergo mitosis, a splitting that involves construction of spindles to carefully separate the DNA after replication. Instead, they use a process called binary fission, which is faster and allows them to separate their circular chromosomes as they are replicated. But the end result is the same: One cell turns into two cells, each with its own copy of the DNA chromosomes. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-replicating-bacterial-dna-accordion.html Cell & Microbiology Fri, 20 Mar 2026 13:40:01 EDT news693224821 Lithium dendrites, i.e. tiny crystalline thorns that grow off of lithium-ion battery anodes during charging, have been a persistent challenge for the world's most widely used form of energy storage. "Dendrites can penetrate the battery's separator, causing catastrophic short circuits and safety hazards," said Qing Ai, a former research scientist at Rice University who is a first author on a new study published in Science that reports for the first time exactly how these tricky structures behave inside batteries. "Despite decades of study, the fundamental nanomechanical properties of lithium dendrites remained a mystery—until now." https://phys.org/news/2026-03-thorny-issue-plaguing-lithium-ion.html Analytical Chemistry Sat, 14 Mar 2026 19:00:01 EDT news692597155 Microbial bioelectronic sensors use living bacteria that can create an electrical signal in response to the presence of a target substance, or analyte. These types of sensors offer many advantages over other types of biosensors based on proteins and enzymes: The bacteria can perform multiple functions, survive in a variety of environments and even grow and regenerate for potential long-term use. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-bacteria-generate-electricity-shellfish-based.html Molecular & Computational biology Sat, 14 Mar 2026 07:20:01 EDT news692685273 Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming weather prediction, enabling forecasts that once required hours of supercomputing time to run in just minutes. But as AI tools play an expanding role in high-stakes hazard modeling, researchers at Rice University say an essential question remains: Do AI-generated storms behave realistically? https://phys.org/news/2026-03-ai-weather-hurricane-key-physical.html Earth Sciences Wed, 11 Mar 2026 19:10:01 EDT news692466661 A recent study in Advanced Science reports an innovative, low-cost polymer heat exchanger that could transform how industries manage heat. The device was developed by a Rice University research team led by Daniel J. Preston, assistant professor of mechanical engineering. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-03-high-plastic-exchanger-rivals-traditional.html Engineering Wed, 11 Mar 2026 16:40:06 EDT news692465581 Electron movement and structures described in quantum physics allow researchers to better understand how and why materials like superconductors behave as they do. Rice University researchers Jianwei Huang and Ming Yi have developed a new capability, magnetoARPES, building on angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) that allows researchers to study quantum behaviors they have been unable to resolve using ARPES alone. The work has been published in Nature Physics. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-quantum-behavior-action-magnetoarpes-reveals.html Superconductivity Wed, 11 Mar 2026 06:00:03 EDT news692367301 Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are primarily thought of as environmental pollutants, and most research on them focuses on removing them from the environment. Rice researcher James Tour, however, has a different approach. His team, led by postdoctoral associate and Rice Academy Junior Fellow Yi Cheng, developed a process to use PFAS to extract lithium from high-salinity brine pools. The team's work is described in a study published in Nature Water. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-03-pfas-lithium-high-salinity-brine.html Engineering Tue, 10 Mar 2026 06:00:04 EDT news692292782 After a heart attack, the heart struggles to recoup and maintain energy. One-third of patients develop heart failure as a result—a condition that impacts 6.8 million Americans and carries a high lifetime risk, with 1 in 4 adults in the U.S. expected to develop the condition during their lifetime. This makes finding lasting treatment a medical priority. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-crispr-based-technique-power-mitochondria.html Cell & Microbiology Mon, 09 Mar 2026 17:20:02 EDT news692285701 Magnetic materials in a quantum spin liquid phase are of great interest in the pursuit of exotic state of matter and quantum computation. But in the quantum realm, things are not always what they seem. A study, published in Science Advances and co-led by Rice University's Pengcheng Dai, found that the material cerium magnesium hexalluminate (CeMgAl11O19) was not actually in a quantum spin liquid phase despite evidence suggesting it was. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-material-previously-thought-quantum-state.html Condensed Matter Fri, 06 Mar 2026 14:00:03 EST news692017786 A cross-disciplinary team at Rice University has developed a new type of electric heating element—one that looks less like a traditional metal coil and more like a high-performance thread. In a study published in Small, the researchers demonstrated that wires and fabrics made from carbon nanotube fibers (CNTFs) can deliver substantially more heating power per unit mass than conventional metal-alloy heaters when placed directly in flowing gases. The findings point to a potential new pathway for electrifying industrial heating, a critical but technically challenging step toward reducing carbon emissions. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-03-carbon-nanotube-fiber-textile-heaters.html Energy & Green Tech Fri, 06 Mar 2026 04:40:01 EST news691993296 Autonomous vehicles (AVs) are becoming increasingly common on roadways, but making them as safe as possible may entail going beyond the particular specs of the vehicles themselves to upgrading the roadway infrastructure. EyeDAR, a low-power millimeter-wave radar sensor roughly the size of an orange, could provide radar-equipped AVs with critical inputs about surrounding traffic, extending and enhancing the vehicles' sensing accuracy. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-03-extra-eyes-cars-roadside-radar.html Hi Tech & Innovation Mon, 02 Mar 2026 15:50:02 EST news691688701 Gene therapy has been successfully used to treat a number of diseases, including immune deficiencies, hereditary blindness, hemophilia and, recently, Huntington's disease, a fatal neurological disorder. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-protein-markers-brain-gene-monkeys.html Neuroscience Fri, 27 Feb 2026 15:40:03 EST news691426370 Future devices will continue to probe the frontier of the very small, and at scales where functionality depends on mere atoms, even the tiniest flaw matters. Researchers at Rice University have shown that hard-to-spot defects in a widely used two-dimensional insulator can trap electrical charges and locally weaken the material, making it more likely to fail at lower voltages. The findings are published in Nano Letters. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-technique-hidden-defects-boost-reliability.html Nanophysics Thu, 26 Feb 2026 18:50:01 EST news691349222 At Rice University, a research lab's signature keepsake has helped perfect a method for growing patterned diamond surfaces that could help decrease operating temperatures in electronics by 23 degrees Celsius. The paper is published in the journal Applied Physics Letters. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-diamond-owl-swoops-method-electronics.html Condensed Matter Mon, 23 Feb 2026 17:10:01 EST news691084502 Superhydrophobic surfaces—those famously "never-wet" materials that make water bead up and roll away—have a stubborn weakness: hot water. Once temperatures climb above roughly 40 degrees Celsius, many superhydrophobic coatings abruptly lose their magic. Instead of skittering off, hot droplets start sticking, soaking into the surface texture and leaving behind wet patches and residue. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-02-heatshield-surfaces-repel-scalable-coating.html Engineering Mon, 23 Feb 2026 13:20:03 EST news691074130 When you turn on a faucet, charge an electric vehicle or use products made with clean hydrogen, you may not realize that membranes—ultrathin films perforated with pores too small to see—make these modern processes possible. They purify water, recover valuable minerals and help power emerging clean-energy technologies. But despite their enormous importance, researchers still don't fully understand how water and ions move through these films at the molecular level. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-02-perspective-path-generation-energy-membranes.html Energy & Green Tech Sat, 21 Feb 2026 11:00:03 EST news690653373 Rice University biologist Amy Dunham has spent decades studying the mountainous rainforests of Madagascar's Ranomafana National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site that was designated a national park in 1991. In a project co-led by Dunham and Rice's Matt McCary, together with a team of U.S. and Malagasy researchers, the group published a study showing that strawberry guava, an invasive plant, can prevent natural forest generation in areas of Ranomafana with a history of past disturbance, even decades after deforestation has ended. The findings are published in the journal Biological Conservation. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-strawberry-guava-natural-forest-generation.html Ecology Thu, 12 Feb 2026 09:54:15 EST news690111841 Rice University scientists have developed the first complete, label-free molecular atlas of the Alzheimer's brain in an animal model. The findings help advance understanding of Alzheimer's onset and progression, a disease that kills more people than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-metabolic-clues-emerge-molecular-alzheimer.html Alzheimer's disease & dementia Wed, 11 Feb 2026 16:59:44 EST news690051541 It's a typical workday and you sign onto your computer. Unbeknownst to you, a high-frequency sensing system embedded in your work device is now tracking your heart rate, allowing your employer to monitor your breaks, engagement, and stress levels and infer alertness. It sounds like a dystopian scenario, but some believe it's not so far from current reality. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-02-scientists-camouflage-heart-invasive-radar.html Hi Tech & Innovation Mon, 09 Feb 2026 16:36:23 EST news689877361 As glaciers around the world continue to shrink and disappear, they are drawing more visitors than ever, not only for their beauty but for what they have come to represent in an era of climate change. A new study co-authored by Rice University anthropologist Cymene Howe examines this phenomenon, showing how melting glaciers have become powerful destinations for tourism, sites of collective grief and symbols of political meaning even as their loss threatens the communities that depend on them. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-glaciers-visitors-climate.html Earth Sciences Mon, 09 Feb 2026 11:21:33 EST news689858462