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 recent announcement of novel, viable viruses created by artificial intelligence (AI) was celebrated as a major advance in the fight against antibiotic resistance. But it also raised urgent concerns about regulation. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-ai-biotechnology-faster-technology.html Biotechnology Tue, 18 Aug 2026 12:20:09 EDT news706266902 Histone variants help establish DNA methylation at transposons (jumping genes) while preventing this epigenetic modification from spreading to essential genes in plants, a study from the Institute of Science Tokyo reveals. By revealing how these chromosome-associated proteins guide the formation of precise epigenomic patterns, the findings provide new insights into the selective silencing of transposons, laying the groundwork for future epigenome-editing technologies for crop improvement and disease research. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-silence-genes-essential.html Plants & Animals Mon, 17 Aug 2026 16:40:03 EDT news706189934 Humans love dogs, but petting them can leave some people sneezing and wheezing. About 15% of the world's population lives with a dog allergy, which can increase the risk of hay fever and asthma. The main culprit is Can f 1, a protein found mainly in dog saliva. Right now, staying away from furry friends or getting regular immunotherapy shots or tablets is the only way to deal with the symptoms. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-gene-beagles-major-dog-allergen.html Biotechnology Sun, 16 Aug 2026 14:00:01 EDT news705919142 Like a delivery driver navigating crowded city streets, a gene-therapy-toting lipid nanoparticle faces a gauntlet of potential detours on its journey toward a cell's nucleus. First, there's entering the cell's plasma membrane; then navigating around organelles like the Golgi apparatus, mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum—all destinations that can errantly absorb the particle's payload, rendering it ineffective at best or harmful at worst. And that's all before the particle even enters the nucleus and successfully makes a genetic change. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-crispr-roadblocks-scientists-genes-blocking.html Cell & Microbiology Thu, 13 Aug 2026 13:00:03 EDT news705841141 They may look like any ordinary species of flies buzzing around on any given day, but the New World screwworm is quite extraordinary. Screwworm flies are highly destructive parasitic flies that feed on the tissue of warm-blooded animals, including humans (though the risk to humans is low). They burrow in a spiral (screw) pattern into wounds and bodily openings such as the ears, nose and mouth, laying hundreds of eggs. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-qa-flesh-screwworms-technologies.html Ecology Wed, 12 Aug 2026 08:30:01 EDT news705729938 From genome editing to quantum computing, scientific progress is accelerating at an unprecedented pace, yet public faith in science is collapsing. Our species has mapped the human genome, created powerful computers that sit in the palms of our hands and extended human life spans beyond what our ancestors could have imagined—meanwhile, anti-intellectual movements are gaining momentum. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-scientific-advancement-prolific-science-plummeted.html Education Mon, 10 Aug 2026 19:40:03 EDT news705597841 When a wound does not heal properly, it leaves a scar. Similarly, mutations—which are permanent changes to genetic code—are often the result of damaged DNA that has not been properly repaired. Mutations can impede the function of genes and lead to disease and aging, but they are also the source of genetic variation, which allows new traits to emerge and facilitates the evolutionary process. Scientists still do not fully understand why some damaged DNA segments are successfully repaired while others are not. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-dna-enzymes-favor-specific-sequences.html Molecular & Computational biology Mon, 10 Aug 2026 18:40:03 EDT news705595382 In a world first, scientists led by a team from Stanford University have created 16 viable viruses that do not exist in nature and were designed by AI. Their experiment, which is published in Science, could help in the fight against superbugs by allowing researchers to design customized viruses to kill drug-resistant bacteria. Thomas Inglesby and Moritz S. Hanke have published a Perspective piece on the work and its implications in the same edition of the journal. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-sixteen-ai-viruses-route-drug.html Cell & Microbiology Mon, 10 Aug 2026 07:00:01 EDT news705314814 Scientists at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory have created a platform that pinpoints genetic triggers that turn microbes into efficient factories for new chemicals and materials. The method enables rapid, precise reprogramming of bacteria as biotechnology tools, supporting domestic production of valuable products and recovery of critical minerals and materials to enhance the nation's supply chains and global competitiveness. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-platform-bacterial-gene-biotech.html Cell & Microbiology Fri, 07 Aug 2026 15:00:01 EDT news705323281 When a virus enters a cell, its top priority is to replicate its genome rapidly, creating new viruses to infect elsewhere. The host has the opposite priority: to destroy the virus, ideally before it can do any harm. Biology has evolved diverse tactics for viral recognition and destruction, but they share a common theme—sensing that an invading viral genome is present in a cell. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-bacteria-virus-dna.html Cell & Microbiology Thu, 30 Jul 2026 18:20:02 EDT news704620612 Scientists have found a genetic switch that could shave years off avocado breeding by allowing researchers to identify one of a young tree's most important traits long before it flowers. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-gene-discovery-years-avocado.html Molecular & Computational biology Wed, 29 Jul 2026 08:40:04 EDT news704532781 Minor cuts and scrapes usually heal in time, but losing a finger or a whole limb? For most vertebrates, that's a done deal. Unless, of course, you've got the self-healing machinery of an axolotl. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-axolotl-code-regrow-limbs-stay.html Molecular & Computational biology Tue, 28 Jul 2026 08:00:07 EDT news704443502 Gene editing is a highly precise and powerful technology that allows scientists to insert, delete, modify or replace DNA bases in living organisms. It has a variety of uses, including correcting disease-causing mutations and improving crops. Tools like CRISPR act as molecular scissors that target specific places in a genome to make these changes. But the technology is not perfect and can accidentally edit the wrong pieces of DNA or RNA. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-ai-tiny-gene-editor-unintended.html Biotechnology Mon, 27 Jul 2026 13:38:56 EDT news704378300 The way to make a plant grow more may be to take something away. Trimming a section off a plant gene raised rice harvests by up to 25% in new tests by University of Chicago scientists. The plants also showed a better tolerance for drought and heat. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-trimming-rice-genes-boosts-yields.html Biotechnology Mon, 27 Jul 2026 09:00:08 EDT news704361541 When scientists want to create a protein that can potentially treat disease, one approach is to begin with a different protein and evolve it in the lab, selecting over many generations for versions with a new, desired function. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-combining-ai-protein-laboratory-evolution.html Biotechnology Fri, 24 Jul 2026 10:40:01 EDT news704105143 The European Union adopted new legislation on plants obtained through certain new genomic techniques in June 2026. The new framework will apply after a two-year transition period. It distinguishes between two categories. Plants in Category 1 (NGT-1) have a limited number and type of genetic changes that could also occur naturally or through conventional breeding. Under the new legislation, they will largely be regulated like conventionally bred plants. Category 2 plants with more extensive or complex modifications will remain subject to the existing genetically modified organism (GMO) rules. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-scientist-impact-eu-gene.html Biotechnology Thu, 23 Jul 2026 21:20:01 EDT news704038621 Researchers at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) have developed a new way to add large pieces of genetic information to plants, overcoming a challenge that has limited plant biotechnology for decades. The advance could help scientists build more complex traits into plants in the future, supporting research into areas such as crop resilience, sustainable agriculture, biotechnology and the use of plants as scalable platforms for producing therapeutics and biologics. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-genome-tool-large-genetic-sequences.html Biotechnology Wed, 22 Jul 2026 19:40:01 EDT news703949461 The American chestnut tree was a dominant and iconic species in many Appalachian forests until it was devastated by an introduced fungus from Asia called chestnut blight. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-genetic-approaches-american-chestnut-glory.html Molecular & Computational biology Wed, 22 Jul 2026 14:00:01 EDT news703942561 Feeding a growing global population is no longer enough. Scientists say the next generation of crops must also deliver better nutrition while withstanding the increasing impacts of climate change. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-shift-crop-tackle-hunger-malnutrition.html Agriculture Tue, 21 Jul 2026 14:20:06 EDT news703850582 Scientists have successfully edited the genome of biting midges, opening the door to new research on how these insects transmit disease. Culicoides biting midges are small blood-feeding insects responsible for spreading important vector-borne viruses such as bluetongue virus (BTV), Schmallenberg virus (SBV) and epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus (EHDV), which cause major losses to livestock production worldwide. Despite their importance as disease vectors, Culicoides are among the smallest blood-feeding insects, just 1–4 mm (0.04–0.16 inches) long, making them difficult to study in the laboratory. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-world-gene-culicoides-midges-door.html Biotechnology Mon, 20 Jul 2026 13:40:12 EDT news703771621 Blood transfusions are crucial in human and veterinary medicine, yet human blood reserves are in constant need of donors, while blood bank systems in veterinary care are nearly nonexistent. This leaves canine transfusions largely reliant on donations from healthy dogs, but securing compatible blood remains a major challenge because dogs also have different blood types. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-generating-red-blood-cell-cells.html Biotechnology Sun, 19 Jul 2026 20:00:05 EDT news703496702 Scientists have made many advances using traditional CRISPR technology, especially in medicine, but they are now seeking ways to create genuinely new gene-editing enzymes with properties that have not already evolved naturally. A new study, published in Science, describes a new AI-designed synthetic TnpB enzyme, called SynTnpBs, that has outperformed the natural reference enzyme. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-aidesigned-geneediting-enzymes-crispr-toolbox.html Biotechnology Fri, 17 Jul 2026 12:59:19 EDT news703511930 Hiroshima University researchers have used genome editing to transform red perilla into a green look-alike and simultaneously restructured the plant's chemistry to boost levels of compounds prized for their potential health benefits. The findings point to a new strategy for developing high-value crops for the food and pharmaceutical industries. The study was published in Frontiers in Plant Science. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-disrupting-enzyme-gene-herb-red.html Molecular & Computational biology Thu, 16 Jul 2026 14:00:07 EDT news703420275 Cadmium (Cd) contamination poses a serious threat to global food safety. As a toxic and carcinogenic heavy metal, cadmium can accumulate in agricultural soils through industrialization and urbanization before entering the human food chain. Rice is especially vulnerable because it absorbs more cadmium than other major cereal crops, making it one of the largest dietary sources of cadmium exposure for nearly half the world's population. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-tiny-gene-cadmium-rice-yields.html Biotechnology Thu, 16 Jul 2026 08:20:03 EDT news703405327 Just as this country celebrated its 250th birthday, some geneticists were celebrating America, too. At the end of June, the National Institutes of Health announced its "All of Us" Research Program had become the world's largest database of integrated health and genomic information. The project, launched in 2015 under the Obama administration, aimed to collect comprehensive genetic information and health records from at least a million Americans. Eleven years later, they're approaching that goal, with 747,000 volunteers sharing their whole genomes, lifelong health records or both. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-biobank-global-resource-roots-disease.html Molecular & Computational biology Wed, 15 Jul 2026 18:00:04 EDT news703332766 Microorganisms are increasingly being engineered to manufacture valuable compounds ranging from medicines and food ingredients to biofuels and industrial chemicals. However, turning microbes into efficient production platforms requires extensive strain optimization. Finding the right genetic changes to transform an ordinary microbe into a high-performing producer remains a major challenge, as beneficial genetic targets and gene combinations are often hidden within complex cellular networks. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-platform-uncovers-genetic-boost-derived.html Biotechnology Tue, 14 Jul 2026 13:20:06 EDT news703246831 A team led by bioengineers at the University of California San Diego has developed a genome-scale reference map that details how individual genes control the functions and identities of human stem cells. This open-access resource could help researchers build virtual cell models for complex diseases, as well as design patient-specific treatments for these diseases. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-million-stem-cells-reveal-genome.html Biotechnology Mon, 13 Jul 2026 10:30:01 EDT news703155590 Researchers at the Center for Crop and Food Innovation (CCFI) have made a significant contribution to a landmark study, uncovering tens of thousands of previously hidden structural variations influencing agriculturally important traits in the mung bean. The study, published today in Nature Genetics, presents the world's first graph-based pan-genome for the pulse crop, offering a comprehensive resource for understanding the genetic basis of key agronomic traits and accelerating crop improvement. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-genetic-secrets-mung-bean-crops.html Molecular & Computational biology Fri, 10 Jul 2026 12:20:03 EDT news702896259 RNA has emerged as one of the most promising molecules in modern medicine, enabling advances from mRNA vaccines and gene therapies to genome editing and synthetic biology. However, designing RNA molecules that reliably fold into a desired secondary structure remains a major challenge. Even for relatively short sequences, the number of possible nucleotide combinations grows exponentially, making it difficult to identify optimal candidates. As a result, conventional computational methods often require extensive candidate evaluations, creating a significant bottleneck when experimental validation is both time-consuming and costly. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-optimizing-rna-ai-ising-machine.html Biotechnology Wed, 08 Jul 2026 14:50:01 EDT news702724633 When Dolly the sheep—the first cloned mammal—was born 30 years ago, she became one of the most famous animals in science history. Her arrival sparked predictions of a sci-fi future filled with cloned pets, cloned humans and even resurrected extinct animals like the wooly mammoth. But the reality of cloning has turned out to be much more complicated. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-years-dolly-sheep-born-cloning.html Biotechnology Wed, 08 Jul 2026 09:20:01 EDT news702720661