feed info

68 articles from PhysOrg

An online tool can help researchers synthesize millions of molecules

Enzymes are substances that cause chemical reactions. Certain types of enzymes, such as polyketide synthases and nonribosomal peptide synthetases, have the ability to shuffle their parts, allowing them to produce new chemicals. If scientists can understand how these enzymes shuffle their parts, they can understand how to use them to synthesize millions of molecules, such as pharmaceuticals and...

Researchers report on metal alloys that could support nuclear fusion energy

At the end of 2022, researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory announced they had observed a net energy gain through nuclear fusion for the very first time. This monumental milestone toward fusion energy represents a huge leap forward in powering our homes and businesses with the carbon-neutral energy source. But converting this scientific achievement into a practical power source also...

Actin found to affect the spread of cancer in several ways

Metastases occur when cancer cells leave a primary tumor and spread throughout the body. For this to happen, they have to break connections with neighboring cells and migrate to other tissues. Both processes are promoted by signaling molecules released by the cancer cells, which thereby increase the malignancy of tumors.

Mathematicians prove the existence of hidden attractors in an electrical circuit

Scientists from St Petersburg University and the Kotelnikov Institute of Radioengineering and Electronics of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IRE RAS), together with Professor Leon Chua from the University of California, Berkeley, have demonstrated experimentally the existence of hidden attractors—points in the basins of attraction in a simple electrical circuit.

Gun control measures associated with reduced police use of force

As police departments and activists look for strategies to reduce excessive use of force by police, new research from the University of Michigan shows limited data, lack of transparency and irregular implementation of reforms make it difficult to determine which approaches are effective.

Scientists use cavefish to learn more about metabolism and the evolutionary basis of being a couch potato

Stay-at-home orders issued at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic ushered the hoarding of food and surges in digital entertainment subscriptions, restaurant take-out and delivery services—a perfect storm for a collective couch potato phenomenon. Now, researchers have discovered what prolonged physical inactivity may mean for humans many thousands of years down the road by studying cavefish.

Polygamous birds shown to have fewer harmful mutations

Bird species that breed with several sexual partners have fewer harmful mutations, according to a study led by the Milner Centre for Evolution at the University of Bath. The study, published in Evolution, shows for the first time how polygamy increases the efficiency of natural selection in wild populations.

Supporting evidence-based policymaking in The Gambia

Researchers working on the FACE-Africa project have co-developed country-specific information and tools with Gambian food system stakeholders to evaluate possible strategies for adapting to climate change and ensuring sufficient healthy food for The Gambia. Their recommendations and key findings are now available in a new IIASA policy brief.

Berlin could produce more than 80% of its fresh vegetables locally, says study

Berlin has enough space for urban gardening, and up to 82 percent of Berlin's vegetable consumption could be produced locally, a new study finds. "The amount of vegetables represents a significant share of the annual consumption," highlights Diego Rybski, an external faculty member from the Complexity Science Hub and a co-author of the paper that will appear in the April issue of Sustainable...