blog posts Graphene: The more you bend it, the softer it gets Nov 13, 2019 11:00 am Illinois researchers have determined how much energy it takes to bend multilayer graphene – a question that has long eluded scientists. Simulation reveals how bacterial organelle converts sunlight to chemical energy Nov 14, 2019 10:15 am This is a major step toward understanding how some biological structures convert sunlight into chemical energy, a biological innovation that is essential to life. Research explores impact of racial discrimination on dating websites for gay, bisexual men Nov 14, 2019 1:30 pm Because racialized sexual discrimination is a relatively new area of study, researchers currently don’t have a tool for measuring its impact on the well-being of men of color who use these websites. Paper: Outcomes vary for workers who 'lawyer up' in employment arbitration disputes Nov 18, 2019 8:00 am A worker who retains legal counsel to litigate a workplace dispute in arbitration doesn’t account for the potentially countervailing effect of employers hiring their own legal counsel, says U. of I. labor professor Ryan Lamare. Dozens of potential new antibiotics discovered with free online app Nov 18, 2019 11:30 am A web tool developed at Illinois speeds the discovery of drugs to kill Gram-negative bacteria, which are responsible for the vast majority of antibiotic-resistant infections and deaths. Structures near airports increase risk of airplane-goose collisions Nov 21, 2019 10:00 am Researchers found that – in colder months, at least – some geese are hanging out on rooftops, in a rail yard and in a canal close to Midway Airport’s runways, increasing the danger of goose-plane collisions. Financial incentives for crowdsourced delivery workers can improve service Nov 21, 2019 10:45 am Targeted financial incentives can increase the service capacity of crowdsourced delivery workers without incurring additional costs for retailers, according to new research co-written by a Gies Business professor. New study looks to biological enzymes as source of hydrogen fuel Nov 25, 2019 9:15 am Illinois scientists are looking to biological processes to find an efficient source of hydrogen gas as an environmentally friendly fuel. Illinois research tracks genomic changes that reinforce darter speciation Nov 25, 2019 9:15 am Scientists have spent decades trying to understand the factors that allow closely related organisms to evolve into separate species. A little prairie can rescue honey bees from famine on the farm, study finds Nov 25, 2019 2:15 pm Honey bee hives placed near flowering prairies in late summer and early fall were much healthier than those left near soybean fields after August, the researchers found. Structurally designed 'DNA star' creates ultrasensitive test for dengue virus Nov 26, 2019 11:45 am 'This is more sensitive than any other way of detecting dengue, beating the clinical test by more than 100 fold,' said Xing Wang, an Illinois chemistry professor and corresponding author of the study. Mental health info in underserved rural areas best delivered by family, friends Dec 3, 2019 9:30 am 'We were surprised to find that they are really uninterested in the internet when it comes to mental health information. Farmers want information face-to-face, and they want it from their innermost circle.' Leaders of nonprofits that use sport to better society often lack business skills Dec 6, 2019 9:30 am Leaders of nonprofits that use sport for social change are usually passionate about their groups’ missions, many of them lack the entrepreneurial and leadership skills that their organizations need. By imaging the brain, scientists can predict a person's aptitude for training Dec 9, 2019 8:00 am Psychology professor Aron Barbey and colleagues found that the relative size of specific brain regions predicted how much a person would benefit from interventions designed to boost fluid intelligence. Kamalabadi leads NSF project to develop distributed space telescope Dec 11, 2019 9:30 am Prof. Farzad Kamalabadi is leading the project to develop a first-of-its-kind distributed telescope that will provide unprecedented resolution for space imaging, which could lead to a new understanding of space. Team finds bovine kobuvirus in US Dec 12, 2019 8:00 am A virus that afflicts cattle that was first discovered in Japan in 2003 has made its way to the U.S., researchers report in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases. Experts review evidence yoga is good for the brain Dec 12, 2019 9:00 am A review of the science finds evidence that yoga enhances many of the same brain structures and functions that benefit from aerobic exercise. Paper: Economy benefits when secretarial jobs require more computer skills Dec 12, 2019 9:45 am Research finds the adoption of new technologies in office, administrative support occupations ultimately leads to more job growth in the local economy, but offers mixed benefits for office support workers themselves. Cultural variables influence consumer demand for private-label brands Dec 16, 2019 8:45 am Enhancing the prestige of private-label brands may more successfully attract certain consumers than offering products at lower prices, says new research from business professor Carlos Torelli. New heat model may help electronic devices last longer Dec 16, 2019 10:45 am Researchers found that some semiconductor fabrication techniques produce materials that perform better than others. This may help chip manufacturers find ways to better diffuse the heat that leads to device damage. Healthy diet may avert nutritional problems in head, neck cancer patients Dec 16, 2019 10:45 am Head and neck cancer patients who ate a healthier diet prior to diagnosis were less likely to develop nutritional problems up to one year post-diagnosis, according to a new study. Nanopores can identify the amino acids in proteins, the first step to sequencing Dec 17, 2019 2:00 pm Grad student Kumar Sarthak and physics professor Aleksei Aksimentiev were part of a team that demonstrated that nanopores could sequence proteins, giving reserachers insight into activity within a cell. The curious case of side effects Dec 18, 2019 8:45 am Side effects are strange: Psychology professor Sean Laurent examines how our reaction to side effects reflects our moral reasoning. Five fascinating researchers in Latina/o Studies at Illinois Dec 18, 2019 9:00 am These five scholars are helping the world understand everything from baseball to refugees to the upcoming census. Innovation: How digital research is illuminating societal issues Dec 18, 2019 10:00 am Humanities researchers at Illinois are using technology to shed light on such issues as social media, gerrymandering and Proust scholarship. Single-molecule detection of cancer markers brings liquid biopsy closer to clinic Dec 18, 2019 1:45 pm Researchers developed a method to detect cancer markers that could be used for liquid biopsies – using a small sample of blood or serum to detect cancer, rather than the invasive tissue sampling routinely used today. Caffeine may offset some health risks of diets high in fat, sugar Dec 20, 2019 10:15 am In a study of rats, University of Illinois scientists found that caffeine limited weight gain and cholesterol production, despite a diet that was high in fat and sugar. Book looks at how landscape design helps solve water issues Dec 20, 2019 3:00 pm Landscape architecture professor Mary Pat McGuire co-edited a book discussing how landscape design research can help solve environmental problems related to fresh water systems. New polymer material may help batteries become self-healing, recyclable Dec 23, 2019 8:45 am Illinois researchers have developed a solid battery electrolyte that is both self-healing and recyclable. Pentagon officials visit Illinois' new aerospace research center Dec 27, 2019 12:30 pm Officials from the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense, Research and Engineering at the Pentagon visited the new Center for Hypersonics and Entry Systems Studies (CHESS). For CRISPR, tweaking DNA fragments before inserting yields highest efficiency rates yet Jan 2, 2020 1:45 pm Illinois researchers achieved the highest reported rates of inserting genes into human cells with the CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing system, a necessary step for harnessing the technology for clinical gene-therapy applications. New compounds block master regulator of cancer growth, metastasis Jan 7, 2020 8:30 am Illinois researchers have developed new drug agents to inhibit a pathway that contributes to cancer. The compounds killed cancer cells and reduced the growth of breast cancer tumors in mice. Developing label-free microscopic techniques to visualize cancer cells Jan 7, 2020 4:45 pm Researchers have developed an imaging technique that provides better visualization of breast cancer cells and their associated extracellular vesicles. Nanosatellites improve detection of early-season corn nitrogen stress Jan 14, 2020 8:30 am Nanosatellites known as CubeSats can detect nitrogen stress early in the season, potentially giving farmers a chance to plan in-season nitrogen fertilizer applications. Researchers gain control over internal structure of self-assembled composite materials Jan 15, 2020 2:00 pm Researchers developed a new templating system to help control the quality and unique properties of a special class of inorganic composite materials. New study examines mortality costs of air pollution in US Jan 21, 2020 10:00 am Illinois researchers estimated the mortality costs associated with air pollution in the U.S. using a machine learning-based method to estimate the life-years lost and cost associated with air pollution exposure. Device helps streamline water purification, environmental remediation Jan 21, 2020 11:00 am Illinois researchers have developed an energy-efficient device that selectively absorbs a highly toxic form of arsenic in water and converts it into a far less toxic form. The history of gender-neutral pronouns, from Shakespeare to email Jan 22, 2020 4:15 pm Pronouns have 'this extra-special significance once again in the context of new gender issues. It’s not just women’s rights; now it’s trans rights and nonbinary rights,' says Professor Dennis Baron. Insights on condensation could lead to better power plant condenser, de-icing materials Jan 23, 2020 8:45 am New research challenges an age-old theory about the processes that control the clearing of water condensation from surfaces. Designing a puncture-free tire Jan 23, 2020 11:15 am Finding a design that balances puncture-free strength with the elasticity needed for a comfortable, shock-free ride like conventional pneumatic tires is the key. Researchers expand microchip capability with new 3D inductor technology Jan 23, 2020 1:45 pm A team of engineers has boosted the performance of its 3D inductor technology by adding as much as three orders of magnitudes more induction to meet the performance demands of modern electronic devices. Tasting no-calorie sweetener may affect insulin response on glucose tolerance test Jan 29, 2020 1:30 pm 'The most important take-home message is that sweet taste in itself may have an impact on carbohydrate metabolism and glucose control,' researcher Yanina Pepino said. Book examines Pope’s environmental encyclical, how religion can address climate change Feb 3, 2020 12:00 pm Robert McKim, a professor emeritus of religion, edited a book looking at how religion might respond to climate change. “Laudato Si’ and the Environment” is a response to Pope Francis’ environmental encyclical of 2015. Focus on context diminishes memory of negative events, researchers report Feb 5, 2020 9:30 am The researchers found that focusing on the neutral details of a disturbing scene can weaken a person’s later memories – and negative impressions – of that scene. Hybrid microscope could bring digital biopsy to the clinic Feb 5, 2020 11:15 am Pairing infrared measurements with high-res images and machine learning algorithms, researchers created digital biopsies that closely correlated with traditional pathology techniques and outperformed infrared microscopes. Paper: Historical roots of birthright citizenship traced to demand for workers Feb 6, 2020 11:15 am Birthright citizenship has served pragmatic economic purposes by giving the U.S. a competitive labor advantage, says Michael LeRoy, an Illinois expert on labor and immigration law. Researchers discover compound to stop a pervasive parasitic flatworm Feb 10, 2020 8:45 am The discovery of the compound, known as Schistosome Paralysis Factor, could be critical for producing a treatment against schistosomiasis, a parasitic disease whose impact the CDC has called “second only to malaria.” Book examines dangers of reading for young men in late 19th-century France Feb 11, 2020 9:30 am Excessive reading by young men was seen as a cause of declining virility and a national threat in late 19th-century France. Environmental DNA study successfully detects alligator snapping turtles in southern Illinois Feb 13, 2020 10:45 am The alligator snapping turtle is the largest freshwater turtle in North America, but it is not easy to spot. Now U of I scientists have demonstrated an effective new method to detect the secretive reptiles in the wild. Study: Common bariatric surgeries can double peak blood alcohol levels Feb 13, 2020 3:45 pm Study finds that two of the most popular forms of bariatric surgery – Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy – may dramatically change patients’ sensitivity to, absorption of alcohol.