blog posts Extinct or elusive? Why birders aren’t giving up on the ivorybill woodpecker Jul 6, 2023 1:45 pm Christian Science Monitor (July 3) Experts say the ivory-billed woodpecker is probably extinct. U of I's Jeff Hoover isn't so sure. 'I’ve learned that the natural world can trick and fool you when you say that something can never happen. I’m still hopeful.' U of I researchers develop lower-cost method to desalinate water at scale Jul 7, 2023 10:45 am Design News (July 7) Professor Xiao Su led a team that developed a low-energy, inexpensive way to purify water. 'I see our solution as a platform to tackle both the energy and water crises,' says Su. Novel learning-based method to scoop up extraterrestrial terrain samples Jul 10, 2023 12:15 pm AZO Robotics (July 10) 'Rather than simulating how to scoop every possible type of rock or granular material, we created a new way for autonomous landers to learn how to scoop quickly on a new material it encounters,' says a U of I PhD candidate. Should the TSA end the 3-ounce liquid restriction? Jul 11, 2023 10:30 am The Chicago Tribune (July 5) Sheldon Jacobson, a U. of I. professor of computer science, writes that the 3 ounce rule has endured for 17 years. Since that time, airport security has moved forward strategically and technologically. Unionized UPS workers could strike by the end of July Jul 12, 2023 11:00 am WBBM-TV (July 11) 'We have to keep an eye on Amazon. I think if the teamsters win a good contract at UPS, they'll then use it to go after Amazon and try to convince those workers to organize,' says U of I labor expert Robert Bruno. Post-COVID, door opens wider for rural Illinois tourism Jul 14, 2023 2:00 pm The Center Square (July 12) U of I professor Sharon Zou says the pandemic has given rural communities an opportunity 'because people feel safe to travel to a destination that is rural, outdoors and has lower population density.' Attention naysayers: The data show Illinois' economy still growing Jul 17, 2023 11:15 am Daily Herald (July 16) The University of Illinois Flash Index – which tracks corporate earnings, consumer spending and personal income – has shown growth for 27 consecutive months. Computer-aided vision makes it possible to predict cement durability in minutes Jul 18, 2023 10:15 am On-Site (July 17) –U of I engineers have created a new test makes it possible to predict the durability of cement in minutes rather than the hours needed for traditional testing methodologies. Illinois Supreme Court upholds state law ending cash bail Jul 19, 2023 12:00 pm WLS-AM (July 19) U. of I. law professor Andrew Leipold discusses the implications of the decision, the elimination of cash bail and the measures judges will take to safeguard residents against dangerous suspects. Sweet corn production on a decades-long decline Jul 21, 2023 1:00 pm Modern Farmer (July 20) Cultivars in use now won’t necessarily be the ones performing well in the future, says U of I's Marty Williams. 'It gives you pause – what do we need to be doing now so we can ensure profitability and productivity into the future?' Heat waves may cause humans to slow down. But it gets crickets chirping Jul 24, 2023 11:45 am Nebraska Public Media (July 21) Insects might find themselves out of sync with plants they rely on, says U of I's May Berenbaum. 'If you’re an insect with one host plant and you emerge when the leaves are no longer edible, you’re out of luck.' U of I researchers warn of historic blight in Illinois cucurbit crops Jul 25, 2023 11:00 am FarmWeek (July 25) Plant disease specialists say the infection could wipe out cucurbit crops like pumpkins and cucumbers. 'Start [checking] from the beginning because curing disease is almost impossible but protecting plants is easier.' Solar energy could help purify water, researchers find Jul 26, 2023 11:45 am Engineering & Technology (July 25) U of I research team integrated solar energy into the electrochemical separation process using a semiconductor, demonstrating that water remediation can be powered by renewable energy sources. Why you want bats in your yard — and how to attract them Jul 28, 2023 10:00 am Washington Post (July 27) 'Plant long-lived trees like oaks, which will provide both foraging and roosting habitat,' says Professor Joy O’Keefe. Also, fast-growing trees like pines will provide roosting space under the bark, or in cavities inside dead branches. #FakeTok: How to create your own truth filter for TikTok Jul 31, 2023 10:45 am Chicago Sun-Times (July 27) U. of I. information sciences researcher Rachel Magee says that despite confusing messages circulating on social media, it can be a healthy place for young people to develop ideas and social circles. What's the legacy of Federal Indian Boarding Schools in Illinois? Aug 1, 2023 12:00 pm WNIJ-AM (Aug. 1) Professor Dave Beck describes the legacy of St. Mary’s Training School for Boys in Maryville, Ill., where many Native American children were indoctrinated into white American culture, and where several of them died. Illinois ‘most promising state’ for clean energy investments, Pritzker says Aug 3, 2023 10:00 am The Pantagraph (Aug. 2) Gov. Pritzker was in Decatur for the groundbreaking of a new electric vehicle innovation hub. U of I Chancellor Jones and other university leaders pledged to educate workers for jobs in that bourgeoning industry. Do pre-biotic drinks work? Aug 8, 2023 10:45 am WMEH-FM (Aug. 7) Researchers looked at a range of health issues that a lot of Americans face and found consistently that consuming more fiber led to better health outcomes, says U of I nutrition expert Hannah Holscher. The short, spectacular life of the viral room-temperature superconductivity claim Aug 9, 2023 11:15 am Science (Washington, D.C., Aug. 8) 'I appreciate that the authors took appropriate data and were clear about their fabrication techniques,' says U. of I. physics professor Nadya Mason. Still, she cautions, 'The data seems a bit sloppy.' The world’s full of scams – here’s how they get you Aug 9, 2023 11:15 am KERA-FM (Dallas; Aug. 9) Hindsight is 20/20 after falling for a scam; the trick is avoiding one in the first place. U of I psychology professor Daniel Simons discusses the many ways we get taken for a ride and the faulty thinking that got us there. New study links air pollution to global levels of antibiotic resistance Aug 10, 2023 11:00 am USA Today (Aug 10) Worldwide, deaths already top 5 million per year and are expected to grow into the tens of millions within a few decades. 'We are truly right now in the midst of this crisis,' says U of I microbiologist Brenda Wilson. Is climate change causing more record-breaking hail? Aug 11, 2023 10:15 am Scientific American (Aug. 11) – Enormous hailstones raise the question of whether global warming will intensify hailstorms. 'There are so many factors that go into hail, so that makes it a big challenge to predict,' says U of I's Sonia Lasher-Trapp. Bankruptcy case at Supreme Court: 'The stakes are enormous' Aug 14, 2023 3:45 pm Bloomberg Law (Aug. 11) 'The legality of these non-debtor discharges is one of the most important and consequential issues of bankruptcy law...to ever come before the Supreme Court,” says U of I law professor Ralph Brubaker. Hawaii wildfires are a reminder: Natural disaster risks are everywhere Aug 17, 2023 4:15 pm The Hill (Aug. 15) The lessons of the Maui wildfires and so many natural disasters are that although we can’t control nature, we can control how we prepare for and respond to unexpected natural disasters, writes U of I professor Sheldon Jacobson. LK-99 isn’t a superconductor — how science sleuths solved the mystery Aug 18, 2023 3:00 pm Nature (Aug. 16) Researchers were 'very precise about (the temperature at which LK-99 showed a tenfold drop in resistivity): 104.8 C,' says Prashant Jain, a professor of chemistry at Illinois. 'I was like, wait a minute, I know this temperature.' Staff shortages in schools are here to stay. Here’s why Aug 22, 2023 1:30 pm Education Week (Aug. 18) U of I's Paul Bruno says some job seekers may be wary of working conditions: 'I’m not sure I would look at headlines about supposedly catastrophic school staffing shortages and think that schools are places I’d want to work.' Heat, humidity combining to create conditions at the limits of human survivability Aug 23, 2023 11:00 am NBC News (Aug. 22) Climatologist Trent Ford says of the combination of high heat and humidity: 'It’s a nonlinear process – we can have significant community-scale health impacts at wet-bulb temperatures that are well below that threshold.' Labor unions are pushing hard for double-digit raises, better hours. Many are winning Aug 28, 2023 10:45 am CNBC (Aug. 27) From writers’ rooms to car factories, workers are pressing companies for higher pay and better quality of life. 'The pandemic shook the ground of everybody,' says Robert Bruno, director of the labor studies program at the U. of I. National Labor Relations Board slams union-busting tactics by employers Aug 29, 2023 2:45 pm Courthouse News Service (Aug. 25) NLRB's ruling forces employers found interfering with a union election to immediately recognize the union without a new election. 'It’s more than major. It’s landmark,' says U of I law professor Matthew Finkin. Another presidential portrait: Trump's mug shot Aug 30, 2023 12:15 pm New York Times (Aug. 30) Communication Professor Cara Finnegan writes that in its effect, and in the way its subject has begun to deploy it, Trump's mug shot is the natural evolution of all the images that came before it. New generations gearing up to address climate change Aug 31, 2023 1:30 pm Chicago Tribune (Aug. 30) Trent Ford, Illinois state climatologist based at the U. of I., and Jessie Choate, an academic advisor in atmospheric science at Illinois, comment on students’ growing interest in climate science. Human ancestors nearly went extinct 900,000 years ago Sep 1, 2023 12:00 pm Nature (Aug. 30) A new DNA analysis technique found the population was reduced to just 1,280 and 'put the spotlight on the period 800,000 to one million years ago – for which there is much unknown,' says U of I's Stanley Ambrose. 'Depave' movement: A cooler future means cities with less pavement Sep 5, 2023 1:15 pm The Nation (Aug. 31) 'We’re trying to bring attention to it so that the city will start treating this as a critical part of climate adaptation and social justice,' says landscape architecture professor Mary Pat McGuire, a founder of Depave Chicago. Researchers find new carbon-capture potential in farm fields Sep 6, 2023 11:00 am Farm Week Now (Aug. 31) 'Our results suggest that basalt application to farms could be a win-win for farmers and for the planet, improving yields and drawing down CO2,' says Evan DeLucia, a professor of plant biology at Illinois. Bonuses are a little bit bogus - ask for a raise instead Sep 7, 2023 12:15 pm Vox (Sept. 7) A one-time bonus is not a lasting change to your compensation, and it can be taken away just as easily as it’s given out. 'Merit increases actually provide a higher sense of security and stability,' says Professor Mengjie Lyu. Why is Putin trying to buy weapons from North Korea? Sep 8, 2023 10:45 am WLS-AM (Sept. 7) Political science professor Nicholas Grossman discusses why the Russian president is seeking to purchase weapons from North Korea, alternative supply channels, and the potential outcomes of the Russo-Ukrainian War. Amazon taps U. of I. as artificial intelligence race heats up Sep 11, 2023 11:30 am Chicago Sun Times (Sept. 22) “We want the system to have a sort of brain, a knowledge base … so that it can be more knowledgeable than a lot of humans, for example, and the conversation can be more informative,” says AICE director Heng Ji. Knox testified before Senate committee Sep 14, 2023 2:30 pm Georgia Recorder (Sept. 12) – U. of I. information sciences professor Emily Knox was among the witnesses at a U.S. Senate committee hearing discussing the consequences of book bans and parents’ desire to control what their kids read. Professor of labor and employment relations Michael LeRoy on the Hollywood strike Sep 18, 2023 11:30 am "The Drew Barrymore Show” begins airing new episodes but there will be controversy clinging to its host. “We’re four months approximately into this strike and it’s not surprising that there are defectors,” says Michael LeRoy, a professor of labor and employment relations. COVID vaccines linked to unexpected vaginal bleeding Sep 26, 2023 3:30 pm Nature (Sept. 25) 'Postmenopausal bleeding is often very concerning and a possible sign of cancer. Knowing a patient’s vaccination status could put their bleeding incidence into context,' says U of I professor Kate Clancy. Bunching COVID-19, the flu and RSV as a ‘tripledemic’ is misleading Sep 27, 2023 10:45 am Chicago Tribune (Sept. 27) U. of I. professor Sheldon Jacobson discusses the concerns about the spread of COVID-19, influenza and the respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, this fall and winter. Chancellor Jones is on a mission to help everyone achieve their academic dreams Sep 28, 2023 1:30 pm WLS-AM (audio; Sept. 27) U. of I. Chancellor Robert Jones discusses the future of higher education and scholarship programs at Illinois. As rising temperatures threaten urban wildlife, experts advise protecting green spaces Oct 2, 2023 2:00 pm Chicago Tribune (Oct. 2) Evidence shows fox populations have been decreasing in Illinois for at least a few decades, concerning wildlife managers, according to Eric Schauber, director of the Illinois Natural History Survey at the U of I. Revealing the mysteries of whip-poor-wills - and what it might take to save them Oct 3, 2023 10:30 am Audubon Magazine (Aug. 23) U of I researchers monitor whip-poor-wills in Illinois’ Sand Ridge State Forest - one of the few places they can still be found in the Midwest. Professor Mike Ward hopes to reverse the decline in the whip-poor-will population. Why green air travel will be a lifeline for US corn farmers Oct 4, 2023 3:30 pm Bloomberg Business News (Sept. 26) If ethanol demand for aviation fuel takes off, the market may 'more than make up' for the decline in demand amid the transition to electric vehicles, says U of I ag economist Scott Irwin. What's behind the national surge in book bans? A low-tech website tied to Moms for Liberty Oct 5, 2023 2:45 pm USA Today (Oct. 5) 'The real problem is that people try to say, "I know what's best for the school system, and for the library, and the library should reflect my own values – no matter what the values are of other people in the community."' Why create 'An African American Reflection on the Potawatomi Trail of Death'? Oct 9, 2023 12:45 pm Christian Science Monitor (Oct. 6) 'We read land acknowledgments. ...They sort of say we’re sorry, but they don’t say what happened,' says U of I Professor Latrelle Bright, co-creator of the interactive experience. State population trends higher-paid, more foreign-born, but losing older, Black, rural residents Oct 11, 2023 10:00 am Chicago Tribune (Oct. 10) U of I's Robert Bruno, the director of the Project for Middle Class Renewal, says the state trends suggest it is attracting a more educated workforce. 'That’s an optimistic view of where the state is heading.' Migration trends show stability in Illinois population, growth in its tax base Oct 12, 2023 12:15 pm Illinois Business News (Oct. 11) 'Reports of Illinois’ population decline have been greatly exaggerated by a reliance on political narratives and population estimates over hard data and actual census counts,' says Professor Robert Bruno. Why saying ‘thank you’ in a relationship is more important than you might think Oct 16, 2023 10:00 am Stylist (Oct. 13) 'Gratitude almost seems to be a secret sauce to relationships, says U of I researcher Allen Barton. '...it’s not just about being appreciative for your partner but also about feeling appreciated by your partner.'