blog posts For anemonefish, male-to-female sex change happens first in the brain Jul 23, 2019 9:30 am The findings, reported in the journal Hormones and Behavior, describe the first known example of an animal undergoing a sex change in the brain before it occurs in the sex organs, the researchers said. Search for new semiconductors heats up with gallium oxide Jul 22, 2019 11:15 am University of Illinois electrical engineers have cleared another hurdle in high-power semiconductor fabrication by adding the field’s hottest material – beta-gallium oxide – to their arsenal. Tornadoes, windstorms pave way for lasting plant invasions Jul 18, 2019 11:30 am High-speed wind storms can cut through massive swaths of forest, destroying trees and wildlife habitat, and opening up opportunities for invasive species to gain ground. Study: Even in competitive markets, shareholders bear burden of corruption Jul 18, 2019 9:15 am While the U.S. traditionally ranks low on worldwide corruption indices, domestic political corruption still imposes substantial costs on U.S. shareholders. Perinatal depression screenings may not detect women having suicidal thoughts, study finds Jul 16, 2019 9:00 am Perinatal depression screenings may overlook a significant proportion of women who are having suicidal thoughts, according to a new study led by social work professor Karen M. Tabb. Are discoveries of small animals in produce really that rare? Jul 11, 2019 11:00 am In 40 media stories (2003 to 2018), frogs, lizards, snakes, mice, birds, and even a bat, were found in salad greens, green beans, or mixed vegetables. Ten of these were alive. A new idea for maintaining communication satellite megaconstellations Jul 11, 2019 10:15 am 'When satellites break, providing a spare quickly is important... In our solution, another orbit that is lower than the actual orbit, which we call the parking orbit; becomes an intermediate warehouse of (spare) satellites.' Scientists transform tobacco into factory for high-value proteins Jul 10, 2019 10:00 am 'This research shows the potential to (produce) medicinal and industrial proteins at costs that are orders of magnitude cheaper than current production methods,' says IGB researcher Justin McGrath. Study: Minimum wage 'an effective tool' for increasing incomes of older workers Jul 10, 2019 8:00 am In an era of rising inequality and aging populations, the effect of the minimum wage on the labor market for older workers is increasingly important, says economics professor Mark Borgschulte. Human waste an asset to economy, environment, study finds Jul 8, 2019 9:45 am Human waste might be an unpleasant public health burden, but scientists at Illinois see sanitation as a valuable facet of global ecosystems and an overlooked source of nutrients, organic material and water. Krannert Art Museum builds world-class collection of Dutch political prints Jun 27, 2019 12:45 pm Krannert Art Museum has amassed the largest museum collection of early modern Dutch political prints outside of Europe, thanks to strategic acquisitions guided by Maureen Warren, KAM’s curator of European and American art. Study urges alternative thinking about African resource extraction issues Jun 27, 2019 12:30 pm Attempts to solve the conflict over resource extraction in sub-Saharan Africa by imposing Western environmental regulations aren’t working. But it’s not for the reasons most experts might suspect, according to a new Illinois study. Beckman Institute purchases animal MRI machine Jun 27, 2019 12:15 pm Eighteen University of Illinois colleges, departments, and schools, along with a generous gift from the Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust, are funding the purchase of a Bruker 9.4 Tesla preclinical animal MRI system. Researchers unveil how soft materials react to deformation at molecular level Jun 24, 2019 12:15 pm In a new study, researchers challenged previous assumptions regarding polymer behavior with newly developed laboratory techniques that measure polymer flow at the molecular level. Phenols in cocoa bean shells may reverse obesity-related problems in mouse cells Jun 20, 2019 2:15 pm Illinois study suggests three phenolic compounds in cocoa bean shells have powerful effects on fat, immune cells in mice, potentially reversing the chronic inflammation, insulin resistance associated with obesity. Parental involvement in children's schooling consistently beneficial, study finds Jun 20, 2019 10:15 am While children benefit emotionally, socially and academically from their parents’ involvement in their schooling, that’s not always the case when parents help with homework. Aggressive, non-native wetland plants squelch species richness more than dominant natives do Jun 19, 2019 9:15 am Even when they dominate a wetland site, native plants, right, tend to coexist with a greater diversity of other native plants than when non-native plants, left, are dominant. Biochar may boost carbon storage, but benefits to germination, growth appear scant Jun 19, 2019 8:00 am Illinois researchers developed a systematic study to test the effectiveness of the soil additive biochar and found that it may not be as effective as previously thought. Great Barrier Reef coral study provides correction factor to global climate records Jun 18, 2019 1:00 pm By combining high-resolution microscopic techniques and geochemical modeling, researchers are using the formational history of Porites coral skeletons to fine-tune the records used to make global climate predictions. Warming Midwest increases likelihood farmers will need to irrigate Jun 18, 2019 9:45 am Illinois researchers found that hotter conditions expected by midcentury will lead to a need for crop irrigation in the Midwest, a region that relies primarily on rainfall to grow crops. Navigating parental rights in juvenile cases fraught with challenges Jun 18, 2019 9:45 am In juvenile justice cases, the parent or guardian isn’t always the best person to guide a child’s legal decisions, says Illinois law prof Margareth Etienne. Study: Irritable bowel syndrome may be underdiagnosed in athletes Jun 13, 2019 1:00 pm About half of the 430 endurance athletes surveyed reported some symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, with some athletes having symptoms severe enough to disrupt their training and competition. Finding the right messages to stop HIV Jun 11, 2019 1:45 pm Almost $7 million in grants helps Dolores Albarracin research how Big Data and social media can fight a deadly epidemic. Chez Center funds research projects aimed at veterans' quality of life Jun 6, 2019 9:15 am Grants from the Chez Veterans Center were awarded to campus research projects that could impact the well-being and quality of life during and after military service for service members, veterans, their families. Researchers develop fast, efficient way to build amino acid chains Jun 6, 2019 8:45 am Illinois researchers developed a new method that streamlines the construction of amino acid building blocks that can be used in a multitude of industrial and pharmaceutical applications. 'Citizen scientists' help track foxes, coyotes in urban areas Jun 4, 2019 9:15 am More foxes and coyotes are adapting to urban landscapes, so scientists are enlisting 'citizen scientists' to report sightings of the canids in their own neighborhoods and parks. Study shows gut microbes are related to mood Jun 3, 2019 10:15 am Having a crummy day at work or feeling overwhelmed at home? Your gut microbes may be related to those negative emotions. NSF funds study of tropical water cycles, impact of climate change Jun 3, 2019 9:45 am Earth is experiencing climate change. How it will affect rainfall remains unknown. 'We don’t truly understand how long term, mean patterns of precipitation and evaporation are going to change,' says Professor Jessica Conroy Construction starting on new Feed Technology Center at Illinois May 31, 2019 1:45 pm 'The Feed Technology Center...will elevate our ability to conduct innovative research while training the next generation of experts in feed science and animal nutrition,' said Dean Kim Kidwell. Study: Teens at greater risk of violence, injury during sexual assaults than previously thought May 30, 2019 10:45 am A recent study of the forensic evidence in 563 sexual assault cases in Massachusetts found 'striking similarities' in the types of injuries and violence experienced by adult and adolescent victims. 'Fettuccine' formations may be a first sign of life on Mars May 29, 2019 8:45 am The bacterium that controls the formation of pasta-like rocks on Earth thrives in harsh environments that are similar to conditions on Mars, said geology professor Bruce Fouke, who led a new, NASA-funded study. Study: New mutations for herbicide resistance rarer than expected May 28, 2019 10:30 am After exposing more than 70 million grain amaranth seeds to a soil-based herbicide, researchers were not able to find a single herbicide-resistant mutant. Digital publishing projects examine Jay-Z's music, Edward P. Jones' fiction May 28, 2019 10:30 am 'We want to develop model projects illustrating how to use multimedia content (to study black culture) that will attract larger audiences to use them.' Artificial photosynthesis transforms carbon dioxide into liquefiable fuels May 22, 2019 3:15 pm Chemists at the University of Illinois have successfully produced fuels using water, carbon dioxide and visible light through artificial photosynthesis. Using Big Data to survey the night sky May 22, 2019 10:00 am 'Researchers will be able to search through the LSST data and look for individual products. If they want to look at a specific part of the sky over 10 years, we’ll be able to do that.' That's not possible today. Illinois croplands provide false sense of security to rabbits, study suggests May 21, 2019 3:15 pm Cottontails relied on crop cover to protect them from their main predators – raptors. But, coyotes have been increasing in the Midwest, and crop cover doesn’t help cottontails when coyotes are in pursuit. Marijuana use among Illinois teens unchanged but 'cool factor' increasing, survey finds May 20, 2019 2:15 pm The number of Illinois teens who reported using marijuana during the past year has remained stable since 2008, but the number of high school seniors who say using it would make peers perceive them as 'cool' doubled. Polymers jump through hoops on pathway to sustainable materials May 17, 2019 11:30 am Recyclable plastics that contain ring-shaped polymers may be a key to developing sustainable synthetic materials. Breakthrough helps farmers grow more food on less land May 16, 2019 2:00 pm An international team is using advanced tools to develop crops that give farmers more options for sustainably producing more food on less land. Researchers accurately predict Australian wheat yield months before harvest May 16, 2019 1:00 pm A new Illinois study published in "Agricultural and Forest Meteorology" shows machine-learning methods can accurately predict wheat yield for the country two months before the crop matures. Mechanics, chemistry and biomedical research join forces for noninvasive tissue therapy May 6, 2019 4:15 pm The new findings, reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, show that high-intensity focused ultrasound waves can penetrate biological tissue to activate molecules able to perform specific tasks. Researchers find protein that suppresses muscle repair in mice May 6, 2019 1:30 pm The discovery, reported in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, could one day lead to new methods for treating disorders that result in muscle weakness and loss of muscle mass, the researchers said. Professor’s history of Coca-Cola also tells larger story of globalization May 6, 2019 9:45 am Coca-Cola’s history is one of innovation in image-making, outsourcing and other now-common practices of global capitalism – and of adapting to challenges from those resisting its practices, says Professor Amanda Ciafone Study examines impact of climate change on Louisiana’s Houma tribe May 2, 2019 9:45 am Social work professor Shanondora Billiot studied of the United Houma Nation’s experiences with climate change and tribe members’ receptivity to activities aimed at helping them adapt. Excessive rainfall as damaging to corn yield as extreme heat, drought Apr 30, 2019 8:30 am Many climate change models predict the Corn Belt will continue to see more intense rainfall events in the spring. Researchers say better risk management plans are needed to deal with those climate scenarios. Chicago Quantum Exchange, IBM Q Network partner to advance quantum computing Apr 26, 2019 3:30 pm Illinois and partners in the CQE will work with IBM Q to explore the field of quantum computing, including materials, fabrication techniques, algorithms, and software and hardware development. Scholars: Estimates of food insecurity among college students problematic Apr 25, 2019 9:45 am A growing body of research suggests food insecurity is prevalent on college campuses. But Illinois experts say detrmining how many college students consistently struggle with having enough to eat is difficult to pin down. Study: Reducing energy required to convert CO2 waste into valuable resources Apr 22, 2019 1:30 pm A review of a new CO2 conversion method finds a way to reduce the cost of making chemical manufacturing carbon-neutral. Study: Drugs reprogram genes in breast tumors to prevent endocrine resistance Apr 22, 2019 1:15 pm Treating breast tumors with two cancer drugs simultaneously may prevent endocrine resistance by attacking the disease along two separate gene pathways, Illinois scientists found. Multistep self-assembly opens door to new reconfigurable materials Apr 18, 2019 1:30 pm Self-assembling synthetic materials come together when tiny, uniform building blocks interact and form a structure. However, nature lets materials like proteins of varying size and shape assemble, allowing for complex architectures that can handle multiple tasks.