blog posts Study finds green spaces linked to lower racial disparity in COVID-19 infection rates Apr 28, 2021 11:15 am Several factors could be at play. Researchers proposed that a greater proportion of green spaces makes it more likely that Black and white individuals have more equal access to the green spaces and the accompanying health benefits. Study: Spring forest flowers likely a key to bumble bee survival Apr 28, 2021 9:00 am The scarcity of early season flowers in forests – a primary food source for bumble bees in spring – likely endangers the queen bees’ ability to start their nesting season and survive until other floral resources become available, researchers say. Geographies of death: COVID health disparities in Greater Santiago Apr 27, 2021 9:00 am People up to age 40 living in economically depressed municipalities in the Greater Santiago, Chile, metropolitan area were three times more likely to die as a result of the infection than their counterparts in wealthier areas, researchers report. COVID-19 mobility restrictions effective for short duration, study finds Apr 22, 2021 4:45 pm Attempts at restricting people’s mobility to control the spread of COVID-19 may be effective only for a short period, researchers said. Public school speech case is potential watershed moment for cyberbullying Apr 19, 2021 8:30 am U of I professor says an upcoming U.S. Supreme Court case will be a major test of the First Amendment rights of K-12 public school students as well as the authority of administrators to discipline students for cyberbullying. Channel migration plays leading role in river network evolution, study finds Apr 14, 2021 1:00 pm Illinois researchers developed a new model that can help land use and infrastructure planners understand what today’s rivers might look like millions of years into the future. Suppression of COVID-19 peaks reflect time-dependent social activity, not herd immunity Apr 14, 2021 9:00 am Researchers showed that a temporary state of collective immunity - 'transient collective immunity' - emerged during early, fast-paced stages of the epidemic. But subsequent surges continued to appear because of changing social behaviors. Social comparisons with similar people determine income's effect on happiness Apr 13, 2021 10:45 am The ability to compare ourselves with people of similar backgrounds, both people who earn more and others who earn less, determines how our income affects our happiness – not the absolute amount we earn. Young adults may provide care for older relatives much more frequently than thought Apr 12, 2021 10:00 am The vast majority of respondents – 72% – stated that caregiving would or did negatively impact their educational or career goals. However, many who had acted as caretakers described rewarding aspects as well. Team cracks eggs for science Apr 8, 2021 9:45 am Illinois researchers assess the factors that a bird must overcome to pierce a foreign egg and remove it from its nest. The study is relevant to the hosts of avian brood parasites, which lay their eggs in other birds’ nests. Muon g-2 experiment strengthens evidence of new physics Apr 7, 2021 3:15 pm U of I scientists played leading role in paradigm-shifting experiment that found muons behave in a way that is not predicted by scientists’ best theory, the Standard model of particle physics. Study links prenatal phthalate exposure to altered information processing in infants Apr 6, 2021 1:30 pm Most of the findings involved slower information processing among infants with higher phthalate exposure, with males more likely to be affected depending on the chemical involved and the order of information presented to the infants. New 3D microbatteries stand up to industry standard thin-film counterparts Apr 5, 2021 9:30 am U of I researchers have introduced a fabrication process that builds microbatteries with thick, 3D electrodes using lithography and electrodeposition. The prototype shows the highest peak power density of any reported microbatteries. Repeal of Clean Power Plan had economic, environmental consequences Apr 2, 2021 10:15 am 'We find the repeal of the CPP imposed significant economic costs and environmental damages in the form of additional greenhouse gas emissions in the next decade,' says Professor Madhu Khanna. Hubble Space Telescope spots double quasars in merging galaxies Apr 1, 2021 10:30 am 'We estimate that in the distant universe, for every 1,000 quasars, there is one double quasar,' astronomer Yue Shen said. 'So finding these double quasars is like finding a needle in a haystack.' Illinois composer's new work depicts pandemic experience Apr 1, 2021 9:45 am 'Beethoven would depict thunderstorms along the banks of a creek. Now we could depict the molecular dynamics of water,' says composer Stephen Andrew Taylor. 'It’s a modern updating of a very ancient musical representation.' Partisan media sites may not sway opinions, but erode trust in mainstream press Mar 29, 2021 3:30 pm Increased exposure to partisan media online may have little effect on readers’ political views, but it does undermine their trust and confidence in the mainstream press, communication professor JungHwan Yang and his co-authors found. Machine learning helps spot gait problems in individuals with multiple sclerosis Mar 29, 2021 11:15 am Illinois researchers have developed a machine-learning algorithm that could help doctors spot gait problems in people with multiple sclerosis and determine if they are a result of the disease or healthy aging. Study: Rapid bulk-testing for COVID-19 key to reopening universities Mar 29, 2021 11:00 am A new paper by business professors Ujjal Kumar Mukherjee and Sridhar Seshadri shows that rapid bulk-testing for COVID-19 along with mask-wearing and social distancing were keys to successfully reopening college campuses during the pandemic. Illinois poet's new work uses Gettysburg battlefield to reflect on race, national identity Mar 29, 2021 10:00 am Professor Christopher Kempf’s poems were influenced by the language on the monuments at Gettysburg National Military Park, as well as letters written by soldiers who fought at Gettysburg and eyewitness accounts of the battle. Illinois researchers to digitally preserve history of live musical performances Mar 26, 2021 1:00 pm Illinois researchers are working with researchers in the U.K. to create a digital archive of the history of live musical performances. Fast-acting, color-changing molecular probe senses when material nears failure Mar 25, 2021 11:00 am Materials that contain these new mechanophores could someday be used as stress sensors to enable researchers to study the effects of stress on materials before they fail. More protein doesn't mean more strength in resistance-trained middle-aged adults Mar 25, 2021 9:45 am A 10-week muscle-building and dietary program involving middle-aged adults found no evidence that eating a high-protein diet increased strength or muscle mass more than consuming a moderate amount of protein while training. Women, minority representation on Illinois corporate boards lags, study says Mar 25, 2021 9:30 am 'A handful of companies are doing well in board member diversity, but we found that women and most racial and ethnic minority groups aren’t equally represented proportional to their representation in the state,' says Professor Eunmi Mun. Astronomers image magnetic fields at the edge of a black hole Mar 24, 2021 9:00 am The Event Horizon Telescope collaboration has revealed how a black hole looks in polarized light. This is the first time astronomers have been able to measure polarization, a signature of magnetic fields, this close to the edge of a black hole. Electronic health record system increases clinicians' cognitive workload, study finds Mar 22, 2021 4:00 pm Clinicians’ cognitive workloads more than doubled during the first six months after a new electronic health records system was implemented at two of Carle Health System’s urgent care clinics. Biography of Egyptian queen shows her influence on Cairo's architecture Mar 22, 2021 1:00 pm A woman born into slavery in 13th-century Egypt broke the glass ceiling of the time to become a sultan and changed the look of Cairo with her innovative architectural projects. New book studies intersection of psychology, environmental law Mar 22, 2021 9:00 am 'It’s difficult for people to make decisions about how they relate to the environment, because it’s hard for them to know what the impacts of their own actions are going to be when the effects will be felt thousands of miles away, and perhaps decades in the future.' Microscope that detects individual viruses could power rapid diagnostics Mar 19, 2021 1:30 pm A fast, low-cost technique to see, count viruses or proteins from a sample in real time, without chemicals or dyes, could underpin a new class of devices for rapid diagnostics and viral load monitoring, including HIV and the virus that causes COVID-19. Youth opioid use linked with other substance misuse, mental health issues Mar 19, 2021 1:30 pm A new Illinois study provides insights on opioid usage patterns among Illinois high school students to help inform prevention and treatment strategies. Illinois researchers among first recipients of new NEH-UK digital scholarship grants Mar 19, 2021 9:45 am A team of musicologists, computer scientists and jazz archivists will build 'smart' search capacities based on music information-retrieval algorithms to allow for automated transcription, melodic pattern analysis of audio collections in jazz archives. Study: Black bears are eating pumas' lunch Mar 19, 2021 9:30 am 'When a bear pushes a puma off of a carcass, the puma runs away, and the bear eats the deer. The puma then has to make another kill in order to get the energy it needs,' says Illinois Natural History Survey researcher Max Allen. Not just CO2: Rising temperatures also alter photosynthesis in a changing climate Mar 16, 2021 9:45 am Excessive heat can reduce the efficiency of enzymes that drive photosynthesis and can hinder plants’ ability to regulate CO2 uptake and water loss, the researchers write. Could super-charged cattle embryos solve world food challenges? Mar 12, 2021 11:15 am Researchers leading the University of Illinois-Chessie Creek Farm Tropical-Adapted Cattle Project have successfully bred animals that thrive in hot climates and produce 10 times the milk of indigenous breeds. 'Hunker down' stress genes boosted in women who live in violent neighborhoods Mar 11, 2021 9:45 am The chronic stress of living in neighborhoods with high rates of violence and poverty alters gene activity in immune cells, according to a new study of low-income single Black mothers on the South Side of Chicago. Personal charitable donation budgets flexible in aftermath of deadly storms Mar 11, 2021 8:30 am A new paper from U of I experts finds that, in the aftermath of catastrophic tornadoes, charitable giving to alleviate an unanticipated event doesn’t necessarily crowd out monetary donations to other causes. Study compares discrimination claims of younger and older Americans with cancer Mar 10, 2021 8:30 am Researchers assessed the employment discrimination claims made by younger and older American adults with cancer and found substantial differences in the nature – and outcomes – of their claims. 'Whiteness' undermines efforts to address systemic racism in public education Mar 9, 2021 4:00 pm An Illinois study suggests that training for educational leaders should critically and thoroughly examine racism in public education and teach the skills educators need to address the bias and inequities they encounter in schools. Veterans see positive changes in emotional resilience after intervention Mar 9, 2021 8:30 am A six-week training program designed to strengthen resilience against emotional distress in military veterans was associated with positive changes in brain function and increased confidence in their ability to regulate emotions. Cheap, nontoxic carbon nanodots poised to be quantum dots of the future Mar 8, 2021 2:45 pm Illinois researchers have demonstrated that economical carbon-based quantum dots emit enough light when excited to eventually replace the expensive and toxic metal quantum dots used in many health and electronics applications. Author looks at portrayals of slavery beyond questions of freedom Mar 2, 2021 9:45 am Professor Christopher Freeburg's book, 'Counterlife: Slavery After Resistance and Social Death,' argues that scholars should look at the lives and creativity of slaves more broadly than whether their actions led to freedom. Division of labor within regenerating liver maintains metabolism, mouse study finds Mar 1, 2021 4:15 pm The liver has a rare superpower among body organs – the ability to regenerate. It even continues its work of removing metabolites and toxins during the process of regeneration. But how? Virtual reality program lessens physical side effects of hemodialysis Feb 25, 2021 9:30 am Patients in a study who used a virtual reality program to engage in a mindfulness/meditation exercise reported fewer side effects such as fatigue, lightheadedness and nausea related to their hemodialysis treatments. Short-term climate modeling forecasts drought for Southeast US Feb 25, 2021 9:15 am Drought forecasting, typically performed at the multi-decade scale, is getting a makeover by Illinois researchers who focus on short-term models that stress the urgency of drought risk in the U.S. to help inform policymakers now. Rediscovered journal brings unique perspective on Atlantic slave trade Feb 24, 2021 11:30 am A German barber-surgeon who worked on slave ships kept a journal. 300 years later, 'It bears straightforward witness to the commodification of human life and to the banality of evil,' write the authors of a book based on that journal. Research advances in aggressive brain cancer leads to $3M award Feb 24, 2021 9:45 am Their research which will unite the fields of cell biology, bioengineering, and chemistry behind cancer drug development to fight glioblastoma. ‘Plastics don’t ever go away’: John Scott studies impact of microplastics Feb 24, 2021 9:45 am 'They’re always out there. If I analyze something that doesn’t have microplastics in it, I think there’s something wrong,' says Illinois Sustainable Technology Center researcher John Scott. Simple fish hook change creates real conservation impact Feb 19, 2021 12:45 pm Circle hooks almost always hook fish in the corner of their mouths, rather than in gills, eyes, or down into the fish’s stomach. They are far easier on fish. And for catch-and-release fishing and for fish conservation in general, that’s a big deal. Preschoolers with higher cardiorespiratory fitness do better on cognitive tests Feb 18, 2021 9:30 am Researchers report that 4-6-year-old children who walk farther than their peers during a timed test – a method used to estimate cardiorespiratory health – also do better on cognitive tests and other measures of brain function. Paper: STEM skills gap modest among IT help desk workers Feb 18, 2021 9:15 am 'When people generically bemoan skills gaps, they’re often parroting unverified talking points. They’re only focusing on the supply side, the availability of workers...while ignoring the role of firms and their influence on the demand side.'