blog posts Illinois team discovers a new invasive clam in the U.S. May 1, 2017 9:45 am The new invader is likely not good news for native clams or the river ecosystem as a whole, the researchers said. Illinois technician combines engineering and creativity in a DIY synthesizer Jan 27, 2017 10:30 am Skot Wiedmann creates music on a palm-sized synthesizer he built in just a few hours. He can experiment with sound using his fingers on the surface to create chords and move up and down octaves. Illinois to help protect renewable energy sources - electric vehicles, solar cells, appliance Jun 12, 2017 10:00 am The project leverages the expertise of the Coordinated Sciences Lab, Information Trust Institute to protect against threats to new energy sources susceptible cyberattacks Illinois to lead NSF Midwest Big Data Hub Nov 3, 2015 3:15 pm To accelerate advancements in the rapidly emerging field of big data analysis, the National Science Foundation is establishing four regional Big Data Hubs. The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign will lead the Midwest Hub. Illinois to lead two of seven new national artificial intelligence institutes Aug 26, 2020 8:30 am The University of Illinois will host two new artificial intelligence institutes funded by the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Imagine: Using wearable technology to study gun violence in Chicago Mar 11, 2019 10:15 am Professor Ruby Mendenhall is using big data to look into the lives of twelve African-American mothers in Chicago’s Englewood neighborhood. Immunotherapy trials show promise for treating canine melanoma Aug 8, 2022 10:00 am These novel approaches have yielded encouraging results in canine patients, and human trials using the same therapeutic platforms are expected to begin in 2023. Increased number of female engineers in managerial roles brings unintended consequences Jun 5, 2017 4:00 pm Moving female engineers into managerial roles to foster diversity may create an “intraoccupational segregation” that appears to lead to negative consequences. Increased risk of suicide, mental health conditions linked to sexual assault victimization Aug 9, 2017 8:45 am Data shows having been sexually assaulted is associated with significantly increased risk of anxiety, depression, suicidality, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse... Indigenous scholars confront the power, limitations of genomics Aug 20, 2019 9:15 am Participants learned how to amplify and sequence a fragment of their own DNA, and discussed the implications of genomics research involving their ancestors and communities. Indigenous tribe's worship of tigers makes them great conservationists Nov 20, 2020 1:15 pm Spirituality isn’t usually considered a factor in conservation efforts. But indigenous peoples who worship wildlife may be helping protect endangered species from extinction. Individual quantum dots imaged in 3-D for first time Feb 27, 2018 10:45 am Illinois research team that is first to demonstrate imaging of individual nanoparticles at different orientations while in a laser-induced excited state Industry concentration contributes to job quality erosion, wage stagnation Aug 12, 2020 10:45 am This study reveals that workers in more buyer-constrained industries – that is, industries at the mercy of the financial decisions of powerful buyers – experience lower wages and benefits. Inexpensive, portable detector identifies pathogens in minutes Apr 23, 2020 4:45 pm Researchers have demonstrated an inexpensive yet sensitive smartphone-based testing device for viral and bacterial pathogens that takes about 30 minutes to complete. Infants can distinguish between leaders and bullies, study finds Sep 4, 2018 9:15 am A new study finds that 21-month-old infants can distinguish between respect-based power asserted by a leader and fear-based power wielded by a bully Infants expect leaders to right wrongs, study finds Jul 29, 2019 3:00 pm Infants 17 months of age expect leaders – but not others – to intervene when one member of their group transgresses against another, a new study reveals. Infection in pregnant pigs leads to antisocial piglets Sep 20, 2017 9:15 am When a pregnant woman gets the flu, her immune system's reaction could lead to behavioral disorders like autism in the child. Researchers want to know why In impoverished communities, health care awareness as important as access, affordability Jan 30, 2018 10:00 am 'It turns out that the most critical issue for an NPO is working on community awareness,' said researcher Ujjal Kumar Mukherjee In #MeToo movement, lessons of restorative and transitional justice important Apr 13, 2018 8:30 am 'As the public is trying to come to terms with how to think about violators – from sexual harassers to perpetrators of sexual crimes – we wanted to explore what counts as having made things right' 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. In product design, imagining end user’s feelings leads to more original outcomes Aug 15, 2019 11:30 am When creating products, companies should focus on how the product makes the consumer feel rather than utility, says Profressor Ravi Mehta. In rats, perinatal exposure to phthalates impairs brain structure and function Jul 18, 2018 3:15 pm Rats exposed to phthalates had reductions in the size of their medial prefrontal cortex, a brain region that regulates behavior, and showed deficits in cognitive flexibility Insect protein slows weight gain, boosts health status in obese mice Jul 26, 2023 11:45 am The mice didn't lose weight, 'they just slowed their gain with the mealworms,' says researcher Kelly Swanson. But, 'their LDL, so-called "bad cholesterol," went down and the HDL, "good cholesterol," went up.' 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. Institute for Genomic Biology: Piecing together the LanCL puzzle May 3, 2021 11:00 am These are important proteins, even if we don't know exactly what they do. 'A third of the mice that lack these enzymes die when they are between four to six months old...and we still don’t understand why,' said Professor Jie Chen. Integrating satellite, socioeconomic data to improve climate change policy May 28, 2020 1:00 pm Professor Atul Jain led a study that combined satellite and census data to identify deforestation and expanding saltwater farming as the key physical and socioeconomic drivers of climate change in Bangladesh. Intensive retreat model offers help for veterans with PTSD and their partners Apr 27, 2016 11:30 am Model of a brief, intensive retreat for veterans and their partners shows success in decreasing PTSD symptoms for veterans and distress for their partners. Interdisciplinary theater piece gives glimpse into world of quantum physics Mar 28, 2018 8:45 am 'Quantum Voyages,' an interdisciplinary theater piece created by U of I physics and theatre professors, gives a glimpse into the strange world of quantum physics Intimate partner violence, history of childhood abuse worsen trauma symptoms for new moms Jul 9, 2020 9:15 am Study finds that abuse by a romantic partner during this period is associated with more anxiety, depression, self-harm and sleep disorders. It also found that a history of abuse in childhood appears to worsen the impact of current abuse. In times of ecological uncertainty, brood parasites hedge their bets Aug 21, 2020 8:45 am A new Illinois study finds that in times of environmental flux, brood parasites like cowbirds and cuckoos have evolved to increase host-species diversity. Intoxication brings strangers physically closer, study finds May 10, 2021 3:15 pm 'This finding is particularly important in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic because it suggests that alcohol might facilitate virus transmission and impede the following of social distancing guidelines.' says researcher Laura Gurrieri. Invasive crayfish sabotages its own success, study says Mar 29, 2019 10:30 am For the Ecology study, Illinois' Eric Larson and colleagues analyzed population trends in 17 lakes from 1972 to 2017 and found that about half were experiencing population declines. The reason? Muck. Investigating MRI 'hallucinations' that can lead to misdiagnosis Jan 10, 2022 10:15 am Researchers at the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology and the Computational Imaging Science Laboratory have defined a mathematical framework for identifying hallucinations, a first step toward reducing their frequency. Investigating sustainable international development in Ecuador Jul 11, 2016 11:30 am "The research in Lumbisi, Ecuador, is designed to understand the importance of viewing an engineering project holistically, even if it seems purely technical at first glance," Illinois graduate student Keilin Jahnke writes. Iron catalysts can modify amino acids, peptides to create new drug candidates Aug 1, 2016 12:00 pm researchers have demonstrated that two iron-containing small-molecule catalysts can help turn certain types of amino acids – the building blocks of peptides and proteins – into an array of potential new forms ISAS geophysical survey reveals 13th century village in central Illinois Jun 2, 2016 11:30 am Video: ISAS archaeologists and researchers knew about the site for past 30 years but were unable to determine exactly how large and intact this very important site was. Is conservation aid preventing deforestation? Mar 1, 2016 1:15 pm Study finds conservation aid alone has not been able to counteract deforestation pressures, and in some cases may have even exacerbated forest loss. iSEE researchers develop new powder to combat oil spills in water Feb 14, 2017 7:45 am Most methods for oil cleanup today rely on releasing toxic chemicals into the ecosystem. The NCS particle leaves fish and other aquatic life — as well as humans — unharmed. ISEE's stormwater & mosquito control project has sustainability, human health benefits May 24, 2016 11:00 am Great ideas that reduce breeding environments for mosquitos without requiring more pesticide applications. What do blackberries have to do with it? See the video. Is fusion energy around the corner? Dec 31, 2015 2:00 pm A Minute With...™ U. of I. nuclear engineer Daniel Andruczyk Is the Every Student Succeeds Act an improvement over No Child Left Behind? Dec 14, 2015 11:00 am A Minute With...™ Lizanne DeStefano, professor emerita of educational psychology Is there such a thing as balanced political news? Jul 27, 2020 11:15 am Media bias often lies in the eye of the beholder, researchers say 'Jailbreaking' yeast could increase wine's health benefits, decrease hangovers Mar 26, 2015 9:45 am University of Illinois scientists have engineered a “jailbreaking” yeast that could greatly increase the health benefits of wine while reducing the toxic byproducts that cause your morning-after headache. Jazz-playing robot will provide insight into how computers communicate with humans Oct 14, 2015 11:30 am Can a robot improvise a jazz solo in response to what its human partner is playing? Jeffrey Moore named director of the Beckman Institute May 9, 2017 2:45 pm “Jeff’s research expertise, administrative experience, and dedication to Illinois make him the perfect person to lead the Beckman Institute,” said Peter Schiffer, vice chancellor for research Job of a Congress member not one size fits all, authors find Mar 6, 2018 11:00 am Researchers defined five distinct ways legislators go about their jobs: ‘policy specialist,’ ‘party soldier,’ ‘district advocate,’ ‘party builder’ and ‘ambitious entrepreneur’ Journalists’ Twitter use shows them talking within smaller bubbles Aug 5, 2020 10:30 am Journalists in Washington, D.C., have long been accused of living in a 'Beltway bubble.' Their interactions on Twitter, however, show them congregating in even smaller 'microbubbles,' says a U of I study. Juggling bills may be key at-risk indicator for food insecurity Dec 18, 2017 2:00 pm Data collected from people who visit food pantries show financial coping strategies like pawning posessions or juggling bills can help identify people who are food insecure Juvenile cowbirds sneak out at night, study finds Nov 2, 2015 8:30 am The study found that cowbird juveniles leave the host parents at dusk and spend their nights in nearby fields, returning just after daybreak. 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.