blog posts Researchers develop tiny thermometer to take fast temperatures in cells Aug 29, 2019 2:15 pm With a tiny new thermometer probe that can quickly measure temperature inside of a cell, Illinois researchers have illuminated a mysterious aspect of metabolism: heat generation. New study links anxiety, the brain's orbitofrontal cortex, and optimism Sep 22, 2015 11:30 am The new analysis offers the first evidence that optimism plays a mediating role in the relationship between the size of the OFC and anxiety. New center to use high-performance computing in hypersonic propulsion research Oct 1, 2020 4:15 pm The U.S. Department of Energy is providing $17 million over five years to fund a new Center for Exascale-enabled Scramjet Design at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Political chatter and the social media effect Nov 25, 2020 12:00 pm Social media users who have the most interest and most extreme attitudes – from either political perspective – typically share the most content. But they're not likely to sway many people. Gene mutation leads to epileptic encephalopathy symptoms, neuron death in mice Dec 20, 2021 8:00 am Mice with a genetic mutation that’s been observed in patients with epileptic encephalopathy exhibit not only the seizure, developmental and behavioral symptoms of the disorder, but also neural degeneration and inflammation in the brain. 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. Energy sorghum may combine best of annual, perennial bioenergy crops Jan 7, 2021 1:00 pm Study finds that energy sorghum behaves more like miscanthus in its efficient use of light and water. It has higher nitrogen emissions like maize, but researchers believe careful fertilizer management could reduce those levels. Project embeds computer science lessons in math instruction for K-5 students Feb 2, 2016 1:00 pm “Computing education is literacy for the 21st century, and that’s why we have to provide it in all grades and to as broad a range of students as possible,” said co-principal investigator George Reese. NIFA grant project aims to improve food safety testing for leafy greens Feb 8, 2021 12:45 pm The main pathogen related to leafy greens is E. coli. Current testing involves collecting samples from the field and sending them to a lab for testing. That may catch major contamination issues, but smaller-scale events are often undetected. Study identifies key regulator of cell differentiation Feb 21, 2022 3:15 pm Embryonic stem cells and other pluripotent cells divide rapidly and have the capacity to become nearly any cell type in the body. U of I researchers report that they have identified a key regulator of this process. Chemists identify structure of protein that forms fibrils in Parkinson's patients Mar 27, 2016 11:30 am Armed with this knowledge, researchers can identify specific targets for diagnosis and treatment. 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. 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. 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. Growing mountains or shifting ground: What is going on in Earth’s inner core? May 12, 2020 11:30 am Exhaustive seismic data from repeating earthquakes and new data-processing methods have yielded the best evidence yet that the Earth’s inner core is rotating. Photos more credible, cartoons more persuasive May 15, 2017 2:45 pm If you’re creating a message to educate, inform, or persuade, don’t underestimate the power of a well-executed cartoon. Expert: State of Illinois’ middle class shrinking May 22, 2017 10:00 am A new report from a University of Illinois expert in urban development and local economies found that the share of middle-income households in the state of Illinois has fallen steadily from nearly 60 percent in 1970 to below 50 percent in the current, post-Great Recession period. Asian tiger mosquito gains ground in Illinois Jun 4, 2020 12:45 pm Researchers report that the Asian tiger mosquito has become more abundant across Illinois in the past three decades. Its spread is problematic, as the mosquito can transmit diseases – like chikungunya or dengue fever – to humans. 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. 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. 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. Use of tobacco pipes by Native groups tells story of regional diversity Jun 23, 2021 9:45 am A study of pipes recovered from Hopewell sites in Illinois, Ohio reveals that the manufacture, import, export and use of pipestone pipes varied significantly between the groups, even though they engaged in trade with one another. Frequent COVID-19 testing key to efficient, early detection, study finds Jun 30, 2021 9:30 am Study: The chance of detecting the COVID-19 virus increases with more frequent testing, no matter the type of test. Used every 3 days with rapid reporting, both polymerase chain reaction and antigen tests can achieve 98% sensitivity. New book argues local newspapers bear brunt of media's increasing elitism Jul 6, 2021 11:45 am A new book by U of I journalism professor Nikki Usher examines how the news media, and local newspapers in particular, are becoming increasingly focused on serving wealthy, white and politically liberal news consumers. Midwest collaboration, led by IQUIST, awarded $25 million quantum information institute Jul 21, 2020 10:15 am The NSF Quantum Leap Challenge Institute for Hybrid Quantum Architectures and Networks will span three Midwest research powerhouses: the University of Illinois, University of Chicago, and the University of Wisconsin. Research could save years of breeding for new Miscanthus biofuel hybrids Jul 28, 2020 11:45 am 'The method we’re using, genomic selection, can shorten the time it takes to breed a new hybrid by at least half,' says Marcus Olatoye, postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Crop Sciences at Illinois. “That’s the overall goal.” Study links protecting Indigenous peoples' lands to greater nonhuman primate biodiversity Aug 10, 2022 1:30 pm Researchers found that areas managed by Indigenous peoples tend to have much more primate biodiversity than nearby regions, and that primates whose territories overlap with Indigenous areas are less likely to be classified as threatened. Post-workout muscle building and repair blunted in obese adults, study finds Aug 28, 2018 8:30 am New study shows 'there is an obesity-related impairment in building new muscle proteins in the fed state after a weightlifting session' Study: Action-oriented goals produce higher probability of purchases under tight deadlines Sep 9, 2019 8:00 am If you want sell a product or service quickly, it helps to try a busy consumer, says new research co-written by U. of I. psychology professor Dolores Albarracin. Cell-autonomous immunity shaped human evolution Sep 9, 2020 11:15 am Every human cell harbors its own defenses against microbial invaders, relying on strategies that date back to some of the earliest events in the history of life. Understanding it is essential to understanding human evolution and medicine. Team discovers invasive-native crayfish hybrids in Missouri Oct 8, 2021 9:45 am A study of the Current River in southeastern Missouri, revealed – almost by chance – that the virile crayfish, Faxonius virilis, was interbreeding with a native crayfish, potentially altering the native’s genetics, life history and ecology. Distracted learning a big problem, golden opportunity for educators, students Oct 13, 2020 12:00 pm Although experts say using electronic media while doing schoolwork negatively impacts learning, many students believe they’re immune to any ill effects because they’re good multitaskers, says Professor Shelly Schmidt. Satellite launch brings global quantum internet one step closer Oct 14, 2021 9:30 am Nanosatellite CAPSat, deployed into orbit yesterday from the International Space Station, will test built-in maintenance of quantum communication detectors in space. Historian finds a frail humanity in personal accounts of life under Nazi occupation Oct 17, 2016 12:30 pm “I really try to stay at the street level. I try to get into the stairwells, try to watch people watching their neighbors through windows, onto courtyards.” In the process, he finds much despair, self-absorption and selfishness. Study: Political polarization increasingly seeping into nonpolitical social situations Oct 28, 2021 8:00 am Professor Thomas Rudolph: 'On the one hand, it’s reassuring that partisan polarization in social settings is not as pronounced as it is in political settings. On the other hand, the fact that such polarization exists at all in social settings is somewhat troubling.' The cornfield death march Nov 3, 2016 12:30 pm So here we are, drenched in sweat, and only two-thirds of the way to finishing the task at hand...the dew point is in the upper 70s and my phone app tells me that the heat index is well north of 100 degrees. Study tracks elephant tusks from 16th century shipwreck Dec 17, 2020 10:15 am In 1533, the Bom Jesus trading vessel carrying more than 100 elephant tusks sank near present-day Namibia. The wreck was found in 2008, and U of I scientists now have determined the source of much of the ivory recovered from the ship. 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. Agricultural fungicide attracts honey bees, study finds Jan 8, 2018 9:00 am Reserachers found that honey bees have a slight preference for food laced with the fungicide chlorothalonil at certain concentrations Study: Religion, psychology share methods for reducing distress Jan 8, 2021 8:45 am Religious people facing life crises rely on emotion-regulation strategies that psychologists also use, a new study finds. They look for positive ways of thinking about hardship, a practice psychologists call 'cognitive reappraisal.' Troubled waters: The dangers facing the world's major rivers Jan 18, 2019 4:45 pm 'Prioritizing the fate of the world’s great river corridors on an international political stage is imperative,' writes geology professor Jim Best U. of I. Library's unique collection of Indian comic books Feb 5, 2015 9:30 am South Asian Studies librarian Mara Thacker began collecting Indian comics for the University of Illinois in 2012, and its libraries now have what she believes is the largest collection of Indian comics in North America. Mysterious organic scum boosts chemical reaction efficiency, may reduce chemical waste Feb 5, 2021 11:45 am This discovery brings a new fundamental understanding of catalytic chemistry and a steppingstone to practical applications that could someday make chemical manufacturing less wasteful and more environmentally sound. Tumor-targeting system uses cancer’s own mechanisms to betray its location Feb 14, 2017 9:30 am By hijacking a cancer cell’s own metabolism, researchers have found a way to tag and target elusive cancers with small-molecule sugars. This opens treatment pathways for cancers... Study finds 'staggering increase' in methamphetamine deaths tied to opioid co-use Feb 20, 2023 9:30 am A new study led by U of I professor Rachel Hoopsick finds a fiftyfold increase in methamphetamine deaths since 1999 may be the deadly result of the contamination or co-use of meth with opioids like heroin and fentanyl. Deer protected from deadly disease by newly discovered genetic differences Feb 23, 2023 11:15 am 'This is the first time this gene has been sequenced completely in white-tailed deer. ...without the sequences, there's no starting point to do any kind of research,' says Animal Sciences Professor Alfred Roca. Cyberslug: Virtual predator is self-aware, behaves like the real thing Mar 1, 2018 10:30 am Illinois scientists have built an AI ocean predator that reacts to food and responds to members of its own kind much like an actual sea slug Prof's book tells of early Antarctic explorations, continent's connection to climate Mar 2, 2020 8:30 am Gillen D’Arcy Wood explores the environmental history of Antarctica through early expeditions and finds that humans are intimately tied to the continent that sets the global thermostat. Wealthy donors, think tanks major influences on education policy Mar 11, 2016 3:00 pm Wealthy philanthropists are mobilizing networks of resources that sway public opinion and shepherd into law education policies that may have little research evidence to back them up Take Zika seriously, but its main carrier isn't as far north as Illinois Mar 18, 2016 1:00 pm Illinois entomologist Brian Allen has been following Zika since its outbreak and is currently working on research proposals to further explore causes and preventions of the virus