blog posts Study: Commercial bumble bee industry amplified a fungal pathogen of bees Apr 4, 2016 2:30 pm Scientists hoping to explain widespread declines in wild bumble bee populations have conducted the first long-term genetic study of Nosema bombi, a key fungal pathogen of honey bees and bumble bees. Microfibers are in the food web in three Lake Michigan rivers Apr 4, 2018 9:00 am As you dine on locally-caught fish, you probably aren’t thinking of that old acrylic sweater or fleece jacket that you wear, wash frequently. But they may be on your plate MFA Exhibition at Krannert Art Museum features student art Apr 6, 2016 4:45 pm The School of Art and Design Master of Fine Arts Exhibition will show the culmination of three years of work by 10 graduate students in art and design. Ancient human fossils from Laos reveal early human diversity Apr 8, 2015 12:00 pm An ancient human skull and a jawbone found a few meters apart in a cave in northern Laos add to the evidence that early modern humans were physically quite diverse, Illinois researchers report. Study: Amygdala encodes 'cooties' and 'crushes' in the developing brain Apr 9, 2015 2:45 pm Illinois scientists have found a signal in the brain that reflects young children’s aversion to members of the opposite sex (the “cooties” effect) and also their growing interest in opposite-sex peers as they enter puberty. New study shows how oxygen transfer is altered in diseased lung tissue Apr 9, 2020 12:45 pm The study establishes a new framework for observing the elusive connection between lung membranes, oxygen flow and related disease. Tackling a mysterious disease afflicting snakes Apr 11, 2017 9:15 am “Before this, nobody had nebulized a snake. When I told my veterinary colleagues...what I was planning, they said, ‘That’s never going to work.’” Protected tropical forest sees major bird declines over 40 years Apr 11, 2022 11:15 am Deep in a Panamanian rain forest, bird populations have been quietly declining for 44 years. A new U of I-led study shows a whopping 70% of understory bird species declined 1977 and 2020. And most are down by half or more. Study of sleep apps finds room for improvement Apr 12, 2017 8:00 am An analysis of phone-based sleep apps finds that while most help users set sleep-related goals, track, sleep, few make use of other methods known to help 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. Hunting the origins of the detective story Apr 13, 2016 12:15 pm "Many of our assumptions about literary genres emerged only in the last two centuries,” says English professor Ted Underwood Loss of senses of smell, taste could identify COVID-19 carriers Apr 14, 2020 4:00 pm Prof Yanina Pepino is a member of a global group researching the loss of smell, taste among people with respiratory illnesses such as COVID-19 to determine whether that impairment can predient who might be carriers. 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. Team measures puncture performance of viper fangs Apr 17, 2019 8:30 am A team that studies how biological structures such as cactus spines and mantis shrimp appendages puncture living tissue has turned its attention to viper fangs. ‘Mobilization fatigue’ leads to diminishing returns for labor-backed voter turnout drives Apr 18, 2016 9:00 am Study finds repeated voter contact across multiple election cycles can yield diminishing returns and eventually lead to “mobilization fatigue” if voters are contacted too often. Q&A: COVID-19's impact on green spaces Apr 20, 2020 1:30 pm Recreation, Sport and Tourism professor Bill Stewart discusses parks and green spaces in a post-COVID-19 world. NSF director announces $40M in awards for U of I projects Apr 21, 2022 1:15 pm Federally funded research at the nation’s universities creates new companies, industries, opportunities, and jobs—and the tech-savvy, educated workforce needed to fill them. In the state of Illinois, the impact is significant. Illinois study: Backyards, urban parks support bird diversity in unique ways Apr 22, 2024 8:00 am Birds rely on public and private spaces in different seasons and for different reasons, U of I researchers report in a new study. Hummingbirds show up when tropical trees fall down Apr 24, 2020 3:15 pm 'Given the sheer size of this gap (in the landscape), it acted as a sort of magnet, pulling in species from potentially kilometers away. I mean, 16 snowy-bellied hummingbirds and we've never caught one before? It’s pretty astounding.' 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. Parents' reactions while helping with math shape young children's achievement Apr 25, 2022 11:30 am When math homework with their parents is fraught with negativity such as parental feelings of frustration or ineptitude, children are less likely to enjoy math and tackle challenging math problems. Paper: Contract law can be a mechanism of empowerment Apr 26, 2016 12:30 pm A new paper by University of Illinois legal scholar Robin B. Kar offers a novel interpretation of contract law, called “contract as empowerment.” 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. Prosthetic arms can provide controlled sensory feedback Apr 28, 2018 4:00 pm 'We no longer want the prosthetic hand to feel like a tool, we want it to feel like an extension of the body,' said Aadeel Akhtar, an M.D./Ph.D. student in the neuroscience program Spinal cord gives bio-bots walking rhythm Apr 28, 2020 11:45 am Miniature biological robots are making greater strides than ever, thanks to the spinal cord directing their steps. Illinois researchers have been the first to innervate them with rat spinal cord segments. People of color hardest hit by air pollution from nearly all sources Apr 28, 2021 1:15 pm Study that finds that nearly all major emissions categories contribute to the systemic air pollution exposure disparity experienced by people of color. Beckman’s new micro-CT scanner first in the nation with life science applications Apr 30, 2024 11:30 am With microscopic computed tomography, also known as micro-CT or X-ray microscopy, researchers apply CT techniques to reconstruct samples as tiny and delicate as collagen and insect antennae. CSL crowdsourcing algorithms aim to lift people from poverty May 3, 2016 1:45 pm Researchers led by CSL Assistant Professor Lav Varshney have built algorithms that more efficiently match employees to jobs that complement their talents. Previously unrecognized tsunami hazard identified in coastal cities May 3, 2021 3:15 pm A new study found overlooked tsunami hazards related to undersea, near-shore strike-slip faults, especially for coastal cities adjacent to faults that traverse inland bays. New book examines role of children’s writing in creating their childhoods May 4, 2016 12:15 pm A primary theme across the cases studies in the collection is the ways in which children create their own childhoods, whether real or imagined, through writing and drawing. Nerves prompt muscle to release factors that boost brain health May 6, 2024 2:30 pm U of I researchers examined the effect of nerve stimulation on muscle secretion of brain-boosting factors. The nerves trigger the muscle to release hormones and mRNA packages that foster gowth, connection between neurons in the brain. Study: First Amendment offers scant protection for professors May 9, 2016 1:30 pm When academics litigate speech disputes with colleges and universities, they end up losing nearly three-quarters of the time – reflecting the growing tension between academic freedom and campus speech codes. One of the world’s largest digital libraries opens doors to text-mining scholars May 9, 2016 4:15 pm The HathiTrust Research Center, a cooperative service of Indiana University, the University of Illinois, and HathiTrust, will support computational research on the entire collection of one of the world’s largest digital libraries. Blog: Coring and exploring ancient Maya life May 15, 2016 9:15 am Openings in the earth, such as water bodies, served as portals to the underworld and a means through which the Maya communicated with gods and ancestors. Poor soils lose carbon regardless of crop residue and nitrogen inputs May 15, 2023 11:45 am Many farmers think if they add plenty of nitrogen fertilizer, that nitrogen and carbon will be stored in the soil as organic matter when microbes decompose crop residue. New U of I research suggests those efforts might not work for poor soils. Three faculty elected to the American Geophysical Union May 16, 2016 1:45 pm Fellows are named for exceptional contributions to earth and space sciences as valued by their peers. This honor is bestowed on only 0.1 percent of the membership in any given year. Chatbots can support behavior change (for those ready to act) May 16, 2024 10:45 am Large language model-based chatbots can’t effectively recognize users’ motivation when they'[re hesitant about making healthy behavior changes, but they can support those who are committed to take action, say U of I researchers. 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. Environmental contaminants alter gut microbiome, health May 21, 2020 10:15 am U of I scientists review the research linking dozens of environmental chemicals to changes in the gut microbiome and associated health challenges. Human trials of cancer drug PAC-1 continue with new investment May 24, 2016 1:00 pm The FDA also granted PAC-1 orphan drug status for the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme, a deadly brain cancer. Some steps in the approval process are aided or expedited for orphan drugs. What's in my milk? Truth v. myth May 25, 2017 10:00 am What are the facts about milk, and what claims are based on faulty information or misunderstanding? Join us for a Twitter chat on June 22 from noon to 1 p.m. CT with ACES expert Dr. Jim Drackley. Geology helps map kidney stone formation from tiny to troublesome May 25, 2021 2:00 pm Advanced microscope technology and cutting-edge geological science are giving new perspectives to an old medical mystery: How do kidney stones form, why are some people more susceptible to them and can they be prevented? Dog flu vaccine may not be effective against new flu strain May 27, 2015 9:15 am "One of the first questions veterinarians had about this outbreak was whether the canine influenza vaccines available in the United States would protect against the newly emerged strain." - Dr. Gail Scherba, veterinary virologist Study: Two ancient populations that diverged in the Americas later ‘reconverged’ May 31, 2018 2:00 pm It was previously thought that the first people in the Americas split into northern, southern branches, and that the southern branch alone gave rise to all ancient populations in Central and South America Digital age creates challenges for public libraries in providing patron privacy May 31, 2023 12:15 pm 'In today's digital age, the responsibility to safeguard patron privacy becomes notably more challenging, and respondents expressed concerns about libraries lacking the necessary tools, budget, and expertise to fulfill this mandate.' Genome-editing proteins seek and find with a slide and a hop Jun 1, 2015 10:00 am University of Illinois researchers have observed how one set of genome-editing proteins finds its specific targets, which could help them design better gene therapies to treat disease. Herbs, spices on vegetables may increase their appeal to men, young adults Jun 2, 2017 10:45 am People who seldom ate vegetables at lunch were 1.5 times more likely to select a seasoned vegetable than its unseasoned counterpart Genetic study shakes up the elephant family tree Jun 6, 2017 8:30 am A new study reconfigures the elephant family tree, placing a giant extinct elephant closer to the African forest elephant than to the Asian elephant, which was once thought to be its closest living relative Blog: Mapping the state budget impasse and its consequences Jun 7, 2016 12:45 pm Melissa Heil, a graduate student studying geography at the University of Illinois, collected data from numerous agency reports to build the Illinois Atlas of Austerity website. Researchers develop probe to assess prostate cancer aggressiveness Jun 10, 2020 2:15 pm 'Our technique would be a way to address the needs for active surveillance when patients are diagnosed with a low-grade cancer and are left with limited tools to observe the switch from indolent to aggressive disease where treatment is needed.'