blog posts Amazon taps U. of I. as artificial intelligence race heats up Sep 11, 2023 11:30 am Chicago Sun Times (Sept. 22) “We want the system to have a sort of brain, a knowledge base … so that it can be more knowledgeable than a lot of humans, for example, and the conversation can be more informative,” says AICE director Heng Ji. Why is Putin trying to buy weapons from North Korea? Sep 8, 2023 10:45 am WLS-AM (Sept. 7) Political science professor Nicholas Grossman discusses why the Russian president is seeking to purchase weapons from North Korea, alternative supply channels, and the potential outcomes of the Russo-Ukrainian War. Bonuses are a little bit bogus - ask for a raise instead Sep 7, 2023 12:15 pm Vox (Sept. 7) A one-time bonus is not a lasting change to your compensation, and it can be taken away just as easily as it’s given out. 'Merit increases actually provide a higher sense of security and stability,' says Professor Mengjie Lyu. Researchers find new carbon-capture potential in farm fields Sep 6, 2023 11:00 am Farm Week Now (Aug. 31) 'Our results suggest that basalt application to farms could be a win-win for farmers and for the planet, improving yields and drawing down CO2,' says Evan DeLucia, a professor of plant biology at Illinois. 'Depave' movement: A cooler future means cities with less pavement Sep 5, 2023 1:15 pm The Nation (Aug. 31) 'We’re trying to bring attention to it so that the city will start treating this as a critical part of climate adaptation and social justice,' says landscape architecture professor Mary Pat McGuire, a founder of Depave Chicago. Human ancestors nearly went extinct 900,000 years ago Sep 1, 2023 12:00 pm Nature (Aug. 30) A new DNA analysis technique found the population was reduced to just 1,280 and 'put the spotlight on the period 800,000 to one million years ago – for which there is much unknown,' says U of I's Stanley Ambrose. New generations gearing up to address climate change Aug 31, 2023 1:30 pm Chicago Tribune (Aug. 30) Trent Ford, Illinois state climatologist based at the U. of I., and Jessie Choate, an academic advisor in atmospheric science at Illinois, comment on students’ growing interest in climate science. Another presidential portrait: Trump's mug shot Aug 30, 2023 12:15 pm New York Times (Aug. 30) Communication Professor Cara Finnegan writes that in its effect, and in the way its subject has begun to deploy it, Trump's mug shot is the natural evolution of all the images that came before it. National Labor Relations Board slams union-busting tactics by employers Aug 29, 2023 2:45 pm Courthouse News Service (Aug. 25) NLRB's ruling forces employers found interfering with a union election to immediately recognize the union without a new election. 'It’s more than major. It’s landmark,' says U of I law professor Matthew Finkin. Labor unions are pushing hard for double-digit raises, better hours. Many are winning Aug 28, 2023 10:45 am CNBC (Aug. 27) From writers’ rooms to car factories, workers are pressing companies for higher pay and better quality of life. 'The pandemic shook the ground of everybody,' says Robert Bruno, director of the labor studies program at the U. of I. Heat, humidity combining to create conditions at the limits of human survivability Aug 23, 2023 11:00 am NBC News (Aug. 22) Climatologist Trent Ford says of the combination of high heat and humidity: 'It’s a nonlinear process – we can have significant community-scale health impacts at wet-bulb temperatures that are well below that threshold.' Staff shortages in schools are here to stay. Here’s why Aug 22, 2023 1:30 pm Education Week (Aug. 18) U of I's Paul Bruno says some job seekers may be wary of working conditions: 'I’m not sure I would look at headlines about supposedly catastrophic school staffing shortages and think that schools are places I’d want to work.' LK-99 isn’t a superconductor — how science sleuths solved the mystery Aug 18, 2023 3:00 pm Nature (Aug. 16) Researchers were 'very precise about (the temperature at which LK-99 showed a tenfold drop in resistivity): 104.8 C,' says Prashant Jain, a professor of chemistry at Illinois. 'I was like, wait a minute, I know this temperature.' Hawaii wildfires are a reminder: Natural disaster risks are everywhere Aug 17, 2023 4:15 pm The Hill (Aug. 15) The lessons of the Maui wildfires and so many natural disasters are that although we can’t control nature, we can control how we prepare for and respond to unexpected natural disasters, writes U of I professor Sheldon Jacobson. Bankruptcy case at Supreme Court: 'The stakes are enormous' Aug 14, 2023 3:45 pm Bloomberg Law (Aug. 11) 'The legality of these non-debtor discharges is one of the most important and consequential issues of bankruptcy law...to ever come before the Supreme Court,” says U of I law professor Ralph Brubaker. Is climate change causing more record-breaking hail? Aug 11, 2023 10:15 am Scientific American (Aug. 11) – Enormous hailstones raise the question of whether global warming will intensify hailstorms. 'There are so many factors that go into hail, so that makes it a big challenge to predict,' says U of I's Sonia Lasher-Trapp. New study links air pollution to global levels of antibiotic resistance Aug 10, 2023 11:00 am USA Today (Aug 10) Worldwide, deaths already top 5 million per year and are expected to grow into the tens of millions within a few decades. 'We are truly right now in the midst of this crisis,' says U of I microbiologist Brenda Wilson. The short, spectacular life of the viral room-temperature superconductivity claim Aug 9, 2023 11:15 am Science (Washington, D.C., Aug. 8) 'I appreciate that the authors took appropriate data and were clear about their fabrication techniques,' says U. of I. physics professor Nadya Mason. Still, she cautions, 'The data seems a bit sloppy.' The world’s full of scams – here’s how they get you Aug 9, 2023 11:15 am KERA-FM (Dallas; Aug. 9) Hindsight is 20/20 after falling for a scam; the trick is avoiding one in the first place. U of I psychology professor Daniel Simons discusses the many ways we get taken for a ride and the faulty thinking that got us there. Do pre-biotic drinks work? Aug 8, 2023 10:45 am WMEH-FM (Aug. 7) Researchers looked at a range of health issues that a lot of Americans face and found consistently that consuming more fiber led to better health outcomes, says U of I nutrition expert Hannah Holscher. Illinois ‘most promising state’ for clean energy investments, Pritzker says Aug 3, 2023 10:00 am The Pantagraph (Aug. 2) Gov. Pritzker was in Decatur for the groundbreaking of a new electric vehicle innovation hub. U of I Chancellor Jones and other university leaders pledged to educate workers for jobs in that bourgeoning industry. What's the legacy of Federal Indian Boarding Schools in Illinois? Aug 1, 2023 12:00 pm WNIJ-AM (Aug. 1) Professor Dave Beck describes the legacy of St. Mary’s Training School for Boys in Maryville, Ill., where many Native American children were indoctrinated into white American culture, and where several of them died. #FakeTok: How to create your own truth filter for TikTok Jul 31, 2023 10:45 am Chicago Sun-Times (July 27) U. of I. information sciences researcher Rachel Magee says that despite confusing messages circulating on social media, it can be a healthy place for young people to develop ideas and social circles. Why you want bats in your yard — and how to attract them Jul 28, 2023 10:00 am Washington Post (July 27) 'Plant long-lived trees like oaks, which will provide both foraging and roosting habitat,' says Professor Joy O’Keefe. Also, fast-growing trees like pines will provide roosting space under the bark, or in cavities inside dead branches. Solar energy could help purify water, researchers find Jul 26, 2023 11:45 am Engineering & Technology (July 25) U of I research team integrated solar energy into the electrochemical separation process using a semiconductor, demonstrating that water remediation can be powered by renewable energy sources. U of I researchers warn of historic blight in Illinois cucurbit crops Jul 25, 2023 11:00 am FarmWeek (July 25) Plant disease specialists say the infection could wipe out cucurbit crops like pumpkins and cucumbers. 'Start [checking] from the beginning because curing disease is almost impossible but protecting plants is easier.' Heat waves may cause humans to slow down. But it gets crickets chirping Jul 24, 2023 11:45 am Nebraska Public Media (July 21) Insects might find themselves out of sync with plants they rely on, says U of I's May Berenbaum. 'If you’re an insect with one host plant and you emerge when the leaves are no longer edible, you’re out of luck.' Sweet corn production on a decades-long decline Jul 21, 2023 1:00 pm Modern Farmer (July 20) Cultivars in use now won’t necessarily be the ones performing well in the future, says U of I's Marty Williams. 'It gives you pause – what do we need to be doing now so we can ensure profitability and productivity into the future?' Illinois Supreme Court upholds state law ending cash bail Jul 19, 2023 12:00 pm WLS-AM (July 19) U. of I. law professor Andrew Leipold discusses the implications of the decision, the elimination of cash bail and the measures judges will take to safeguard residents against dangerous suspects. Computer-aided vision makes it possible to predict cement durability in minutes Jul 18, 2023 10:15 am On-Site (July 17) –U of I engineers have created a new test makes it possible to predict the durability of cement in minutes rather than the hours needed for traditional testing methodologies. Attention naysayers: The data show Illinois' economy still growing Jul 17, 2023 11:15 am Daily Herald (July 16) The University of Illinois Flash Index – which tracks corporate earnings, consumer spending and personal income – has shown growth for 27 consecutive months. Post-COVID, door opens wider for rural Illinois tourism Jul 14, 2023 2:00 pm The Center Square (July 12) U of I professor Sharon Zou says the pandemic has given rural communities an opportunity 'because people feel safe to travel to a destination that is rural, outdoors and has lower population density.' Unionized UPS workers could strike by the end of July Jul 12, 2023 11:00 am WBBM-TV (July 11) 'We have to keep an eye on Amazon. I think if the teamsters win a good contract at UPS, they'll then use it to go after Amazon and try to convince those workers to organize,' says U of I labor expert Robert Bruno. Should the TSA end the 3-ounce liquid restriction? Jul 11, 2023 10:30 am The Chicago Tribune (July 5) Sheldon Jacobson, a U. of I. professor of computer science, writes that the 3 ounce rule has endured for 17 years. Since that time, airport security has moved forward strategically and technologically. Novel learning-based method to scoop up extraterrestrial terrain samples Jul 10, 2023 12:15 pm AZO Robotics (July 10) 'Rather than simulating how to scoop every possible type of rock or granular material, we created a new way for autonomous landers to learn how to scoop quickly on a new material it encounters,' says a U of I PhD candidate. U of I researchers develop lower-cost method to desalinate water at scale Jul 7, 2023 10:45 am Design News (July 7) Professor Xiao Su led a team that developed a low-energy, inexpensive way to purify water. 'I see our solution as a platform to tackle both the energy and water crises,' says Su. Extinct or elusive? Why birders aren’t giving up on the ivorybill woodpecker Jul 6, 2023 1:45 pm Christian Science Monitor (July 3) Experts say the ivory-billed woodpecker is probably extinct. U of I's Jeff Hoover isn't so sure. 'I’ve learned that the natural world can trick and fool you when you say that something can never happen. I’m still hopeful.' History of abuse, neglect, torture surrounds Black women’s maternity and mortality Jul 5, 2023 8:30 am Richmond Free Press (June 29) U of I professor Rana Hogarth says we should stop thinking about slavery and racism as just part of our history and think of them more as 'institutions that have been with us every step of the way.' NASCAR in Chicago: How will downtown racing affect air quality? Jun 26, 2023 2:45 pm Chicago Tribune (June 26) 'They are now using E15 fuel, which has lower emissions.... But, at the end of the day, (race cars) are still having a very low efficiency. So there’s no way around that,' says atmospheric sciences professor Nicole Riemer. Illinois unions made significant gains in recently ended legislative session Jun 20, 2023 1:00 pm Labor Tribune (June 19) The $50.6 billion budget approved by the legislature includes $2.3 million for the U of I's Labor and Employment Relations programs, along with more funds to fill nursing shortages and increase the number of DCFS workers. The have and have-nots of higher ed: Enrollments increasingly unequal Jun 15, 2023 10:45 am Chronicle of Higher Education (June 14) – In Illinois, enrollment is up 14.5% at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, down 8.2% at the University of Illinois Springfield, and down 10.1% at Western Illinois University. New ranking reveals Illinois' top public universities Jun 14, 2023 2:00 pm WMAQ-TV (June 13) In the rankings by Niche, the only school that received an A-plus in Illinois, and was ranked the state’s top public university, was the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Can you hear corn grow at this time of year? In fact... Jun 13, 2023 10:45 am KKRC-FM (June 12) 'On very still nights you can hear a popping or cracking noise,' says U of I crop physiologist Fred Below. 'What you hear is the cell walls of the stalk expanding. Mostly I believe it is the tracheids expanding.' What the chaos at Twitter means for the future of social movements Jun 12, 2023 10:30 am CNN (June 11) Twitter has provided direct access to lawmakers, but 'there are now issues in how people see Twitter as a source of information and a source of political community,' says U of I media professor Rachel Kuo. Big universities face admissions dilemma if Supreme Court kills affirmative action Jun 9, 2023 11:00 am Crain’s Chicago Business (June 9) 'The biggest pressure point that we face right now is due to timing because the decision is going to come out this month and we will open admissions in September,' says U of I's Andy Borst. Houston airport officials increasing perimeter patrols after two security breaches Jun 8, 2023 12:45 pm KHOU-TV (June 7) Professor Sheldon Jacobson explains that airport security at works in layers. 'Perimeter security breaches are not rare. Since airport security is predicated on layers, breaching perimeter fences is just one of the layers.' As the suburbs go, so goes America Jun 7, 2023 3:45 pm The New York Times (June 7) 'Since 1970, the share of Black individuals living in suburbs of large cities has risen from 16 to 36%,' write Alexander W. Bartik and Evan Mast, economists at the U. of I. and Notre Dame. Nature-inspired orthopedic implant coating kills bacteria, monitors strain Jun 6, 2023 10:45 am Bio IT World (June 5) – Researchers at Illinois believe they have come up with an attractive approach to the battle against bacteria that can infect orthopedic implants: an integrated strain sensor that provides a 'warning of instrument failure.' Robot farmers? Machines are crawling through America's fields. Some have lasers. Jun 5, 2023 10:00 am USA Today (June 4) Robots developed at Illinois can scoot under the canopy of crops to plant cover crop seed before the main crop is harvested. 'This will expand the ability to do cover cropping and take less time.' says professor Shadi Atallah. Cycle syncing is trendy. Does it work? Jun 2, 2023 3:00 pm The New York Times (June 1) Much of the advice about timing training regimens around menstrual cycles is impractical, given that cycles vary, says Kathryn Clancy, a biological anthropology professor at the U. of I.
