blog posts

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  Researchers simulate behavior of living 'minimal cell' in three dimensions

  Jan 20, 2022 9:15 am

  Researchers have built a living 'minimal cell' with a genome stripped down to its barest essentials, and a computer model of the cell that predicts how changes to the genomes or living conditions of live cells will alter how they function.

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  Bankruptcy data reveal patterns that underscore broader social, economic trends

  Jan 20, 2022 8:00 am

  'We found that there is no typical bankruptcy filer, and the law needs to be adaptive to different situations – particularly to the nine distinct patterns that emerged in our data,' said law professor Robert Lawless.

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  Climate adaptation increases vulnerability of cocoa farmers, study shows

  Jan 14, 2022 12:15 pm

  U of I study finds that climate adaptation strategies in Indonesia make cocoa farmers more vulnerable to economic and climatic risk. Strategies to keep farmers in place have transferred climate-related risks from manufacturers to farmers.

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  Powerful sensors on planes detect crop nitrogen with high accuracy

  Jan 14, 2022 12:00 pm

  'Field nitrogen measurements are very time- and labor-consuming, but the airplane hyperspectral sensing technique allows us to scan the fields very fast, at a few seconds per acre (and at) much higher spectral and spatial resolution...'

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  Paper: Women bear 'status-leveling burden' in male-dominated occupations

  Jan 12, 2022 8:45 am

  Challenges faced by women interacting with men in male-dominated occupations are well documented, but little attention has been paid to workplace dynamics between women who collaborate across different levels in the organizational hierarchy.

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  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.

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  Does our place in society influence how we respond to COVID-19 protocol?

  Jan 5, 2022 10:45 am

  A new study explores how social capital influences choices regarding COVID-19 mitigation compliance. Professor Lav Varshney talks about what they learned.

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  Study: Brain mechanisms involved in learning also drive social conformity

  Dec 21, 2021 8:30 am

  The study suggests that understanding how someone sees the world 'requires considering the people they associate with,' graduate student Paul Bogdan said. 'More often than not, these will be their guides to right versus wrong.'

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  Going to the far side to explore the universe

  Dec 20, 2021 1:00 pm

  A wire mesh will be deployed on the far side of the moon using wall-climbing robotsto form about a half-mile wide (1 km) parabolic reflector – making the LCRT the largest filled-aperture radio telescope in the solar system.

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  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.

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  Study combines climatic, tectonic models to explain Andean conundrum

  Dec 14, 2021 10:00 am

  New study helps uncover the mysterious geological history of the Andes Mountains and marks a step toward the ability to quantitatively link climate and tectonics – something not well represented in mountain-building models.

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  COVID’s viral spike senses temperature, drives seasonal mutation patterns

  Dec 10, 2021 10:15 am

  Winter is coming and the COVID-19 pandemic is about to get worse. Not necessarily because of omicron – scientists are still working that one out – but because there’s more evidence than ever that COVID-19 is a seasonal disease.

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  Atomic structure of antifungal drug opens door to less-toxic derivatives

  Dec 9, 2021 1:15 pm

  Advanced molecular imaging technology has now mapped the structure of a drug widely used to treat fungal infections but whose workings have mystified researchers and physicians for nearly 70 years.

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  Study: Fire hastens permafrost collapse in Arctic Alaska

  Dec 9, 2021 12:30 pm

  While climate change is the primary driver of permafrost degradation in Arctic Alaska, a new analysis of 70 years of data reveals that tundra fires are accelerating that decline.

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  Paper: Activating a collectivistic orientation helps to curb COVID‐19

  Dec 8, 2021 8:00 am

  The activation of a collectivistic orientation, in which people construe the self as interdependent with others, is a key cultural factor that promotes behavior aimed at curbing the spread of COVID‐19, says research by Gies Business professor Carlos Torelli.

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  U of I, Carle partner to launch brain study

  Dec 6, 2021 12:00 pm

  The Champaign-Urbana Population Study will use the new, jointly acquired unique technology, the Siemens MAGNETOM Terra 7 Tesla MRI, to collect information about the brain’s structure and function across a diverse group of volunteers.

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  Chemical pollutants disrupt reproduction in anemonefish, study finds

  Dec 6, 2021 10:15 am

  Ocean pollution is becoming more commonplace, raising concerns over the effect of chemicals leaching into the water. Researchers have discovered how these chemicals can affect the reproduction in common anemonefish

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  Study: Viewing artists as community problem-solvers increases support for public funding

  Dec 6, 2021 9:00 am

  People are significantly more supportive of public funding for artists when they see artists as collaborators who are working to bring attention to and help solve problems in their communities, according to a new study.

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  Paper: 'Paradox brands' hold strong appeal for bicultural consumers

  Dec 2, 2021 9:00 am

  Brands that can straddle contradictory meanings or possess opposing characteristics are more appealing to bicultural consumers in the U.S. than traditional singular-meaning brands, says new research from Gies College of Business.

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  Nonverbal social interactions – even with unfriendly avatars – boost cooperation, study finds

  Nov 30, 2021 8:00 am

  Scientists used animated humanoid avatars to study how nonverbal cues influence people’s behavior. The research offers insight into the brain mechanisms that drive social and economic decision-making.

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  New book examines the evolution of academic freedom at the U of I

  Nov 30, 2021 8:45 am

  Professor Matthew Ehrlich explores how 60s era morals shaped the controversies involving two faculty members at Illinois in the new book 'Dangerous Ideas on Campus: Sex, Conspiracy and Academic Freedom in the Age of JFK.'

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  Beckman student develops tumor imaging method, wins international competition

  Nov 29, 2021 11:00 am

  Ronny Guo developed a new method to help clinicians non-invasively locate and characterize brain tumors. His paper won first prize in the annual IEEE Engineering in Medicine & Biology Society Student Paper Competition.

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  Water disinfection byproduct disrupts reproductive hormones in female mice

  Nov 24, 2021 9:15 am

  Chemical disinfection makes water from both natural sources and wastewater streams drinkable; however, the process also creates byproducts, not all of which are understood or regulated. 

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  Discovering the environmental impact of bursting bubbles

  Nov 18, 2021 10:15 am

  Researchers used high-speed photography to demonstrate the mechanism that allows bursting bubbles to transport organic material, such as contaminants and microbes, into the atmosphere.

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  When older couples are close together, their heart rates synchronize

  Nov 18, 2021 9:45 am

  U of I study examines the dynamics of long-term relationships through spatial proximity. The researchers find that when partners are close to each other, their heart rates synchronize in complex patterns of interaction.

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  New electrochemical process could revolutionize lithium-ion battery recycling

  Nov 15, 2021 1:15 pm

  Illinois researchers found an economical and sustainable method for separating cobalt and nickel from each other for battery recycling purposes – making spent battery electrodes a secondary source of these valuable metals.

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  Fraternizing vampire bats share 'social microbiomes'

  Nov 16, 2021 8:45 am

  Study finds that the gut microbiomes of bats became more similar the more often they engaged in social behaviors with one another - such behaviors as huddling together for warmth or grooming themselves and their neighbors.

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  Report: Extending child tax credit program offers many benefits for struggling families

  Nov 11, 2021 3:15 pm

  Extending the child tax credit program could promote financial stability among vulnerable families and have other economic and noneconomic benefits, according to a report by researchers affiliated with the Project for Middle Class Renewal.

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  Paper: Engaging donors in creative acts can boost charitable fundraising

  Nov 11, 2021 10:30 am

  Participating in creative activities in support of a charitable cause induces a sense of autonomy in participants, which increases both the likelihood and the amount of donation, said Gies Business Professor Ravi Mehta.

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  PFAS exposure, high-fat diet drive prostate cells’ metabolism into pro-cancer state

  Nov 11, 2021 2:15 pm

  A new study in mice suggests that consuming a high-fat diet in combination with exposure to PFAS triggers changes in benign and malignant prostate cells that promote rapid tumor growth.