blog posts Musk’s xAI scrubs inappropriate posts after Grok chatbot praised Hitler Jul 10, 2025 4:30 pm Associated Press (July 9) 'Fixing this is probably going to require retraining the model. All they can do at this point... are some more Band-Aids, like adding filters on responses and tweaking the prompt,' said U of I computer science professor Talia Ringer. Don’t like eating insects? Your pet might. Jul 9, 2025 4:15 pm The New York Times (July 3) Insect meal and lab-grown meat be a more sustainable way to feed our cats and dogs. Research suggests that insects are indeed a 'high-quality protein source,' says Illinois professor Kelly Swanson. Stoichiometric crystal could solve quantum memory issue Jul 9, 2025 9:30 am Although classical memory—like the type used to store text messages between users—is relatively simple to facilitate, quantum information can't be stored, copied, or retained in this way. Paper: FDA should develop labeling standards for AI-powered medical devices Jul 9, 2025 8:45 am The regulatory framework for AI-based medical devices needs to be improved to ensure transparency and protect patients’ health, says Sara Gerke, an expert in the ethical and legal challenges of artificial intelligence for health care. Flightpath Biosciences licenses U. of I.-developed microbiome-sparing antibiotic Jul 8, 2025 11:30 am Professor Paul Hergenrother's team developed a class of antibiotic agents that target pathogenic gram-negative bacteria without harming beneficial microbes. The new compounds are being licensed for further testing and development. Stephen Long recognized as 2025 World Food Prize Top Agri-Food Pioneer Jul 8, 2025 10:45 am Long’s groundbreaking research has led to improved photosynthesis in crops and greater productivity. 'I’ve been pursuing this work all my career, so I'm very delighted to have it recognized, although I think the mission is more important than my recognition.' Looking for Lincoln director helps Illinois communities promote heritage tourism Jul 7, 2025 11:45 am Sarah Seiler Watson coordinates the efforts of 43 Illinois counties with Lincoln sites to create a compelling portrait of Lincoln's time here. 'We’re helping our communities to tell their Lincoln stories and to prosper through heritage tourism.' Easter Island's moai statues are eroding. Should they be preserved? Jul 3, 2025 1:45 pm BBC (July 3) 'Many believe the moai should, as they are, go into the ground and disappear. Let the moai go to their hanua, their land, and let them go back home,' says U. of I. anthropological archaeologist Dale Simpson Jr. Illinois announces multi-phase plan for Memorial Stadium enhancements Jul 3, 2025 1:45 pm Wireless internet will be installed in the concourses for the season opener to facilitate smoother ticketing, concessions, and retail operations. Fan access won't be available until late-September. Historical math models recreated by students using 3D printing Jul 2, 2025 1:45 pm U. of I. has one of the world’s largest collections of math models from the late 19th and early 20th centuries - a time when advanced math was becoming more abstract - so students would have something to enhance their understanding of abstract concepts. What does climate change mean for agriculture? Less food and more emissions. Jul 2, 2025 8:30 am Grist (June 30) Researchers have found that, even with adaptation, global warming is associated with 'almost a linear decline in caloric output,' says Andrew Hultgren, a professor of agricultural and consumer economics at the U. of I. Self-driving lab: AI and automated biology combine to improve enzymes Jul 1, 2025 2:45 pm By combining artificial intelligence with automated robotics and synthetic biology, U. of I. researchers have dramatically improved performance of two important industrial enzymes — and created a user-friendly, fast process to improve many more. Giving and learning on the job Jul 1, 2025 2:30 pm 'I’m proud to offer my veterinary skills to this community, and the event is a learning experience for me. Participating in this outreach helps me see that veterinarians play a huge role in the community.' Jakucionis and Riley selected back-to-back in first round of 2025 NBA Draft Jun 27, 2025 12:00 pm History was made for the Illinois men's basketball program Wednesday night as freshmen Kasparas Jakucionis and Will Riley became the first-ever one-and-done players for the Illinois program. High impact University of Illinois Extension SNAP-Ed Programs face elimination Jun 26, 2025 2:15 pm The House-passed reconciliation bill and current version of the Senate bill, ends funding nationwide for SNAP-Ed, including all programs administered through University of Illinois Extension. Black women’s beauty, fashion choices intertwined with Black history, politics Jun 26, 2025 1:00 pm Sociology professor Brittney Miles explored the ways in which Black women’s beauty is connected to their social and political experiences. Bill Gropp announces his retirement Jun 25, 2025 11:15 am After eight years as the director of the National Center for Supercomputing Applications, Bill Gropp is announcing his retirement. Model tackles key obstacle to efficient plastic recycling Jun 24, 2025 8:00 am Researchers developed a better model for the catalytic depolymerization of plastics, addressing a key obstacle to widespread plastic recycling. How are veterinarians advancing cancer research in dogs, people? Jun 23, 2025 1:00 pm A professor of veterinary clinical medicine at Illinois is among those developing new treatments for cancer in dogs and studying their translation to human medicine. AI-engineered cement formulations promise to cut carbon emissions in half Jun 23, 2025 1:00 pm Forbes (June 22) At the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, researchers partnered with Meta and concrete supplier Ozinga to develop AI-optimized concrete that cut carbon by 40%. Awards recognize excellence in public engagement Jun 23, 2025 12:00 pm The 2025 Campus Awards for Excellence in Public Engagement were recently awarded to faculty, staff and students who address critical societal issues. Study: Climate change cuts global crop yields, even when farmers adapt. U.S. Midwest could get 'hammered' Jun 18, 2025 10:45 am The projected losses for U.S. agriculture are especially steep. 'Places in the Midwest that are really well suited for present day corn and soybean production just get hammered under a high warming future.' Researchers capture nanoparticle movements to forge new materials Jun 18, 2025 10:15 am Remarkable materials, such as the rugged yet lightweight skeletons of deep-sea sponges, have inspired engineers to develop highly advanced metamaterials that can adapt to extreme environments. Study links influenza A viral infection to microbiome, brain gene expression changes Jun 18, 2025 10:00 am In a study of neonatal piglets, Illinois researchers linked influenza A viral infection to alterations of the nasal microbiome and potentially detrimental changes in brain gene expression. Machine-learning method helps bring diagnostic testing out of the lab Jun 16, 2025 4:30 pm The new method, dubbed LOCA-PRAM, improves the accessibility of biomarker detection by using machine learning - instead of technical experts - to perform the image analysis. How to boost your creativity: Proven ways to unleash the power of your imagination Jun 16, 2025 11:45 am Woman’s World (June 12) Being passionate is key to creativity. 'A study on intrinsic motivation found that poets who believed they were writing for the joy of it - not for external rewards - produced more creative work,' said U of I Professor Jack Goncalo. Machine-learning model reliably predicts cognitive performance Jun 16, 2025 8:45 am A machine-learning algorithm developed byIllinois researchers determined that age, blood pressure and BMI were the best predictors of cognitive performance. Heat-resilient crops are within reach — given enough time and money Jun 12, 2025 1:45 pm In a review in the journal Science, Illinois researchers describe the many field- and laboratory-tested approaches to increasing crop resilience in a warming world. As labor costs rise, AI is learning to farm Jun 12, 2025 10:30 am Chicago Tribune (June 11) The labor demands of fruits and vegetables deter farmers from growing anything but corn and soybeans. U of I ag specialist Elizabeth Wahle says farming is increasingly dependent on foreign labor. Safeguarding soybeans: Preserving genetic diversity for a resilient future Jun 11, 2025 11:45 am Inside a large walk-in refrigerator on the Illinois campus, thousands of envelopes hold the fate of global food security, not to mention a significant portion of the world’s economy. It's the country’s only public soybean seed bank. What it’s like to graduate from college while inside an Illinois prison Jun 11, 2025 10:45 am WBEZ-FM (June 8) There is high demand for educational programs in prison but very few opportunities. Only about 600 inmates are enrolled in higher education programs, according to the Education Justice Project at the U. of I. Book explores how ‘domestication’ of environmentalism limits who it protects Jun 11, 2025 10:45 am Landscape architecture professor Pollyanna Rhee examines how the modern environmental movement has been used to protect the property and interests of affluent homeowners in her new book. Experts doubt FBI’s claim that crop fungus smuggled by Chinese students is a threat Jun 9, 2025 1:45 pm Fusarium graminearum as a potential agricultural terrorism weapon? 'As a weapon, it would be a pretty ineffective one,' says Jessica Rutkoski, a professor of crop sciences at the U. of I. Interested in Illinois? Visit campus this summer! Jun 6, 2025 4:15 pm The best way to know if a school is for you is simply by being there. Visit and find out for yourself what it's like to be an Illini! Fermenting legume pulses boosts their antidiabetic, antioxidant properties Jun 6, 2025 2:45 pm U. of I. researchers identified the optimal fermentation conditions for pulses ― the dried edible seeds of legumes ― that increased their antioxidant and antidiabetic properties and their soluble protein content. University of Illinois braces for visa revocations for Chinese students Jun 6, 2025 1:45 pm Chicago Sun-Times (June 4) 'I’m really scared because if Trump is going after Chinese students, it means it could happen to other students from other countries,' said a student from Indonesia. Does Ukraine drone attack inside Russia augur new era of asymmetric warfare? Jun 6, 2025 8:00 am Ukraine’s daring drone attack deep within Russia is significant but not war-redefining, and may hinder U.S. efforts to end the war, says Illinois international relations expert Nicholas Grossman. Charles Lee Isbell Jr. named 11th chancellor of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Jun 5, 2025 10:15 am Introducing Charles Lee Isbell Jr., the 11th chancellor of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Dr. Isbell comes to Illinois from UW-Madison, where he was provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs since August 2023. His term as Illinois chancellor starts July 16, pending Board of Trustees approval. Harvesting data discovered in the stars Jun 4, 2025 2:30 pm The Rubin Observatory project aims to conduct a 10-year optical survey of the visible sky. It's an enormous, decades-long undertaking and all that data requires an expert to help sort through it. That's where NCSA comes in. Can a special diet help children focus? Jun 4, 2025 2:15 pm Illinois reserachers found that school children who more closely adhered to the so-called MIND diet (high in fiber and antioxidants, low in fat and full of colorful berries and vegetables) showed better control over their attention. U.S. moms say their mental health is getting worse Jun 3, 2025 4:30 pm Science News (June 3) Depression during pregnancy puts the mother at risk for postpartem, says professor Karen Tabb Dina. 'It’s not like you have a baby and you flip the switch and, oh, everything is done, depression is gone.' Study: Erasing medical debt has little impact on financial health, credit access Jun 2, 2025 9:00 am Major credit bureaus will eliminate medical debt from credit reports in hopes of making it easier for debtors to get other loans. U. of I. researchers found no evidence the change would effect consumers’ credit scores or borrowing behavior. Wonder in the world beyond the classroom: Rob Kanter’s lasting legacy May 30, 2025 11:30 am Kanter excelled at 'taking students into a natural place and just having them experience it,' says Jonathan Tomkin, head of the Environmental Sustainability program. 'That’s where the deepest learning happens—when they’re immersed.' Staging a fight - with theatre professor Zev Steinrock May 30, 2025 11:00 am 'The theater is supposed to hold a mirror up to real life. It’s an important part of humanity, and storytelling should not shy away from the chance to explore violence and mortality and intimacy through theater.' Chancellor Jones: Let's fund Illinois higher education the right way May 29, 2025 12:45 pm Crain’s Chicago Business (May 27) Robert Jones discusses the importance of funding education the right way. 'We must be more thoughtful and strategic as legislators consider a new funding model for our state’s public universities.' Report: ‘Future-proofing’ crops will require urgent, consistent effort May 29, 2025 8:00 am Droughts, floods, other climate-related events are already disrupting ag systems. Projected temperature extremes and climate instability will further reduce crop yields, increasing starvation and mass migration, writes Professor Steven Long. How electric vehicles are targeted by the Republican policy bill May 28, 2025 3:15 pm The New York Times (May 23) “We will not realize the energy efficiency and health benefits as fast as we could and as fast as other countries are realizing them,” says U. of I. professor Eleftheria Kontou. What did the COVID shutdowns teach us about public health policy? May 28, 2025 1:15 pm An expert in public health policy talks about what the 2020 shutdowns and the public responses to them have taught us about what works — and doesn’t work — in public health policy. ELLNORA Guitar Festival guests, performances announced May 28, 2025 1:15 pm Roseanne Cash, Jeff Tweedy, Samantha Fish, Gary Clark Jr., Daniel Casares, Bertha: Grateful Drag (a drag tribute to the Grateful Dead), Herbie Hancock, Sunny Jain, Ravi Coltrane and Terence Blanchard, Rhiannon Giddens, and MORE Teaching about sea ice while standing on it May 28, 2025 12:15 pm It’s April in Utqiaġvik, Alaska. I’m here to help run a sea ice field trip for eighth graders and assist with fieldwork. The Zoom chat lights up: “How thick is the ice?” 1-3 meters. “How do you deal with polar bears?” We have guards posted, scanning the horizon.