Illinois Featured Content

Bo Zhang, a professor of labor and employment relations and of psychology at Illinois. Photo by Fred Zwicky

Paper: Neurotic personality trait a key risk factor for stress perception

Nov 29, 2022 11:15 am

While all of the 'Big Five' personality traits – agreeableness, conscientiousness, extraversion, neuroticism and openness – are related to experiencing stress, neuroticism showed the strongest link

The exterior of the museum in Skokie recalls a concentration camp. Credit...Sally Ryan for The New York Times

Study: Holocaust Museum motivates visitors to create social change

Aug 15, 2022 10:00 am

New research finds that people who visited the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center were inspired to take action for human rights, such as standing up to bullying or joining social justice groups

Jon Welty Peachey, Jules Woolf and Mikihiro Sato, all professors of recreation, sport and tourism at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Photo by Michelle Hassel

Study examined COVID-19 policies' effects on people with disabilities

Jun 20, 2022 1:15 pm

COVID-19 safety policies in the U.S. that constrained leisure physical activities negatively affected the health and well-being of some people with disabilities, according to a survey by researchers at Illinois.

Undergraduate researcher Lilian Lucas, left, and geology professor Patricia Gregg. Photo by Fred Zwicky

Ice-capped volcanoes slower to erupt, study finds

May 9, 2022 8:45 am

Undergraduate researcher Lilian Lucas and geology professor Patricia Gregg found that additional pressure from thick overlying glacial ice can make volcanic systems more stable and slower to erupt than volcanoes without ice.

Elizabeth Beilke, postdoctoral researcher and lead author on the study, works in a forest to prepare for bat research

Bats protect young trees from insect damage, with three times fewer bugs

Nov 1, 2022 1:45 pm

Bats help keep forests growing. Without bats to hold their populations in check, insects that munch on tree do three to nine times more damage than when bats are on the scene, according to a groundbreaking new study from the U of I.

The fossilized molar, seen here from several angles, is thought to have belonged to a young Denisovan girl that died between 164,000 and 131,000 years ago. Photo by F. Demeter

150,000-year-old human tooth rare evidence of Denisovans

May 20, 2022 11:45 am

If confirmed, this discovery would be the first fossil evidence that Denisovans — an extinct hominin species that co-existed with Neanderthals and modern humans — lived in southeast Asia.

Illinois researchers Pamela P. Martinez, Christopher B. Brooke and Rebecca L. Smith led a study of SARS-CoV-2 infection dynamics in adults, testing 60 participants daily for up to 14 days. The study offers insight into the factors that contribute to the spread of infection in a community. Photos by Fred Zwicky

Study tracks COVID-19 infection dynamics in adults

Apr 28, 2022 10:30 am

'We capture the most complete, high-resolution, quantitative picture of how SARS-CoV-2 replicates and sheds in people during natural infection. There are no other data like this,' said U. of I. microbiology professor Christopher B. Brooke

Physics professor Charles Gammie and his team contributed to research that produced the first direct visual evidence of the Sagittarius A star, the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy. Image courtesy Event Horizon Telescope collaboration

U of I astronomers help capture first image of Milky Way's black hole

May 12, 2022 8:45 am

Illinois researchers are part of a large international collaboration that unveiled the first image of the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way.

stock image of ripe cherry tomatoes in a variety of colors

Urban gardens' tomatoes safe from soil lead. Gardeners, unfortunately, are not

Jul 22, 2022 9:30 am

Scientists don’t know much about how crops take up and accumulate lead, but new U of I research in Chicago backyard gardens shows tomatoes are likely safe to eat, even when grown in highly lead-contaminated soils.

woman choosing food in grocery store wearing mask and latex gloves. Photo by Laura James

Study looks at food-buying behavior during different stages of COVID pandemic

Aug 9, 2022 8:45 am

In-person grocery shopping remained common throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, while restaurant dining was more vulnerable to surges in case rates, according to a new study.

Professor Allen W. Barton. Photo by Fred Zwicky

Study shows the power of 'thank you' for couples

Nov 14, 2022 11:15 am

Study by a professor of human development and community health finds greater levels of perceived gratitude protect couples from common stressors such as ineffective arguing and financial problems, and promote relationship stability.

Department of Human Development and Family Studies researchers Brian Ogolsky and Jennifer Hardesty

How intimate partner violence affects custody decisions

Jun 24, 2022 11:00 am

'When we rely on mothers to self-report (intimate partner violence) to their attorney...they aren’t necessarily going to disclose it... That indicates a need for universal screening and assessment for IPV in divorce cases.'

models of the spike protein that plays a key role in COVID-19 infection and immunity. Image courtesy of Tianle Chen

COVID-19 virus spike protein flexibility improved by human cell's own modifications

Jul 5, 2022 8:45 am

“The dynamics of a spike are very important – how much it moves and how flexible it is to search for and bind to receptors on the host cell. ...We hope that the results of our simulations can be used for developing new treatments.'

Christian A. Maino Vieytes, a predoctoral fellow in nutritional sciences, was the first author of the study. Photo provided

Healthy diet after head, neck cancer diagnosis may boost survival

Jul 27, 2022 9:45 am

Head and neck cancer patients whose eating habits aligned with the Alternative Healthy Eating Index-2010 at diagnosis were significantly more likely to survive three years later, according to a study led by scholars at Illinois.

Graduate student Binxin Fu, left, and civil and environmental engineering professor Rosa Espinosa-Marzal. Photo by MIchelle Hassel

Nanoscale observations simplify how scientists describe earthquake movement

Aug 4, 2022 10:30 am

Researchers used microscopic-scale observations to simplify how scientists describe macroscale earthquake movement. They hope their work will lead to better earthquake prediction.

field photograph of the Anio Novus aqueducts of ancient Rome. Photo courtesy Bruce Fouke

Layered limestone deposits give unique insight to Roman aqueducts

Aug 8, 2022 12:00 pm

In studies combining geology, biology, engineering and history, U. of I. researchers are the first to document geologic ripple marks formed by mineral growth and use them to reconstruct the hydraulic history of the Roman aqueducts.

U. of I. student Sruthi Navneetha, part of SPOTLITE’s student research team, compiles data and scans news articles for police uses of lethal force. Photo by Fred Zwicky

New database catalogs police shootings in Illinois to improve accountability

Oct 7, 2022 10:45 am

An interdisciplinary team of U of I experts has developed a statewide registry on the use of lethal force by police officers in Illinois. It identified more than twice as many police-involved shooting incidents than previously reported.

Yihao Liu, a professor of labor and employment relations and of psychology at Illinois. Photo by Brian Stauffer

Paper: Established employees need adjustment period with new colleagues

Oct 12, 2022 9:30 am

Adding new employees to an established work team can have a multitude of consequences for long-standing employees, according to new research co-written by IYihao Liu, a U of I professor of both labor relations and psychology.

study co-authors Greg Howard, a professor of economics, and Russell Weinstein, a professor of labor and employment relations and of economics. Photo by Brian Stauffer

Regional public universities increase access, social mobility for nearby residents

Oct 20, 2022 9:00 am

'When legislators are thinking about allocating funding for regional public universities, it’s important for them to know just how many benefits they provide to students in the surrounding community,' said economics professor Russell Weinstein.

The plague of Florence, 1348; a scene from Boccaccio's Decameron. Etching by L. Sabatelli the elder after G. Boccaccio.

Illinois journal highlights new findings on the Black Death's timeline, origin

Oct 24, 2022 10:30 am

The bacterial cause of the Black Death existed millennia earlier than previously thought and is now known to have caused the First Plague Pandemic, which devastated the 6th century Roman world, says U of I medieval studies expert Carol Symes.

information sciences professor Kate McDowell. Photo by Thompson-McClellan Photography

Paper: Social justice storytelling helps librarians advocate for patrons, themselves

Nov 2, 2022 12:00 pm

Library schools should teach social justice storytelling skills to students so they can advocate for the needs of underserved patrons, says information sciences professor Kate McDowell.

This artist’s impression highlights the compactness of molecular gas in a PSB and its lack of star formation. Credit: ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO)/S. Dagnello (NRAO/AUI/NSF)

Gas, blasts, and a mystery of star formation

Apr 28, 2022 9:45 am

Post-starburst galaxies were previously thought to scatter all of their gas and dust in violent bursts of energy. A study co-authored by a U of I astronomer reveals that these galaxies don’t scatter all of their star-forming fuel after all.

Plastic bags float in ocean water. Plastic packaging waste pollutes the world’s oceans. Photo by pixahive.com

Study finds producers, consumers must share burden of global plastic pollution

May 26, 2022 11:15 am

A new study by an international team of researchers explores the global patterns of plastic packaging waste. The study finds three countries – the U.S., Brazil, and China – are the top suppliers of waste.

cover photo of Professor Doussard's new book “Justice at Work: The Rise of Economic and Racial Justice Coalitions in Cities.”

Book examines role of racial justice work in progressive policy changes

Jul 11, 2022 3:15 pm

Urban planning professor Marc Doussard examines grassroots organizing efforts in six cities, including Chicago, and how collaborations with racial justice groups have strengthened campaigns for economic policy changes.

Allen W. Barton, a professor of human development and family studies. Photo by Fred Zwicky

Study links insulin resistance, advanced cell aging with childhood poverty

Jul 25, 2022 10:45 am

Black adolescents who lived in poverty as children and were pessimistic about their future had accelerated immune cell aging and greater levels of insulin resistance in their mid- to late twenties, according to a new U of I study.

Jacob S. Sherkow, a U of I professor of law. Photo by L. Brian Stauffer

Valuable antibody patents vulnerable to overly broad doctrinal shift in patent law

Aug 17, 2022 10:30 am

A U of I legal scholar who studies intellectual property protection for advanced biotechnologies advocates for a middle ground in patent claims involving antibodies, the backbone of modern bioscience.

Gies College of Business professors David Molitor, left, and Nolan Miller. Photos by L. Brian Stauffer

Older workers seeking federal disability benefits during recessions are healthier

Sep 8, 2022 10:30 am

The findings suggest disability insurance may be helping individuals smooth over temporary shocks to their employment – a role that diverges from the program’s aim of protecting individuals from career-ending shocks to their ability to work.

Job-quality indicator points to mixed bag for Illinois workers

Sep 19, 2022 2:00 pm

A team of University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign labor experts has developed a metric for measuring the quality of jobs throughout the state of Illinois. The findings are a mix of positive and negative news for Illinois workers.

Social work professor Ryan Wade. Photo by L. Brian Stauffer

Men's experiences of sexual racism differ in two online dating communities

Sep 29, 2022 10:45 am

While sexual minority men report that racialized sexual discrimination is rampant on dating apps and websites, Black men reported differing experiences on Grindr and Jack’d, according to a study led by social work professor Ryan Wade.

psychology professor Karen D. Rudolph and graduate student Haley Skymba. Photo by Fred Zwicky

Peer adversity may cause girls to feel their self-worth is constantly at risk

Oct 10, 2022 10:30 am

A history of peer adversity sensitizes teen girls to situational threats to their self-esteem and interpersonal needs, cultivating feelings that their self-worth is constantly in jeopardy, a new study found.

recreation, sport and tourism professor Liza Berdychevsky at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Photo by L. Brian Stauffer

People who viewed sex as a leisure activity enjoyed more, better sex during the pandemic

Oct 13, 2022 10:45 am

People who strongly viewed sex as a leisure activity before and during the pandemic used their downtime to engage in more frequent, satisfying and creative sexual activity, according to a study by professor Liza Berdychevsky.

Hoang holds son Nikola, age 7 months; and Tabb Dina holds daughter Cleopatra, age 17 months, while the children play with autumn leaves. Photo by Fred Zwicky

Study: COVID-19 policies harmed minority women's perinatal experiences, magnified inequities

Nov 15, 2022 12:00 pm

Social Work professors Karen Tabb Dina and Tuyet-Mai Ha Hoang led a study that explored the experiences of women of color who - like them - were pregnant or gave birth during the pandemic.

blog navigation

blog posts