blog posts 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. 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. 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 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. 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 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. How much nitrogen does corn get from fertilizer? Less than farmers think Jun 5, 2023 9:00 am Recent studies by U of I researchers show that corn takes up the majority of its nitrogen – about 67% on average – from sources occurring naturally in soil, not from fertilizer. 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. 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. 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. 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 Healthy sex life during pandemic tied to an array of sexual coping strategies Jun 15, 2023 10:45 am People who found ways to explore their sexuality and use it as a coping mechanism during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic had more active and fulfilling sex lives, according to U of I studies. Study: Tipped restaurant workers in Chicago compensated at rates below minimum wage Oct 5, 2023 1:30 pm Researchers also found several violations of municipal, county, state and federal work-related laws, including wage theft, hours and work schedule violations, discrimination and harassment, and occupational health and safety violations. 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. 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. 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. Implicit bias prevents women from obtaining prompt treatment for health problems Dec 20, 2022 10:00 am For some women who experience serious and chronic physical or mental health conditions, one of their most daunting challenges is obtaining the belief and validation of health care providers, family members and friends. New climate change model finds nuanced relationship between temperature, conflict Feb 17, 2023 8:45 am A new framework for studying the intersection of climate anomalies and social conflicts finds a strong link between temperature fluctuations and aggregated global conflicts, says Gies College of Business professor Ujjal Kumar Mukherjee. Bursting bubbles: Tiny yet hazardous Mar 31, 2023 9:15 am Aerosols produced by bubble bursting can impact air pollution, global climate and even the transmission of infectious diseases, and smaller aerosol drops are more easily lifted by winds and can travel much further. Teenage girls' self-esteem is a product of past experience Jan 9, 2023 11:30 am 'We all feel the need to fit in socially, but teenagers feel this need more strongly than most. What we don’t understand is why some teenagers feel it more strongly than others,' says doctoral student Haley Skymba. Sense of purpose may have significant impact on teens' emotional well-being Feb 13, 2023 11:15 am In a study of more than 200 adolescents, researchers found that those who scored high on purposefulness were more satisfied with their lives and experienced more positive emotions in general. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. Camera-trap study provides photographic evidence of pumas' ecological impact Jan 23, 2023 9:15 am A camera-trap study of two ecosystems – one with pumas and one without – adds to scientists’ understanding of the many ways apex predators influence the abundance, diversity and habits of other animals, including smaller carnivores. $9.5M funding will help U of I researchers decode influenza-antibody interactions Jan 26, 2023 1:00 pm 'We're optimistic this initiative will help scientists develop new, untested approaches that can reveal how pathogens work and how the human immune system responds to pathogen infection,” said Leslie Vosshall of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Study links exercise intensity, attentional control in late-adolescent girls Feb 6, 2023 10:30 am Researchers found that girls ages 15-18 who engage in less moderate and vigorous physical activity are slower and less accurate than their peers on a measure of attentional control - they can be more impulsive and more easily distracted. Researchers illuminate gaps in public transportation access, equity Feb 16, 2023 10:30 am Reserachers found that public transit systems offering broad coverage of stops and routes may still underserve the communities that rely on them the most. The study uses the Champaign-Urbana MTD as a case study. Videos, book highlight history of skin in the early modern world Feb 23, 2023 8:45 am History professor Craig Koslofsky said skin color has not always been seen in the same way or played the same role in society. His work soesn't focus solely on skin color, but also on tattooing, scarification, cosmetics and the microanatomy of skin. Are TV sports networks game-changers for financing collegiate athletics? Mar 20, 2023 1:45 pm A new study finds that revenue from college sports TV networks increased spending by universities’ athletic programs while decreasing subsidization by other campus units. Royal Fever: Will the brand play on for King Charles? May 3, 2023 10:00 am Professor Cele Otnes says the British Royal Family brand consists of at least five types of brands - all likely to be on display during coronation weekend: Family, Global, Heritage, Human, and Luxury. Each aspect offers challenges to the new King. 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. 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.' 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.' 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. 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. 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. Top scientists, engineers choose startups over tech behemoths for reasons other than money Sep 20, 2023 10:30 am 'There’s a common belief that individuals work at startups to get rich when the venture is successful, but we find that employees are aware that startup employment is risky and they choose it for reasons other than future financial payoffs.' 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. Higher pay consistently trumps meaningful work as strongly valued job attribute Oct 12, 2023 12:30 pm Although meaningful work is a strongly valued attribute when seeking a job, it may be less influential than salary when prospective employees evaluate career opportunities, according to new U of I research. Website compiles ocean data from landmark 19th-century scientific voyage Jan 10, 2023 12:45 pm English professor Gillen D’Arcy Wood’s Oceans 1876 project makes a treasure trove of 19th-century marine data accessible to help scientists better understand how our oceans have changed and how to protect them. Paper: New law, regulations may diminish appeal of some retirement accounts Jan 30, 2023 9:45 am A new law and regulations affecting inherited retirement accounts could create hefty taxation issues for some beneficiaries, says Richard Kaplan, an expert on U.S. tax policy and retirement issues. Geography, language dictate social media and popular website usage, study finds Feb 9, 2023 9:15 am Many of the same social media platforms and websites are popular around the world, but how people use them remains vastly different based on their languages and geography. Study compares third-trimester sound exposures in fetuses, premature infants Mar 1, 2023 11:15 am The analysis reveals profound differences in their exposures to noise, language and the biological sounds of the mother, with implications for the infants’ development, says study leader Brian Monson, a professor of Speech and Hearing Science. Statistics, history researchers' new model re-evaluates MLB's 'greatest ever' Mar 13, 2023 10:30 am 'Under this model, great all-time statistics requires that an MLB player is both better than their peers and played during a time in which the MLB eligible population is large. ...The model constructs an even playing field that extends across eras.'
