Retired Illinois soil scientist digs up information about Vietnam War tunnels

Feb 24, 2018 2:00 pm

The Viet Cong's tunnels 'grew from temporary quarters for a few soldiers to encompass underground villages of soldiers with kitchens, living quarters, and hospitals.'

Illinois chancellor Robert Jones, University of Chicago President Robert Zimmer, and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emmanuel

Illinois joins UChicago, national labs in quantum collaboration

Oct 18, 2018 4:15 am

Quantum collaboration first step in broad partnership between Illinois and the University of Chicago

Illinois researchers analyze data to challenge assumptions about how we learn

Sep 22, 2016 9:15 am

Can online classes disrupt hundreds of years of traditional teaching? Researchers at Illinois’ Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning (CITL) analyzed data from participants enrolled in U. of I. Coursera courses to try to answer that question and challenge assumptions about how we learn.

What the true story of the Essex - the inspiration for 'Moby-Dick' - teaches us today

Dec 10, 2015 9:30 am

A Minute With...™ Jamie Jones, who is writing a book on the literature, art and culture surrounding the whaling industry

Recently awarded with a Grand Challenges Exploration grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for his approach, College of Veterinary Medicine researcher William Witola will be able to further pursue his research into C. parvum, a parasitic protozoa affecting both animals and humans. Photo by L. Brian Stauffer

By targeting gene expression in parasites, Vet Med researcher aims to end childhood disease

Nov 28, 2016 1:30 pm

As a young veterinarian in Zambia, Dr. William Witola wanted to know why the baby cows he saw were dying from a parasite resisting all treatment. Decades later, the University of Illinois Veterinary Medicine researcher is designing small molecules to silence that same parasite’s gene expression, find potential drug targets and help end a disease afflicting children around the world.

Photo of Lizanne DeStefano The new federal education law, the Every Student Succeeds Act, establishes more realistic benchmarks student achievement standards while preserving some of the accountability provisions of its predecessor, the controversial No Child Left Behind policy, says Lizanne DeStefano, professor emerita of educational psychology.

Is the Every Student Succeeds Act an improvement over No Child Left Behind?

Dec 14, 2015 11:00 am

A Minute With...™ Lizanne DeStefano, professor emerita of educational psychology

'Star Wars' and the coming of age of special effects

Dec 15, 2015 7:15 pm

A Minute With...™ Julie Turnock, a professor of media and cinema studies

Tropical fire ants traveled the world on 16th century ships

Feb 18, 2015 11:30 am

Thanks to a bit of genetic sleuthing, researchers now know the invasion history of the tropical fire ant (Solenopsis geminata), the first ant species known to travel the globe by sea.

Does climate change result in civil unrest?

Nov 18, 2015 8:30 am

A Minute With...™ Peter Nardulli, political scientist

Research at Illinois: Life-saving chemical detection becoming a possibility

Apr 27, 2017 9:45 am

Postdoctoral researcher Mohammad Amdad Ali says directed molecular transport could be the answer to both finding low-levels of chemical warfare agents and detecting early-stage diseases.

One recipe included in the Viennese cookbook “Wiener Küche,” is for vanillekipferl, or vanilla crescent cookies, pictured here, which Belovari’s family makes each Christmas. Courtesy Susanne Belovari

Illinois archivist's prize-winning essay reveals Jewish origins of Viennese cuisine

Sep 9, 2020 12:15 pm

'This is really the restitution of history. I’m trying to return a history that was forgotten and erased to Vienna and the Viennese Jewish community,” Susanne'Belovari said.

Billboard: "Friendliest Drink On Earth," The Coca-Cola Company (1956)

Professor’s history of Coca-Cola also tells larger story of globalization

May 6, 2019 9:45 am

Coca-Cola’s history is one of innovation in image-making, outsourcing and other now-common practices of global capitalism – and of adapting to challenges from those resisting its practices, says Professor Amanda Ciafone

Gies College of Business professors Michael Williamson and Laura Wang

Brainstorm - then rest - is key to unlocking creativity

Apr 5, 2019 11:00 am

Research suggests that the key to creativity is to incentivize workers to brainstorm as many ideas as possible, and then step away for an 'incubation period' before returning to idea generation.

The W7-X experiments successful creation of plasma in Germany is a step along the path to fusion energy, says Illinois research professor Daniel Andruczyk.

Is fusion energy around the corner?

Dec 31, 2015 2:00 pm

A Minute With...™ U. of I. nuclear engineer Daniel Andruczyk

“Chaconne/Labyrinth,” reflects the experience of living during a pandemic. The piece will have its world premiere April 3 with a virtual performance by the Jupiter String Quartet (pictured performing)

Illinois composer's new work depicts pandemic experience

Apr 1, 2021 9:45 am

'Beethoven would depict thunderstorms along the banks of a creek. Now we could depict the molecular dynamics of water,' says composer Stephen Andrew Taylor. 'It’s a modern updating of a very ancient musical representation.'

Cahokia. Image courtesy Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site, painting by William R. Iseminger.

Cahokia's rise parallels onset of corn agriculture

May 14, 2020 9:15 am

Corn cultivation began in the vicinity of the Cahokia between A.D. 900 and 1000, researchers report. Its arrival may have contributed to the abrupt rise of this ancient metropolis in and around present-day St. Louis.

Illinois entomologists identify new family of stoneflies

Aug 26, 2021 12:00 pm

Scientists study stoneflies because they are the most sensitive indicators of water quality among all animals. Stoneflies won’t survive if there is runoff into streams from crop fields or sewage treatment plants.

the formidable head of an alligator snapping turtle. Photo by Seth LaGrange

Environmental DNA study successfully detects alligator snapping turtles in southern Illinois

Feb 13, 2020 10:45 am

The alligator snapping turtle is the largest freshwater turtle in North America, but it is not easy to spot. Now U of I scientists have demonstrated an effective new method to detect the secretive reptiles in the wild.

Why has Putin's Napoleonic 'cold charisma' made him so popular in Russia?

Oct 12, 2015 5:45 pm

A Minute With...™ Richard Tempest, professor of Slavic languages and literatures

Molecule-making machine simplifies complex chemistry

Mar 20, 2015 9:15 am

A machine in University of Illinois chemistry professor Martin Burke's lab assembles complex small molecules out of simple chemical building blocks, like a 3-D printer on the molecular level. Read more here.

Professor Yuqian Xu. Photo by L. Brian Stauffer

Paper: Four service features impact demand for physicians’ online bookings

May 15, 2018 10:15 am

Four service-quality proxies (bedside manner, diagnosis accuracy, waiting time and service time) disproportionately affect demand for patient care, said Professor Yuqian Xu

image of tenseSense co-founders Ayako Ohoka, Margaret Barbero, Aneysha Bhat, and Karthik Balakrishnan

Students's startup will make diagnosing anxiety disorder easier

Apr 8, 2016 9:45 am

The test provides and indication of stress levels reliable enough to tell if the patient should seek further evaluation for an anxiety disorder.

Book cover image courtesy of Oxford University Press

Pax Britannica? British Empire was a world of trouble, says historian

Sep 28, 2015 1:15 pm

Dissent and disruption were the rule, not the exception, according to Antoinette Burton, in her new book, “The Trouble With Empire"

historic image of an egyptian wedding couple from book cover

Egypt case study shows ‘traditional’ marriage more modern than we think

Jun 15, 2015 10:45 am

Those “traditional” marriage ideals and practices are more likely a product of the last two centuries, says history professor Ken Cuno.

Graduate student Madison Sewell and school-university research coordinator Raya Hegeman-Davis in the Bureau of Educational Research co-wrote the report. Photo by L. B. Stauffer

Report: Many Illinois students not receiving critical computer science education

Jul 27, 2021 8:45 am

Researchers at U of I found that many elementary, secondary school students in Illinois lack access to computer science education and qualified teachers. Over wo-thirds of states have learning standards for computer science - but not Illinois.

Technology from Professor Martin Burke behind $25M medical startup

Feb 4, 2015 2:45 pm

Illinois chemistry professor Marty Burke explains how his research group breaks down complex chemicals into simple 'building blocks.' His group recently discovered that thousands of molecules that could be very useful as medicines can be built with only 12 different building blocks, which could dramatically speed up drug development. Hear his full story here.

Help a tick-tracking initiative combat tickborne disease this spring

Mar 29, 2018 11:15 am

As the 2018 tick season gets under way, Illinois researchers are launching a surveillance program to learn more about where, when Illinoisans are encountering ticks

Geologists unlock mysteries of Earth's inner core

Mar 12, 2015 6:15 am

Thanks to a novel application of earthquake-reading technology, a research team at the University of Illinois and colleagues at Nanjing University in China have found that the Earth’s inner core has an inner core of its own, which has surprising properties that could reveal information about our planet. Read more here.

image of graduate student Dongying Li and Professor William Sullivan, by L. Brian Stauffer

Study: Green view through classroom window can improve students’ performance

Jan 22, 2016 11:45 am

Doctoral student Dongying Li and Professsor William Sullivan the landscape architecture department, found that classrooms providing a view of green space significantly improve high school students’ performance.

Professor Lavanya Marla. Photo by L. Brian Stauffer

New aircraft-scheduling models may ease air travel frustrations

Jun 13, 2018 8:00 am

Researchers have developed models to help create schedules that are less susceptible to delays and easier to fix once disrupted

Illinois biochemist Auinash Kalsotra. Photo by Brian Stauffer

Division of labor within regenerating liver maintains metabolism, mouse study finds

Mar 1, 2021 4:15 pm

The liver has a rare superpower among body organs – the ability to regenerate. It even continues its work of removing metabolites and toxins during the process of regeneration. But how?

U of I study: Electric cooker an easy way to sanitize N95 masks

Aug 6, 2020 9:00 am

An Illinois study found that 50 minutes of dry heat in an electric cooker, such as a rice cooker or Instant Pot, decontaminated N95 respirators inside and out while maintaining their filtration and fit.

graphic of urban area with weeds growing through cracked earth. By Michael Vincent

New modeling shows greater likelihood of extreme heat events in urban areas

Jun 22, 2021 9:30 am

Urban heat waves can be devastating; a 1995 heat wave in Chicago caused more than 1,000 deaths. Last year’s heat wave on the west coast caused wildfires. But if cities fully understand their risk, they can prepare better.

Image of University of Illinois psychology professor Alejandro Lleras

Study: Mobile device addiction linked to depression, anxiety

Mar 2, 2016 10:30 am

Is cellphone use detrimental to mental health? A new study from the University of Illinois finds that addiction to, and not simply use of, mobile technology is linked to anxiety and depression in college-age students.

U of I's rapid saliva test for COVID-19 gains FDA Emergency Use Authorization

Aug 19, 2020 3:00 pm

'This has potentially game-changing implications for our statewide testing program as well as for testing on a national level. I’m so proud - but not at all surprised - to see this type of groundbreaking work come out of our own U of I,' said Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

Black legged tick, also called a deer tick. Photo via Wikimedia Commons

Model predicts where ticks, Lyme disease will appear next in Midwest states

Dec 23, 2020 9:15 am

Drawing from decades of studies, scientists created a timeline marking the arrival of deer ticks in the Midwest. Adding an analysis of landscape features, they built a model that can predict where ticks are likely to appear in future years.

Chemical and Biological Engineering Professor Ying Diao

ChBE prof receives NASA award to help astronauts grow vegetables

Jan 12, 2021 10:15 am

Ying Diao’s goal for this research is to develop wearable sensors for plants to monitor their health and stress levels. Then, a 'smart' plant chamber will be developed to identify the best conditions for a plant to grow in to reduce its stress.

simulation of a nearby supernova colliding with and compressing the solar wind. Earth’s orbit, the blue dashed circle, and the Sun, red dot, are shown for scale. Graphic courtesy Jesse Miller

Exploding stars may have caused mass extinction on Earth, study shows

Aug 18, 2020 11:45 am

'We propose that one or more supernova explosions, about 65 light-years away from Earth, could have been responsible for the protracted loss of ozone' 359 million years ago, at the boundary between the Devonian and Carboniferous periods.

Professor Susan Schantz. still image from video

Using infrared eye tracking to study infant behavior

Aug 14, 2020 4:30 pm

Researchers have adapted infrared technology to automate the tracking of visual tasks in infants in order to more accurately measure memory and cognitive behavior. The technique can help improve cognition studies in infants.

stock image of shoes on pavement with painted arrows indicating three different directions

Does artificial intelligence bias human decision making?

Aug 17, 2020 11:00 am

Can AI bots bias human decision making? According to new research from three Gies College of Business scholars, the answer is 'yes.'

U. of I. kinesiology and community health professor Neha Gothe explores the relationship between physical activity and cognitive aging. Photo by L. Brian Stauffer

Experts review evidence yoga is good for the brain

Dec 12, 2019 9:00 am

A review of the science finds evidence that yoga enhances many of the same brain structures and functions that benefit from aerobic exercise.

Professor Rana Hogarth. Photo by L. Brian Stauffer

Doctors played a role in ideas about racial differences

Feb 6, 2018 10:15 am

Slavery and racism played their roles in planting beliefs about race and racial difference, but so did medicine, says history professor Rana Hogarth

models of domes designed by Sudarshan Krishnan can expand and collapse. GIF courtesy of Sudarshan Krishnan

Illinois architecture professor designs transformable, adaptive structures

Apr 11, 2018 9:30 am

Sudarshan Krishnan designs structures that can expand and collapse like an umbrella - not static buildings but structural frameworks that move and change shapes

visibile line of 'the great unconformity' as seen in the Grand Canyon

Explaining the Great Unconformity

Mar 14, 2019 10:00 am

What happened to 1.2 billion years of history? Illinois geologist William Guenthner digs for answers.

In times of ecological uncertainty, brood parasites hedge their bets

Aug 21, 2020 8:45 am

A new Illinois study finds that in times of environmental flux, brood parasites like cowbirds and cuckoos have evolved to increase host-species diversity.

DOE awards two quantum information science research centers with Illinois as partner

Aug 26, 2020 2:15 pm

The two centers are part of a large-scale Department of Energy federal program to facilitate and foster quantum innovation in the United States.

Anthropology professor Kathryn Clancy. Photo by Fred Zwicky

Quick fixes won’t stop sexual harassment in academia, experts say

Aug 20, 2020 8:30 am

New report calls for institutions of higher education to directly address those responsible for the hostile work environments many women face in academia.

New approach to soft materials could predict natural disasters

Aug 24, 2020 2:45 pm

A new study from engineers at the University of Illinois could help predict some natural disasters.

Illinois to lead two of seven new national artificial intelligence institutes

Aug 26, 2020 8:30 am

The University of Illinois will host two new artificial intelligence institutes funded by the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

inner city school exterior. Photo by Keri Cascio

Schoolyard tree cover predicts math performance in high-poverty urban schools

Sep 25, 2018 11:15 am

Previous studies have documented a positive relationship between greenness and academic achievement, but, until now, no one had examined the relationship in high-poverty schools

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